Which car seats are approved for the plane?

There are about 15 other women that I know who will be traveling around the world for the upcoming sailboat race that my husband is participating in- and we are starting to get all of our ducks in a line as we leave in a few months. During a discussion today, it came up that it is very hard to know which car seats are FAA approved, or approved for the airplane or will even fit on an airplane. I had just gone through this myself while I was researching my car seat- the Graco Platinum Car Go (see my review under travel gear). For this group of moms, we will probably flying more than we are in a car, so the needs for the car seat are a bit different.

Here are some facts that I have learned about car seats on the plane.

1. The car seat has to either go by the window or in the middle of the middle seats- basically not in the way of anyone exiting the plane.
2. The car seats do not say FAA approved on them but instead they say something like- THIS CAR SEAT IS APPROVED FOR AIRCRAFT TRAVEL
3. Most car seats will fit if they have a general set up, by this I mean there are some great car seats out there that are portable and small but require a top tether- and this is not approved for Aircraft travel
4. There is no list of car seats approved for airplanes out there. When you buy, you should look at the box or model or call the company to confirm that it is approved.
5. The airlines (usually the flight attendants or pursor) WILL check to see if the car seat is approved for aircraft travel.
6. My sticker was almost impossible to find. It was not on the sides with all of the other safety information but instead on the very bottom kind of tucked away. I am glad I looked because on the plane with the kid strapped in, that could have become interesting. (She wouldn't like to be upside down for five minutes I don't think)
7. To my understanding, the seat cannot be wider than 16 inches (40.64 cm's) . This is where things may get interesting. I am sure there are seats out there that are approved but that are a little wider and an airlines may give you a hard time about this. I don't know the maximum length for an infant car seat (between the seat in front of you) but I took my Graco Snug Ride on and it fit but just by a hair. If it had been bigger the seat in front of us would not have been able to recline.
8. Regardless of whether or not your car seat is "aircraft approved" , you should check with the individual airlines to find out if they have specific regulations- I have read that some don't let car seats on that are over a certain age or that have certain types of straps.
   

This doesn't answer the all important question of which car seats are best for air travel but hopefully it will help clarify what you are looking for.

Protect Your Baby Gear from the Airlines

Here is a great article written by Richard Goore of Goore's baby store in Sacramento, CA. (Goore' is a great store www.goores.com if you need any baby gear). He addresses the issue of what to do when your baby gear is damaged when flying....

Don't let the airlines damage your car seat or stroller!

I received a call from one of my friends the other day telling me how frustrated he was with the airline they flew on for their recent summer trip. He went on to tell me that their new stroller they just got from Goore's is now damaged. It is still usable but the frame has a dent and the seat is dirtier than before. I was tempted to say I told you so (which I actually had done in the past) but I refrained. When they go on their next trip during the holiday season they will be using both a car seat and a stroller bag to protect their purchases.


The airline restrictions are not cut and dry. Most airlines have you sign a form stating that they are not liable for any damage they may cause to your stroller or car seat when it is checked (at the curb, counter or gate). Some do and some don't. Some simply forget for various reasons. Using travel bags for car seats and strollers will not only protect your purchases but also, in some cases, allow these items to be checked without signing a waiver. I am not sure if you will have a reliable argument should the airlines damage your merchandise but it certainly can't hurt. I just completed an extensive search to find what many of the leading airlines state on their websites regarding . For many there is not a clear cut and dry answer. The information is difficult to find if it is there at all. My suggestion is to call and find out where you can get it in writing. Here are a few of the websites I looked at.


American Airlines states"American is not responsible for damage to any stroller not properly packed in original packaging." That tells me unless it is in a box the hasn't been opened they are not responsible. They have info on car seats as well. For more precise information from American Airlines, Click here then scroll down to Infant Seat or Child Restraint Devices.

Southwest Airlines does not say anything specific on their website about waiving responsibility for damage but I know 1st hand they have you sign their waiver releasing them of responsibility for damage when checking your car seat or stroller. For information on these items when flying Southwest click here.


Continental does have a pretty clear explanation of responsibility when checking strollers, "Continental is not liable for damage to strollers." They do not mention that for car seats though. They count strollers and car seats as regular baggage which falls into the same size and weight restrictions. For more detailed information on Continental's guidelines click here.

These are just a few examples. It is advised to take the time to check the airline you are flying to completely understand their terms and conditions when checking car seats and strollers.


As recommended earlier, you should get a travel bag for your car seats and strollers when you check them. A number of stroller and car seat companies have their own versions that fit their specific products perfectly such as - Bob Joggers, Phil & Ted's E3 Sport Buggy, Bugaboo (Bee, Cameleon/Frog), Stokke Xplory, Sunshine Kids Radian & Compass Booster. If your stroller or car seat does not have a specifically designed bag don't worry. We have many great options for you. Here is a list of our favorites:

Car Seats

• JL Childress Ultimate Car Seat Bag - fits practically every seat on the market. Heavily padded backpack shoulder straps for carrying. I think this is the best option as it frees up your hands.
• JL Childress Wheely Car Seat Bag - Same as above with a single shoulder strap that you can pull behind you as it's on wheels.
• Graco Car Seat Travel bag - Similar to the JL Childress bags but only has one shoulder strap.

Strollers

• JL Childress Padded Umbrella Stroller Bag - Fits all umbrella style strollers from your inexpensive $20 umbrella up to the more expensive Peg Perego Pliko type strollers.
• JL Childress Standard/Dual Stroller Travel Bag - This is the big one! Will fit all single strollers and even many double strollers. The extra large size measures 42"x21"x13". This one is also great for beach chairs, sports equipment camping gear and more!

There are other options as well but these are the best sellers. You may be done with your Summer travel but the holidays will creep up on you quickly. Make sure you protect your investments so you can continue to use them well into the future.

Richard Goore

Survived the trip...

Every trip with our little girl is a learning experience. As my previous post mentioned- I was nervous about this one, especially since the little one is now walking. So here is the basic lowdown.

We had two flights, a 2 hour flight on Sunday night, spent the night in a Madrid hotel, and then a 10 hour day flight on Monday. Someone was looking out for me on the 10 hour flight because I got three seats in a row (I had not bought a seat for the baby) , they let me put the carseat on, and the baby was relatively calm. So as my kiwi husband would say- "I had a blinder" (that means a good thing.) As always I learned a lot and here are the latest revelations:

- Madrid airport: My international flight required a 22 minute train ride from security to the gate, so two hours just got me there with no time to spare and no time for the baby to run around.

- They made me take the Baby Bjorn off thru security. This has never happened before and was my slam dunk method of getting thru security alone. The rules change not only from airport to airport, but from person to person.

- Carseat on board: 3 people said I couldn't take it on board (and on the first flight they didnt allow it), and then the flight attendent at the last minute said, "no problem", although the pursor did check it to make sure it was FAA approved. My suggestion is to carry it to the plane and if they won't let it on then check it at the door. I found that it was better than the bassinet (they let me chose between an aisle seat with the carseat next to me or a middle seat and the bassinet) because the little one was locked in. Having an aisle seat was key now that she was walking.

- Iberia was really nice about warming bottles, food, etc. The spanish are always so nice to babies!

- I used some of the suggested items that our readers sent in, including giving the baby a bag of new toys and that definitely helped. So if you need some tips, check out some of the previous posts from "On The Plane"

We have 6 more flights to go on this trip alone so I am sure there is more to learn and I will keep you posted....

British Airways Toddler Seat

A recent reader sent us this comment on our "Best Airlines" post:

BA won hands-down for the best service while traveling with a baby. Many airlines will only accommodate a baby until a certain age, and only first-come, first-serve. BA had a wonderful, comfortable reclinable bouncy-seat type of thing that was perfect for my then-14-month-old. All airlines should get that model! It also helps that the seats are more generous than those of other airlines we had used.- Mammemia

We thought that sounded great so we did a little research and found out that what British Airways is supplying is a Britax toddler seat. See the BA website page http://www.britishairways.com/travel/child/public/en_gb#infant for more information but apparently it is free of charge and easily works for children up to two. Sounds great!

Best Airlines for Babies

I have found that most of the airlines have been good with their baby programs but there are some websites out there that offer up better details. Our favorite so far has been Malaysia Airlines but we have had good experiences on United, KLM, SpanAir, SAS, Continential and Air Canada. If you have specific needs, you should contact the airlines specifically as soon as you book your ticket (bassinets/cots can be first come first serve).

Customer service for babies on airplanes include: bassinets/cots, pre-boarding, baby food, food and bottle warming, bibs, toys/crayons.

What have airlines have you had good and bad experiences while traveling on an airplane with a baby? Send us your thoughts, questions and stories to babyjetsetter@gmail.com or leave a comment here.