How an almost 3 year old should fly

[debdebdebby13]

We are going to be flying in a little less than two months. This will be DD's first flight. We'll actually be on one flight for about an hour and a half, switch planes and then fly for another two hours.

Is there really a point in lugging a carseat through the airport 4 times total (twice there, twice back)?

If there is a plane crash is her seat going to keep her any safer than anyone else? I mean plane crashes are typically all or nothing deal. Everybody dies or everybody lives, you know?

We'll have no need for the carseat once we reach our destination. (We're going to Disney and we'll be riding the buses and they don't allow carseats).

The only thing I can think of that would be good is that she's used to being in her seat and she won't be able to escape. I'm thinking she'll figure out the airplane lap belts pretty quickly and we might have trouble keeping her contained if she knows she can get up. Who knows though, she's never flow so she might be fascinated to look out the window and play with whatever we bring to entertain her, I just don't know. :headscratch:

Oh, DD will be 2yrs 9 months at the time.

[kimsansf]

I wouldnt bring the carseat unless you think it will help her to sit still (ie if she associates the carseat with sitting in the car where she doesnt struggle to get up and walk around)

The two flights aren't terribly long, so you should be fine.

Just bring some new toys, some new books, some crayons and paper. some special snacks etc...

she'll do great!

We fly fairly often with jackson, but have had to start taking redeyes on the longer flights so that he will sleep.

[MelDM]

We flew to Arizona with my daughter when she was 2yrs and 5 months old. On the way there we took the seat on the plane, on the way back we didn't. What a PITA it was lugging that thing around for nothing. Our flight on the way home was almost empty as well, so it was nice my daughter could move around a bit (her and I had the 3 seats to ourselves).

[Minniebees]

I just flew with the three kids by myself over Christmas. I didn't bring any carseats. I had my hands full enough as it was with the carry on luggage and the 6 year old, 3 year old, and 7 month old, lol.

When we went to Disney World last time we flew from CA to FL and didn't bring seats then, either. The boy was 20 months old, and the girl was 4. It was fine. You have so much to deal with, that the seats are a PITS with little benefit. Like you say, you either live or you don't. It's *possible* if there is a really bumpy flight that the car seat might help, but that it unusual, really. But, it's up to you. We have chosen before not to take them, and I don't feel like we made a bad decision for us.

[luvsviola]

I wouldn't bring it. You'd have to lug it to the busses, plus your kid, plus the stroller. And those busses are crowded. We did it last year with a 9 month old, and I don't regret that at all.

[rafrach]

I would'nt take it. The only time i took one, it was a total pain. It was massive to carry onto the plane, blocked us from using the other empty seats in the row, my son would not stay in it, and i managed to get it stuck in the seat. All while flying solo with my 2 and 4 yr old from LAX to the UK - 10hrs!
You'll be fine - as the others have suggested just take some new toys, coloring things, fiddles. I personally have found that a personal DVD player for your child to watch, or listen to stories, is a great thing! But don't worry - airports fascinate children - there's so much for them to watch; the guards are usually very friendly towards them. And your flights won't be too long.
Have fun

[Jujubazooka]

If you aren't going to be using it at your destination, I would leave it. I always bring one for my 3yo, but we rent vehicles. It is nice to keep him in his sit and it is more comfortable for him, but it is a pain to haul it through the airports.

[JonsMommy]

The reason I was told it was best to have a carseat, is that turbulence can be so severe sometimes that a parent will not be able to hang on to the child, so that is the biggest risk of injury. Also, there are times when the plane does not exactly crash but has a rough or emergency landing (not all as dramatic as the plane in the river!).

Also, years ago I saw an interview with a flight attendant who had been on a plane that crashed I think in Iowa maybe 20 years ago? Most of the people survived, but she saw a toddler boy go flying across the cabin and die because the forces were just too strong for his parents to hold on.

They say the only reason they don't require children to be in carseats on airplanes, is because then parents would have to buy a ticket and they're afraid it would result in more people opting to drive instead of fly, which is of course more dangerous.

So the risks are there...it's just a matter in your mind whether you consider them so remote that you don't worry about them. For me, I am mildly anxious about things like accidents, and I felt much better using the carseat. But I agree, it's a pain! Too bad there isn't some sort of child safety seat that can be kept on board the airplane and installed as needed.

[Ami in Deutschland]

There is an alternative to the car seat! Check out the CARES seatbelt at kidsflysafe.com (http://kidsflysafe.com/). It is a harness used in combination with the lap belt and is approved by the FAA. I used it for ODS at 16 months on a transatlantic trip and liked it. He figured out the seatbelt mechanism, but I could get him to stay in his seat with it on. It made sleeping in the seat more comfortable, as it kept his head from flopping around. It fits in your carry-on.

[jnno]

The reason I was told it was best to have a carseat, is that turbulence can be so severe sometimes that a parent will not be able to hang on to the child, so that is the biggest risk of injury. Also, there are times when the plane does not exactly crash but has a rough or emergency landing (not all as dramatic as the plane in the river!).


Exactly.

Also, everytime I've flown with DD (I've only flown once with another adult to help), I've brought the carseat. I've had a minimum of one layover each way, each flight, so I've definitely done the whole dragging it through the airport thing. Totally, absolutely, 100% worth it for me.

1. She is used to the seat and knows that when she's in it, getting out is simply not an option. We had no arguments/whining about letting her out.
2. We had a rough patch of turbulence that was making adults bounce around. I cannot imagine what it would've done to her if she hadn't been in her carseat.
3. It lifted her high enough to be able to look out the window and see everything. She loved it.

I practiced carrying DD, our luggage and the carseat before we got to the airport so I would know exactly how/what order to put on or pick up everything. I also figured out the best way for me to carry the carseat. It helped immensely.

The minor inconvenience of having to carry it through the airport was/is WAY outweighed by the benefits of having it, both from a safety and convenience standpoint.

I also packed her little kid-sized rolling suitcase (about the size of a bookbag) with cheap toys she'd never seen before (spend about $15 total at Wal-Mart) such as books, notebook, new colored pencils, cars, etc. and had lots of snacks.

[mmmom]

I would bring it. About a year ago there was a 3 yo girl from my city that was the sole survivor in a plane crash that killed her grandfather and his colleague. They credited her car seat for saving her life. Let me see if I can find a article
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=6573627a-3b08-4689-b8f5-334de675e66e

Before this happened I traveled with both my kids on a 4 hour plane ride. In a effort to save money I didn't buy a seat for either of my kids, my mom flew with me. After reading this story I have personally decided that I will drag the carseats everywhere with me no matter how big a PITA it is

[cheygirl]

1. She is used to the seat and knows that when she's in it, getting out is simply not an option. We had no arguments/whining about letting her out.
2. We had a rough patch of turbulence that was making adults bounce around. I cannot imagine what it would've done to her if she hadn't been in her carseat.
3. It lifted her high enough to be able to look out the window and see everything. She loved it.


Totally.
We flew to florida on Skyservice with our 2.5 yo and a carseat last month, and here's my conclusion. It wasn't a huge pain to lug the carseat through the airport because you can roll it around on an umbrella stroller, or on a luggage cart. HOWEVER, what was a huge pain was installing it into the airplane seat. It took my DH around 20 minutes, with flight attendants helping, to get it buckled in securely. We were surprised it was that hard, given that most airlines recommend the carseat...you'd think they'd make it easier to install one on their planes :headscratch: . Once it was in, though, it was great, because dd could look out the window, and sleep comfortably, and we knew she was safe in case of turbulence.

Now, here what I suggest. If you aren't likely to use the carseat at the other end, invest in one of those CARES harnesses. They're compact, affordable (around $85) and the only child safety harness FAA approves for use on planes (other than a carseat).

But, if you are likely to use the carseat at the other end, then just take it. Preboard and tell the flight attendants right away that you may need assistance with installing it, and good luck! In any case, I think it might be easier to install in some planes than others.

Don't take it and check it, however. Carseats are designed to absorb only one impact....which is why you must replace your seat after a car accident. Baggage handlers are rough with your luggage, and you have no way of knowing if they threw or dropped that carseat, rendering it useless.

We could have bought the CARES harness and not taken the carseat on our last trip, but we were going to be doing a lot of driving, and the car rental company was going to charge extra for a carseat, and who knows whether that carseat is in good condition?? Though it was very inconvenient, it was cheaper to bring our own, and gave us total peace of mind. Plane crashes are rare, but turbulence isn't, and small children have been seriously injured or killed by turbulence. Not a risk I'm willing to take, no thank you!!

[Menfusse]

We flew a few months ago with our almost 3 year old, actually a week before she turned three. Initially, we had no intention of taking the car seat along. We found out that in our state, car services are not allowed to furnish car seats for insurance reasons. The service was picking us up at our house and driving us to the airport, which was over 3 hour away. So we had to have a carseat in the car.

Once I realized I had to take it, I didn't want to take my Britax. Too heavy and I was worried about how it would fit in the seats. We actually didn't have a spare seat anyway, so I went out and bought a Scenera just for the purpose of having a more lightweight seat and more narrow for the plane seats. They are only $40 bucks at Wal-Mart.

This was also our first time flying, and let me say that even though we originally didn't want to take a seat, I'm glad it ended up that we had to. I didn't check the seat because I was concerned about how they'd handle it. So, we used it in flight and it wasn't difficult to install, even on the small regional jets. They will preboard you as well so that you can go ahead and get it installed before the people start filling the isles.

Emily ended up feeling much more secure. She was used to being in a seat and it propped her up higher to be able to see what was going on. Also, even though DH was with us, we also has our 7 year old and he was usually in a different row. When I was in the bathroom, we were hit with some turbulence and I could barely stand, let alone walk back to my seat. I didnt' worry about Emily because she was buckled in snugly in her seat. My 7 year old ended up bumping her head on the window edge, so I can't imagine what it would've done to my little one if she weren't in a seat.

Now, as far as lugging it through the airport, I have a tip. I don't know what kind of carry on luggage you might have, but if you have the smaller suitcases with the pull up handle and wheels, I used the LATCH straps and top tether and attached it to my suitcase and wheeled it through Chicago O'hare at a full sprint to catch our connection. It worked great.

[cheygirl]

Once I realized I had to take it, I didn't want to take my Britax. Too heavy and I was worried about how it would fit in the seats. We actually didn't have a spare seat anyway, so I went out and bought a Scenera just for the purpose of having a more lightweight seat and more narrow for the plane seats. They are only $40 bucks at Wal-Mart.

Good suggestion. We took our britax and had a heck of a time installing it. I wonder if a scenera might have made it easier.

[Starr5678]

We used to drag the carseat around and it was a major PITA. Now we have a CARES harness:

http://www.kidsflysafe.com/

This harness is light-weight and easy to carry around (fits easily in our carry-on bag). Plus, it is FAA approved for all US airlines for the entire flight (not like the Baby B'air Vest which is only for in-flight, not take-off and landing). We've used ours on many, many trips and LOVED it. The only time I've ever had an issue with it was this last oversees flight on US Airways last month. The flights attendants hadn't ever seen one, nor had US Airways briefed them on the fact that this is now approved for use. I had to show them the FAA-approval label on it and how it worked, and then everything was fine. Check out the FAQ on their website for more info and to decide for yourself, but I highly recommend it!

[Starr5678]

Just to add to my above comments. Our experience has been BAD with renting carseat from rental car companies. The carseats have been really old (as in early 1990s at one place) and filthy. One place didn't even know the difference between an infant carseat and a booster seat and gave us the booster seat when we had reserved an infant carseat (DS was 6 months old). If you are worried about baggage handlers being rough with it, ask at check-in if it will fit in the overhead compartments on the plane and take it on board with you. (Of course, this means that you'll have to lug the thing around the airport.)

Also, we discovered that as our DS got older, the carseat in the airplane seat left him with zero leg room. We had a trans-continental flight when the person in front of him put the seat back and DS had to sit cross-legged the entire flight because the other seat was literally flush against his carseat (a Britax) and the jerk in front of us was not sympathetic. That was our last carseat on the plane flight.

And, lastly, the carseat allowed DS to reach the seat in front with his feet and I'd spend the entire flight trying to keep him from kicking the seat. With the harness, he can barely reach the seat in front with his legs out-stretched (at least for now), so I don't have to worry about him kicking the seat. If you've ever sat in front of someone kicking your seat, you'll know how horribly annoying this is!

OK, I'll shut up now!! :giggle:

[NessaL_07]

I started thinking about this when I found out looks like we will be pcsing to yuma arizona. Dont know yet if we will drive or fly. But if we fly we would have 3 yr old dd, a newborn, and 2 Britax Carseats to lug around. It will be a farily long flight, and who know how many stops we will have. I think it would be more of a nuisance.

[NessaL_07]

We used to drag the carseat around and it was a major PITA. Now we have a CARES harness:

http://www.kidsflysafe.com/

This harness is light-weight and easy to carry around (fits easily in our carry-on bag). Plus, it is FAA approved for all US airlines for the entire flight (not like the Baby B'air Vest which is only for in-flight, not take-off and landing). We've used ours on many, many trips and LOVED it. The only time I've ever had an issue with it was this last oversees flight on US Airways last month. The flights attendants hadn't ever seen one, nor had US Airways briefed them on the fact that this is now approved for use. I had to show them the FAA-approval label on it and how it worked, and then everything was fine. Check out the FAQ on their website for more info and to decide for yourself, but I highly recommend it!

Ive seen those, or at least something like it.

[jnno]

Good suggestion. We took our britax and had a heck of a time installing it. I wonder if a scenera might have made it easier.


Hmmm... I have a Britax Marathon and found it was a breeze to install. I never preboarded (less time spent on the plane the better :giggle: ) and had it installed, her buckled in and myself situated before most others were ready. I do have to loosen the seatbelt before I am able to unbuckle it, though, or it is impossible to unlatch.

[mommyto2boys1girl]

One more tip for installing a Britax seat on a plane FF. Remove that black plastic cover that is on the back of the seat, and that covers the "yoke" that the belts hook on to. ALSO flip the buckle on the female end of the seatbelt, so it is toward the back of the airplane seat, not the back of the carseat. My DH had to unhook the airplane seat from the plane the first time we ever flew with our carseat, 7 years ago, because we didn't know this. Now our Marathon installs simply on the plane. RF install is a snap too!

[RebekahG77]

My own son was almost exactly that age when we flew home for this last Christmas. We took his seat on the plane on the trip there and didn't take it on the way home. Oh how I wish we would have lugged it on!

First off, the airline charged us $15 PER CHECKED BAG, and they counted the car seat as a bag. :banghead:

Here are some pros/cons that we encountered:

*When he had the seat, he sat still a lot longer, but he had trouble sleeping because he was so straight up and down that his little head kept falling.

*Without the seat, he was up and down about 20,000 times but when he got tired he did sleep very soundly snuggled up in the airplane seat (with his belt on).

*From a safety standpoint, he's so little and the airplane belt just didn't seem tight or secure enough. I think if we had hit serious enough turbulence, he could have easily slid right out.

*In his seat, once he was strapped in, he was in. He couldn't "get away" from us. In the airplane seat, he was able to take his belt off and get up and down whenever it struck his little fancy! (that can be good or bad depending on how you look at it)! :giggle2: