Flying with kids

[RJandA]

We've never done it before so looking for any tips!

Especially re safety. Big A will have her own seat and I've been looking at CARE harnesses, anyone used one? Or would you just use the lap belt for a tallish 4 year old? She's about 17.5kg and 110cm.

We haven't booked a seat for Li'l A but I might ring the airline to see if we can - I'm quite uncomfortable about having him on my lap in the event of an emergency, having just read an article describing infants on laps as human airbags

Wold he have to go in a car seat though or could I use a CARE harness for him too? He's 12kg so should be ok, but under 2 so would airline insist on a car seat? That would be near impossible - it would be a front facing one and we're taking the train to the airport, we couldn't carry it and our luggage too.

[t&n's mummy]

We have done a lot of flying with our two but never heard of or seen a care harness in use so I can't comment. I have also never seen anyone with a child in a car seat on the plane so I am unsure how that would work, I imagine that not all car seats would fit?? You can read all sorts of scary stats, emergency situations are best avoided, however you sit (!) just try not to think about it as the children with pick up on anxiety. Bring snacks, books, sticker books are good, some airlines offer children activity packs, we always lose the crayons. If it's their first time, they will be quite excited and keen to look at everything, the emergency info card was always very interesting to t, he likes to count the aeroplanes on there and look for animals in the flight magazine...

[t&n's mummy]

Ps if it's a ba flight, ask for the flight log book for them both, then you can log your flights, maybe visit the flight deck, collect stickers...

[Lily]

[eterna]

I'm in the same boat...DD has flown with us 5 times and I never even once considered putting her in a car seat. She flew on my lap under 2 and then was just in her own seat with the lap belt after 2. But I've also recently been reading some things about how dangerous it is and now I'm all in a panic for our next flight with both kids. We'd have to buy 4 seats instead of 3, and figure out if our carseats fit on a plane...yikes. DH thinks I'm being silly.

Sorry no advice on that aspect. For entertainment though, lots of snacks and NEW toys so they have more novelty - I just grab cheap dollar store junk then just chuck it afterwards.

[Turtle'sMammy]

With T we flew with a car seat the first time.
He still had to be out of it and in a lap for take off and landing. And the seat had to be FAA approved. Not all are.
I would go with him in your lap. And try to get those seats at the front. What are they called? Something with a b? Anyway, if you sit there you might get a "cot" (cardboard box) to put lil A in if he sleeps. And there's more room. So they can sit and play on the floor. And there are less people to annoy as there's no one in front of you.

[Turtle'sMammy]

Bulk head seats!

[mathsgirl]

I don't think you need a CARES harness. We used one when DD1 was just 2 - it was mainly to keep her in her seat at take-off/landing - and it was good in that respect. However when we flew when she was 4 and 5 we didn't use it - she understands when the seatbelt sign is on to stay in her seat.
We flew last month, and DD2 is now just 2 with her own seat. We didn't use CARES as we wondered if it would be more trouble than its worth as she would want to be exactly like DD1. We did have some trouble keeping her sitting down during turbulence in particular (the attendant asked me to get her in her seat once but then turned a blind eye to her sitting on my lap, as she complained very loudly about sitting in her seat - she was tired and hungry). So it would have been useful in that respect.

An airline may let you book a seat for an under 2 but most will insist that they sit on your lap for takeoff and landing whether or not you have a cares harness or car seat. I would not take a car seat on board as it will be big and bulky and you have nowhere to put it but the seat. With a cares harness it takes up no room.

Sitting on the plane last month watching the safety video I thought an emergency landing and kids must be a nightmare - just have to keep your fingers crossed it doesn't happen!

If you do want a CARES harness - used three times - let me know - I would sell it at the going rate!

[GHJingle]

Definitely request bulkhead seats, the extra space is great. Who are you flying with? and how long a flight?
Your car seats will need to comply with aircraft regs etc - so it will depend on which car seat you have.

We just flew NZ - UK and return with A on my lap. She understood the seatbelt sign by the end, and even when there was an empty seat next to us reused to sit anywhere but on our knees or on the floor.

Good luck!

[t&n's mummy]

If you get the bulk head seats and the bassinet, ask for the window seats or if you are in the middle, insist that people don't use the extra space to squeeze through to the loo, I had to be pretty forceful and got a lot of dirty looks and comments about it, n was asleep in the bassinet, I'm not sure how they would fit through but a few did try, even with me sitting right there. I just said I wasn't moving...

[RJandA]

Thanks everyone. Maybe I'm overthinking it. I think I will have li'l A on my lap, although I don't feel all that happy about it, and use a CARES harness for Big A - but then again, we have the kiddy car seats specifically because they allow movement of the head and neck together, CARES harnesses would seem to do the opposite.

T&n's mummy, how much would you want for yours? Pm me if you like x