I'll be taking my daughter on a plane after her first birthday?

Question

I'm wondering if I will have to pay for her to have her own seat? Will I be able to take her forward-facing car seat on the plane(haven't bought one yet since she's only 11 months)? And if I can take her car seat, do you know of any brands that fold in half or something or are easy to transport when you already have to push an umbrella stroller and carry bags?? Also, how much carry-on are you allowed, and will I even be able to bring the umbrella stroller on the plane when I'll have a big diaper bag as well? I'll be flying from Seattle, WA to Des Moines, IA in March and I was just wondering if anyone had any tips for me or could answer my questions. It will be a little hard because my husband will not be flying with us so I have to carry all this stuff around by myself!! Thanks!

Answer 1

You do not absolutely have to buy a baby a seat until age two, but it is a good idea to anyway as it is much safer than riding in your lap and it is also nice to have somplace safe to set the baby while in flight. Some airlines offer half price fares for infants, but sometimes it's better to buy a full fare one as they often aren't offered on specials and full taxes apply anyway so sometimes the half price fare ends up being slightly more than a full adult fare.

If you don't purchase a seat, you might be able to use one anyway if you are lucky enough to have an empty seat next to you. Bring the carseat to the gate and ask. If there isn't an empty seat, you can gatecheck it along with your stroller. They will give you tags for carseat and stroller, and you leave them just outside the door to the plane and find them waiting just outside the door again when you arrive at your destination.

On my last trip, I was actually able to set it in the umbrella stroller and bungee cord it in securely enough that I felt safe having the baby ride in the carseat in the stroller. My older child's carseat didn't fit quite so well, so when I travelled with just her I used to do similar but would use the carseat/stroller combination to carry my carryon bags and would carry her in the sling.

Just because your daughter is turning one doesn't mean that she needs a forward facing seat unless she is approaching the limit of a convertible seat (30 to 35 pounds depending on the seat). One year and twenty pounds is just the minimum to turn forward facing, but it's much safer to remaon rear facing as long as possible. This page - http://www.thecarseatlady.com/car_seats/rear-facing_seats.html - (and several of the pages reached by following 'next' link at the bottom) explain more about just why it is safer and important.

Find the place on your carseat where it says it is approved for air use before you board the plane - flight attendants sometimes want to see it, and nothing is more fun than blocking the aisle while you twist the seat this way and that looking for the little print! Also, most seats are easy to install on a plane, but keep in mind how you will uninstall it as you tighten the belt. One seat - the Britax Marathon - is made so that when installed forward facing, the flap that you need to lift ends up pressed really tightly against the back of the seat where it can't be lifted! I thought they were going to have to cut the belt when I made that mistake, but with a lot of help and time we managed to get it out. A simple belt extender so I could have hte opening in a more convenient place fixed that problem in the future, and most seats don't have it, but just something to keep in mind if you happen to use that seat.

The arline website should have more information about travelling with babies and carryon info. Strollers and carseats that are gatechecked generally don't count as part of your carryon allowance.

Checking a carseat with baggage is not a good idea. It might be damaged - it is less likely to be if gatechecked. It also might also go missing as baggage so often does. Last Christmas our baggage missed one of our connections and so didn't arrive until the next day. Had we not had the carseat on the plane with us, we would have found ourselves at the airport at ten at night with no safe way to get our daughter home! The airline will sometimes have a loaner seat to use in this situation, but someone I know who had to use one told me that it was dirty and expired and a horrible seat and she felt terrible about putting her child in it.

Good luck in your travels.

Answer 2

I fly alone with two small children all the time.

If you want to use your car seat on the plane, you will have to buy a seat. And it will likely be a full-fare seat. (And once your daughter is two, she will always have to have her own ticket.)

There is a car seat on the market that converts into a stroller for exactly situations like this. And I know a few people who travel constantly who bought it.

Myself, I always checked our car seat with our luggage. Or, better yet, when I traveled to see my parents, I had them buy car seats on their end to use for all the grandchildren, and then I didn't have to transport car seats at all.

Even under the best circumstances, you'll have your hands full. And flying these days is never a "best case" scenario. Flights are full, people are crabby. And wrestling a car seat onto the plane is not an easy job. I learned that my first flight, and never did it again.

If you bring the car seat on the plane, the airline will require you to use it, and to buckle your child in while the seat belt light is on. That can be quite traumatic to you and the rest of the passengers if your child has, say, trouble with her ears during takeoff or landing, and you're unable to comfort her by holding her, etc. And many car seats are not actually rated or tested for air safety, anyway.

I carry our youngest child (now 18 months) in an Ergo carrier, push the older in a junky umbrella stroller, and travel as lightly as possible. (Yes, you'll be able to carry a diaper bag.)

You will have to gate check the stroller, but that's no big deal.

Don't let anyone turn flying into a big drama. Kids can be great travelers if you expect the best from them and think ahead a little bit. YOU are your daughter's favorite toy. So be prepared to make silly faces, and whisper secrets, and bounce her, and point out things in the airline magazine, and anything else you can think of to entertain her. That, a snack, and a pacifyer go a LONG way. And the Seattle to Des Moines flight is not so long. You'll be fine. Just don't carry too much! That's where everyone gets in trouble. :)

Answer 3

I don't know about a car seat that fold in half but i know that you can take the umbrella stroller with you all the way up to the entrance of the plane and then they will store it down with the other stuff, and you'll get it back as soon as you land. (If you're not flying directly to Des Moines just make sure you tell the people that take your tickets, that way they will give you the stroller wherever it is that you will be stopping) Now about the baby... I don't now how diffrent it is flying with a one year old but i just got back to IA from CA and it was just my 6 month old and me (and we had a stop in TX... bad idea!) First of all, try to make sure your baby is kind of hungry and tierd before you take-off. As soon as you are getting ready to take off give her a bottle or a pasifier, just as long as she is sucking on something, so her ears wont pop with the change in elevation. If you keep her up for as long as you can before the plane ride, the noise of the engins might put her to sleep, wich is always a good thing! About all the stuff you're planning to take with you... my advice is don't! i made a big mistake of taking a diaper bag, puse, a carry on, umbrella stroller pluse baby and his "can't-live-without" blanket!!! BUT besides his diapers, food, and toys, I didn't need any of my stuff. You would be better off taking things you know you will need for baby in that big diaper bag you were talking about and stuff a few things you will need in there as well. Trust me you will save your self soooo much trouble! Oh, and another thing if you're gonna take any diaper rash cream or any other liquidy stuff put it in a zip lock bag other wise you will have to beg them to let it pass! They almost took my baby's diaper rash cream away!! I had to beg for them not to, shoot, i was actually getting ready to show them his little rashy butt!! lol but that did the trick we got to keep it!! Anyway, good luck and hope you have a fun, safe trip!

Answer 4

no you don't have to purchase a seat, usually at 3 years old you do, she can sit in your lap or you can purchase a seat and put a car seat in if you feel thats safer. they won't let you bring the umbrella stroller directly onto the plane with you. when you walk down the corridor to board the plane, you usually leave it at the little door and a baggage handler will hopefully put it below(they "forgot" ours) also, if you have a diaper bag, thats considered the baby's carryon, so you shouldn't have a problem bringing another bag. if you are still not sure, just check out which airlines you are taking's website and they should explain policies on traveling with small children.

Answer 5

No, children under the age of 2 do not need their own seat on the plane, your lap is fine. Yes, you can take the stroller up to the plane and they will check it for you before you sit down, they usually have a tag to put on the stroller when you reach the gate. I don't know about car seats that fold in half, but my suggestion is to check the car seat as luggage. One thing I always do for this is to bring a clear garbage bag that I can put the car seat in at luggage check. Some airlines offer car seat bags, but some don't so I always bring one from home. If you don't have a bag, the car seat will be NASTY when you get it at baggage claim later. Also, make sure the TSA agent watches you put the bag over the car seat and they give it the OK, or someone will tear it off later and leave it out to get dirty. You are allowed one carry on bag and one personal bag like a purse, brief case or lap top, but my suggestion is to pack one carry on total, pack your empty purse in your suitcase and put your things and the baby's things in one bag together. It's so much easier to keep up with one bag when you are the only one traveling with the baby. Also, make sure you have something for the baby to suck on during take off and landing, a bottle, a pacifier, something to help her ears. There are restrictions now on fluids you are allowed to carry on the plane, but I do believe formula is one of the exceptions, if you use formula. Make sure you check the TSA website for any updates on carry on restrictions. I have flown many times with my daughter, often without my husband, and my advice is to make it as simple as possible, only carry on things you know for a fact that you will need for your daughter, pack everything else in your suitcase. Also, one more thing, make sure you go to the bathroom before you get on the plane. You can always change her diaper on your lap, but trying to get the two of you into the airplane bathroom for you to go is not worth the effort, hahahaha! Good luck.

Answer 6

You do not seed to buy a seat until your child is 2 years old. However some airlines give a youth price ticket for shildren at half the adult fare, which is nice. If you choose to have her on your lap you still may end up with a seat for her if the flight is not full. I have flown many times with my kids and never had a problem with the lap. They end up there anyway, even if you buy a seat! As for the car seat I would recommend checking the seat with your luggage packed in a car seat carrier bag to protect it. Don't forget lots of small space activities to keep her entertained on flight as well as changes of clothes for her, and at least a top for you in case of big spills.

Good luck!

Answer 7

U without doubt can take ur possess snacks at the airplane! Bring some thing distinctive that she isnt used to, like lolly pops ( this may additionally male her swallow to aid her ears) , a pasifier, bottle....specially in the course of take off and touchdown. U coukd purchase a moveable dvd participant for her to observe caricature films on. A new toy that she hasnt noticeable til u r at the airplane and he or she will get fussy. I admit, i consistently over percent whilst i journey with my child. three or four hours is not anything! Try doing an in a single day flight from seattle to north carolina with a 2 yr historic through ur self!! Lol ! Also if she has a favourite blankie or some thing like that, carry it. Another tip is as a substitute of bringing a typicle diaper bag, use a backpack. It isnt very flattering, u will appear like a football mother at the pass, but it surely continues ur fingers and fingers unfastened which u will want. My uncle travels a ton for paintings and he says always he has noticeable mum and dad quit and simply allow their youngsters roam the isle....oh, and that in a single day flight i had, we have been in the back of the airplane and the sewartists began gambling with him. He wouldnt fall asleep and i used to be exhausted so i truthfully handed out whilst they performed with him. Its no longer like they would kidnap him on a airplane. But u wont have those disorders with a brief flight.

Answer 8

You do not have to buy a ticket for her until she is two. For now, you can carry her in your lap and / or request a bassinet to put her in during the flight. Call your airline to see if they provide bassinets and what the size is.
If you are travelling with a baby, you are allowed one extra piece of carry-on in addition to your regular luggage - you can take either a stroller or a carseat. They will take it from you at the enterance to the plane and put it in the flight attendant's area and give it back to you as soon as you land.
Do you have to take the carseat with you? You can rent cars with carseats in them.