FF Car seat on Plane « Hellobee Boards

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FF Car seat on Plane

By HappyJax Jul 13, 2015

We are travelling with our 2 year old in a few weeks. This is his first time that he won't be a lap child and we needed to purchase a seat for him. I am debating using a carseat on the plane, or purchasing a CARES harness. I looked at the plane we will be on and it's a small one. The carseat is wider than the seat so I will need to lift the armrest. I'm concerned also that he will be so close to the seat in front of him that he'll kick the seat in front.

Not sure what to do, any advice? Has anyone used the CARES or FF car seat? I guess we can chance it on the way there without the car seat and use it on the way home if it goes horribly with the CARES harness...

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27 comments

Truth Bombs
grapefruit / 4321 posts

Jul 13, 2015

Will you need a car seat at your destination?
littlebug
honeydew / 7504 posts

Jul 13, 2015

We're flying with D in October when he'll be 2.5. We were going to borrow my sister's Radian, because it collapses/folds into a carry-on, but I've heard it's super bulky and a PITA to fold up. My parents are buying a car seat to keep in Florida (we're going to visit them for a week), so I'm thinking about renting a CARES system for the week. I think it's $11? Just google CARES rental. As long as you have a carseat available at your destination, I think that might be the way to go.
looch
wonderful pear / 26210 posts

Jul 13, 2015

I wouldn't bother with the CARES harness, it's "open" at the bottom (as in there is no crotch strap).

I have done both forward and rear facing with a car seat, and I much prefer rear facing. Front facing is a giant pain and you don't get the benefit of being able to use the tray table.
lamariniere
pineapple / 12566 posts

Jul 13, 2015

I'm pretty sure the armrests need to be down for take off and landing, I've had flight attendants remind me to lower them before.
tinyperson
pomegranate / 3858 posts

Jul 13, 2015

How big is your LO? I know the CARES harness says it goes from 22-40lbs, but apparently it really only fits and is safe closer to the 40lb-mark. I would just use your carseat.
tinyperson
pomegranate / 3858 posts

Jul 13, 2015

@lamariniere: I've flown with a carseat installed, and arm rest was up the whole time. It might be N.Amer airline vs International airline rules?
lamariniere
pineapple / 12566 posts

Jul 13, 2015

@tinyperson: maybe. We flew just this week in Europe and were reminded to lower them. Definitely something to check into.
hilsy85
squash / 13764 posts

Jul 13, 2015

What carseat do you have? You can easily get a cheap one that will fit in an airplane seat. We have a safety first guide 65 that was like $80 and fits fine on an airplane.
HappyJax
olive / 52 posts

Jul 13, 2015

This comment has been deleted by the original poster.
HappyJax
olive / 52 posts

Jul 13, 2015

@hilsy85: We have a Britax Marathon. So a huge car seat.
HappyJax
olive / 52 posts

Jul 13, 2015

Thanks for all the feedback. We will bring a car seat with us. We have one of those rollers that attach to the car seat so we use that to get around. Last year we gate checked it because he was a lap child.

It's a very small plane. I just don't want him bumped up right against the person in front of us. I'm really worried he will kick the seat or have his legs scrunched up against it. Maybe I shouldn't worry about disturbing others but I do...

I think he would do better "contained" like with the CARES or car seat so he doesn't think he can get up and move around.

@tinyperson: He's 32 pounds now
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eggplant / 11716 posts

Jul 13, 2015

@HappyJax: I definitely think you should worry about disturbing others--having a kiddo kick the back of the seat is super, super, super annoying to the passengers in front. That's like, my biggest mom anxiety when I fly with LO--to not disturb other passengers.

Honestly, if your car seat is huge, like a foonf, and the plane is small, I wouldn't even attempt to use it. But I've flown in some pretty tiny regional jets before.

What kind of car seat do you have?
HappyJax
olive / 52 posts

Jul 13, 2015

@Anagram: Britax Marathon

@looch: Out of curiosity, why do you like rear facing better? I would assume you couldn't use the tray if they were rear facing but could forward facing.
hilsy85
squash / 13764 posts

Jul 13, 2015

@HappyJax: I would definitely get a smaller travel one then...my LO would not sit/sleep in just the seat so it's essential for us to have one!
Truth Bombs
grapefruit / 4321 posts

Jul 13, 2015

If you definitely need to bring the car seat I would opt for installing it on the plane. I never feel comfortable that baggage handlers take proper care of them. We've installed a Britax Marathon FF and we could use the tray table (though we were on a 737). LO could reach the seat in front of her if she kicked but we just told her that wasn't nice and she was bothering the person in front of her and she didn't do it again.
birdofafeather
pineapple / 12053 posts

Jul 13, 2015

we're bringing a smaller seat (combi cocorro) to travel with next month and will install it in the plane. i'm going to have to look it up so we can do it with ease but i thought DD (2.5) would be more comfortable in her seat and we need a car seat at our destination as well.
Freckles
honeydew / 7444 posts

Jul 13, 2015

@littlebug: the Radian is nice and compact and easy to lug around (just heavy).

We have taken our Britax Marathon which is pretty big! She had to cross her legs on the small plane and wasn't too happy when the person in front reclined his seat. But it was easy to install and at least we didn't have to pay to check in the car seat! I find they are much more comfortable in the car seat (easier to take naps in too),
looch
wonderful pear / 26210 posts

Jul 13, 2015

@HappyJax: I prefer rear facing because there really is no question that the person in the seat in front of the installed seat will not be able to recline. When the seat is installed forward facing, people think they can still recline their seat back! And plus, there is no risk to the child hitting the seat in front of them with their feet.
catlady
grapefruit / 4988 posts

Jul 13, 2015

We have a heavy carseat normally (Clek) so we just bought a Cosco Scenera for flying. It was cheap and is super lightweight. We have used it on relatively small planes before (the kind with 2 seats on either side of the aisle) and there was no problem fitting it.
hilsy85
squash / 13764 posts

Jul 13, 2015

@looch: I have had no issue with people sitting in front of LO in his FF carseat being able to recline...?
mrs.shinerbock
pomegranate / 3779 posts

Jul 13, 2015

We have a Graco MySize 65 and I was only able to get it to fit RF for the flight where we had bulkhead seats. The rest of the time we had it FF and it was a PITA because LO kicked the seat in front a lot. She was 15 months, so there wasn't anything I could do about it othe than just keep grabbing her feet and saying stop.
looch
wonderful pear / 26210 posts

Jul 13, 2015

@hilsy85: you mean, they can recline? Don't you find that they're literally in your child's face? That was our problem!
hilsy85
squash / 13764 posts

Jul 13, 2015

@looch: yes they can recline...and it cuts down on the space he has, sure, but it's certainly doesn't make him uncomfortable or infringe on his carseat in any way. It has never been an issue! I guess I also tend to make sure his carseat is in a more upright position?
looch
wonderful pear / 26210 posts

Jul 13, 2015

@hilsy85: All i can tell you is that when I installed the seat rear facing, it's clear that the person in front can't recline. When i have installed it front facing, it's the gray zone and it seems like they could do it, but i worry that if there was a sudden thrust forward, my son's face wouldn't stand a chance.
hilsy85
squash / 13764 posts

Jul 13, 2015

@looch: ah in terms of turbulence you mean? The seat has never been anywhere near my LO's face, especially if he is properly bucked in his seat. So I have never worried about that. The only thing it really affects is that he is much more able to kick the seat if it is reclined. But I try to prevent that as best I can.
looch
wonderful pear / 26210 posts

Jul 13, 2015

@hilsy85: Yep, on some planes, I feel like there is more clearance, but in some seats, there isn't much space between my son's face and the seat back in front of him.

And turbulence has a way of happening quickly, you know? I feel like in a serious situation, I wouldn't be able to do anything.
teawithpaloma
apricot / 490 posts

Jul 13, 2015

I just want to say I called Qantas as I am flying with my 16 month old at the end of the month to Australia and they specifically told me that I have to have her forward facing or else I would have to travel in the seat in front of her as it wouldn't be able to recline. This was of course a problem as I am traveling alone with her so I will have to have her forward facing with me next to her. I have no option. I originally asked about the bassinet/bulkhead seats but I was kicked out of those once I told them I was traveling with her in a car seat.

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