FLYING WITH A LITTLE PERSON -CAR SEAT/HARNESS/ADVICE NEEDED!

[Jenchats]

Hi...

I've booked my 14 month baby a seat on a BA long haul flight and have discovered that the stipulations for a suitable car seat are pretty strict. They have some available on board but it's on a first come first served basis.

The car seat has to be forward facing with a 5 point harness and compatible with a 2 point lap strap, have no base and be 43cm x 43cm.

If anyone has done this sort of flight before and knows of a suitable make, or, even better, actually has one to sell or lend this would be amazing!

Alternatively, the BA flights allow A CARES (AmSafe) child aviation safety harness. If anyone has one to sell or lend (for a price!) that would be really really helpful.

Either way, any advice would be welcome!

[Pickle]

You shouldn't need any of those things?

For take off and landing have your baby on your lap using an infant seatbelt extension (which they will supply). At other times you should just be able to have him/her sitting on the seat if awake, or lying down with the seatbelt fastened around if asleep.

I fly long haul frequently to NZ with my two kids, two of these times we've bought seats for them despite being under 2, and we've never had to use anything special for them. This is with Singapore Airlines, but I'd be surprised if there was a huge difference with BA.

A car seat would (in my opinion) be a real nuisance when flying long haul with an active toddler. My daughter loved being able to climb all over her seat, and when she slept she just lay down on the seat quite comfortably. Same applied to my son at a similar age.

P x

[nymom]

Hi. I recently traveled with my 21 month old to NY and purchased him his own seat. I was told on the phone by BA that I needed to use my own car seat or buy the AMSAFE A Cares harness. I bought the harness and on the way to NY it was great. However on the way back the BA flight attendants told me they had never seen or heard of this harness. They were extremely aggressive and told me they would not allow me to use it. This is after I was told on the phone by BA to buy it, and also used it with no problem on my outbound flight. I pointed out that it was FAA approved and also recommended on the BA website. They told me they don't need to follow FAA regulations as they are a British airline. In the end they compromised and allowed me to use it during the flight but not on takeoff or landing. They also filed " a report" about it. On takeoff and landing I needed to have my son on my lap. I have written to BA as I am flying again in June when he will just turn 2. I am only telling you this as perhaps you should bring a print out off the BA website with you that proves that the harness is a recommended device. Otherwise you may face some opposition. Or you might not like my first flight. I would say that the harness was good however it doesn't sit flush with the BA seats due to the sides of the seat extending out at an angle. So part of the harness sort of pushed into my sons neck but he didn't seem too bothered. Also as an aside there were no car seats even on my return flight so that wasn't even an option.

[Jenchats]

Wow! Really interesting advice. Thanks.

I'm starting to wish I booked with Singapore airlines!

[jac428]

We have flown a couple times with twin babies on both BA and American Airlines. We purchased extra seats on all the flights. Neither airline provided car seats but we took our own as we needed them in our destination.

BA required us to use lap belt extensions and hold the babies on take off and landing. The car seats had to be belted forward facing even though they were approved for rear facing seats. We were allowed to use them during the flight.

American Airlines allowed us to use the car seats rear facing. They had never heard of the seat belt extensions and were very relaxed. They allowed us to have one baby in the car seat and one on our lap during take off and landing. A couple on one of our flights spent the money for the FAA approved harness and found it great with a toddler who would not stay in his seat unless he was strapped in. The airline belts are too easy for some babies to unhook but you could just use walking reins instead of purchasing anything special.

As a tip, giving your baby a drink during take off and landing is highly recommended as children don't understand they need to swallow when their ears hurt. We found water worked best.

[chantelle]

we used one of the amsafe harnesses on flights to/from Thailand but i can't say it was much of a hit with my son, then 17 months. Most of the time he was "on the loose." We borrowed the Amsafe so unfortunately I can't lend it to you. We also brought a copy of our correspondence with the airline about it, in case they asked. It was Thai Airways and they didn't actually have seat belt extensions at all - you were just supposed to hold the child.