One Year Old, First Class Seat Question, ID, etc.

[Disturbia]

I'm also in favour (Canadian spelling! lol) of putting the little one in a car seat on the airplane. I brought my (very squirmy) daughter as a lap infant exactly once and it was awful. After that, she was always in a car seat in the airplane. It's safer too; everything including the soap in the lavatory is tied down during a flight - except lap infants.

No need for the car seat to be rear-facing; that will make life more difficult including the person in front of the little one not being able to recline, making for bad neighbour (ha! Cdn spelling again) relations.

Important: ask the flight attendant for a seatbelt extender when you get on the plane. That will make detaching the car seat 1000x easier at the end of the flight, since the buckles will be on either side of the car seat and not directly in the middle of the back where it's really hard to reach.

If it's a cheap car seat then you can just get rid of it after returning your daughter to the airport so she won't need to lug it with her.

In US domestic flights ban the seat belt or any other attachment for a lap child (some flights have banned the cares harness as well). I’m not sure about the car seat. We’ve always had a belt for the infant on international flights. When I looked into it further the belt is actually just to stop the infant from becoming a projectile (it’s for the safety of others only).

 

[Disturbia]

I'm also in favour (Canadian spelling! lol) of putting the little one in a car seat on the airplane. I brought my (very squirmy) daughter as a lap infant exactly once and it was awful. After that, she was always in a car seat in the airplane. It's safer too; everything including the soap in the lavatory is tied down during a flight - except lap infants.

No need for the car seat to be rear-facing; that will make life more difficult including the person in front of the little one not being able to recline, making for bad neighbour (ha! Cdn spelling again) relations.

Important: ask the flight attendant for a seatbelt extender when you get on the plane. That will make detaching the car seat 1000x easier at the end of the flight, since the buckles will be on either side of the car seat and not directly in the middle of the back where it's really hard to reach.

If it's a cheap car seat then you can just get rid of it after returning your daughter to the airport so she won't need to lug it with her.

Which car seat do you take? Is there a lightweight car seat?

Spirit allows the Cares harness. I wish there was a buckle on the bottom-so the child can’t strangle themselves trying to get out of it.

 

[dawnelda]

I used a Cosco Scenera since it was cheap and light. However, I encourage OP to research which seat would work best for their family.

Important: make sure that the sticker on the car seat says that it is approved for airplane use.

 

[js]

I used a Cosco Scenera since it was cheap and light. However, I encourage OP to research which seat would work best for their family.

Important: make sure that the sticker on the car seat says that it is approved for airplane use.

Thank you.
When I posed my (this) question on FB, the Costco Scenera came up a lot. Once summer is here, my dd and I will confirm what the plan is and I'm guessing we will end up purchasing.

 

[tjmw2727]

Just a couple clarifications - the sticker on the car seat will read (in red): "This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft"

Cosco Senara has always been a top choice due to price, size and weight and safety ratings. There are many types of car seat travel bags to make things easier as well; backpacks, rolling bag as well as a frame to make the cars eat into a stroller while in the airport.

Most airlines are ok with the cares harness as it attaches to the seat not the seatbelt, Delta airlines mentions it specifically as allowed.

A seatbelt extender can be used to properly install a car seat but not to extend the belt of an adult in order to strap a lap child in with the adult. Nor can any type of child restraint that attaches to the seatbelt of the adult to restrain a lap rider. Check the NTSB website for explanations as to why.

Always check your airline website for up-to-date information.

eta: If you don't have a seat belt extender - another way to make it easier to uninstall the car seat is to twist the strap with the release lever part of the buckle so its backward.

 

[js]

Just a couple clarifications - the sticker on the car seat will read (in red): "This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft"

Cosco Senara has always been a top choice due to price, size and weight and safety ratings. There are many types of car seat travel bags to make things easier as well; backpacks, rolling bag as well as a frame to make the cars eat into a stroller while in the airport.

Most airlines are ok with the cares harness as it attaches to the seat not the seatbelt, Delta airlines mentions it specifically as allowed.

A seatbelt extender can be used to properly install a car seat but not to extend the belt of an adult in order to strap a lap child in with the adult. Nor can any type of child restraint that attaches to the seatbelt of the adult to restrain a lap rider. Check the NTSB website for explanations as to why.

Always check your airline website for up-to-date information.

eta: If you don't have a seat belt extender - another way to make it easier to uninstall the car seat is to twist the strap with the release lever part of the buckle so its backward.

Thank you.
We purchased a seat for the baby and will probably purchase the Senara and a carry bag.
Although I don't need personally, I do have a seat belt extender that I will bring, I wasn't aware we needed
one until this thread.
I think the baby will be too small for the Cares. He is not a big baby but we shall see.

I have decided I am keeping the first row and appreciate your taking the time to give me additional information.

 

[MsVanderquack]

I have decided I am keeping the first row and appreciate your taking the time to give me additional information.

I think you'll like the first row. I used to avoid it and preferred the second row, but after sitting in the "bulkhead" row a couple of times when I booked last-minute flights, I can see the appeal.

To address the comment about not having access to your things while waiting to take off, the flight attendants only need you to stow your bag at take off and landing, so you can keep it with you until the plane is ready to depart. And of course you will also be the first people off of the plane, which is a nice perk.

I hope that you and your family have a great trip!

 

[js]

I think you'll like the first row. I used to avoid it and preferred the second row, but after sitting in the "bulkhead" row a couple of times when I booked last-minute flights, I can see the appeal.

To address the comment about not having access to your things while waiting to take off, the flight attendants only need you to stow your bag at take off and landing, so you can keep it with you until the plane is ready to depart. And of course you will also be the first people off of the plane, which is a nice perk.

I hope that you and your family have a great trip!

Yes, thank you. I personally book the first row when we fly and during take off, I always still have my ipad, headphones and a bottle of water on me. I can do the same with the baby items, as well as the two other adults that will be traveling.
Thanks so much for taking the time to respond.

 

[sixcats]

Maybe You can book two bulkhead seats, and the two directly behind them. That gives you access to some essentials in the second row that can be handed up to the bulkhead seats.