Can you bring a carseat on an airplane?
CAN YOU BRING A CARSEAT ON AN AIRPLANE!?
If you’re planning a flight with your baby, toddler, or little one, you might be wondering if you can bring their carseat onboard with you. And the answer is - YES! You can bring most carseats on most flights and not only that, but it's actually the safest choice for your little one in air (mostly due to turbulence and the possibility of an accident during take-off or landing where arms may fail as a safety restraint)! The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recommends that infants and small children who weigh under 40 pounds be secured in an FAA-approved car seat or harness-type device when traveling by air. But before you head down the runway with carseat in tow, there are a few things you’ll need to know.
Read below:
The Always Somewhere Family: Can you bring a carseat on an airplane?
Is your SPECIFIC carseat allowed on the aircraft? You’ll need to check your carseat for the airline safety compliance sticker. It’s typically on the plastic side of the seat and looks like a small airplane symbol that reads “This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft.” Great news - if you’re located in the US, most infant and toddler seats ARE faa approved! The flight attendants may ask to see the sticker while boarding so be sure to familiarize yourself both with your carseat and your carseat’s manual for a quick and safe install! Remember, your child is safest in a carseat inflight.
WHERE can my carseat be installed on an airplane? Your child’s carseat is required to be installed in a window seat on the airplane so that it does not obstruct any passengers incase of emergency. *This is important to note if you are buying your child’s airline ticket with an option to choose seats: choose a window seat for your little one! If you are in a row of 3 seats but only you and your child are occupying that row, you may be able to install the carseat in the middle seat IF nobody is sitting in or assigned to the window seat - Ask your flight attendants for assistance! CLICK HERE FOR HOW TO INSTALL A CARSEAT ON AN AIRPLANE
What if I’m traveling with multiple kids/carseats? Great question! You CAN have multiple carseats side-by-side on an airplane starting with the window seat. For example: if you are traveling with 2 little ones the carseats can be installed in the window seat, middle seat, and you would sit in the aisle seat. Logistically, you might have a difficult time maneuvering the seats onto the plane and fitting them side by side. CLICK HERE FOR OUR TRAVEL CARSEAT RECOMMENDATIONS. If you are traveling with 2 adults and multiple children, you can either choose seats across multiple rows or one adult & child pair in front of the other.
Can you bring a carseat on international flights? This one is tricky. It varies by airline and country. Many international flights such as travel to Europe will not allow carseats onboard and instead, require a “belly belt.” This is an additional seatbelt that loops around your seatbelt and your baby on your lap. *These have been banned in the US and Canada as it essentially turns your little one into an airbag incase of turbulence or accident. Please use extra caution in this scenario. You’ll need to check with your specific airline and plane.
Does your child fly free under 2 years old? If so can I still bring their carseat? If your child is under 2 years old, they can fly for free as a "lap infant" and who wouldn’t want to save a couple hundred dollars in exchange for holding their baby?! If this is the case, you can still bring their carseat (as long as it meets the above requirements) along to the airport. DO NOT CHECK IT WITH YOUR LUGGAGE! Instead, bring the carseat with you to your assigned gate. You’ll need to get it through security first. CLICK HERE FOR HOW TO GET THROUGH AIRPORT SECURITY WITH A BABY. Once you’re at your gate, go up to the counter and ask the employee called the gate agent for tags to gate check your carseat (and stroller!) - you’ll loop these tags around the handles. You can walk your carseat and stroller down the runway all the way to the door of the plane! (That’s where you’ll pick it up upon landing too.) *I highly suggest using a secondary travel carseat for this so your daily driver does not get damaged. AND consider using a protective bag. CLICK HERE FOR OUR FAVORITE CONVERTIBLE CARSEAT BAG. Always check your carseat and stroller for damage BEFORE leaving the airport so you can file a complaint/compensation for damages.
Can my lap infant under 2 years old get a FREE seat for their carseat? Actually, yes! There is no guarantee but all you have to do is ASK! Don't be shy and ask both the gate agents and flight attendants if there are any extra empty seats on the flight so that you can bring your baby’s carseat onboard too! They might say “sorry, the flight is full,” in which case you would hold your baby as intended. OR they could say something like “Yes! Row 27 is empty. We’ll move your family there.” This is not a fool-proof plan but as my mom always says, if you don’t ask the answer is ALWAYS no! Keep in mind that you might have to wait until all the passengers have boarded to move seats and if you are traveling with a spouse, other children, or a large family, you may be separated from each other. Our daughter had a free seat on several flights and it was so nice to spread out and strap her into the carseat. Ultimately, if you want a guaranteed seat for you baby under 2 years old, you need to purchase one.
Read below for baby/child policies per airline:
The Always Somewhere Family: Can you bring a carseat on an airplane?
Traveling with a baby/child policy per airline (US):
Policies may vary for commuter, charter, and private planes.
How to install a carseat on an airplane
If you’re planning a flight with your little one, they’re actually safest in their carseat onboard. CLICK HERE TO READ: CAN YOU BRING YOUR CARSEAT ON AN AIRPLANE? for everything you need to know about bringing your carseat inflight! Now that you know all the rules and best practices for bringing your carseat with you, lets talk about how to install it!
Read below for everything you need to know:
The Always Somewhere Family: How to install a carseat on an airplane
What carseat should I use on an airplane? If possible, we suggest purchasing a secondary carseat for travel so that your daily driver doesn’t run the risk of damage. You’ll want a seat that’s lightweight, easy to maneuver and install, and slim enough to fit in the narrow airplane seats. Our favorites include the Cosco Scenera Next convertible carseat that you can pick up for under $50 and weighs only 6.8lbs and the Maxi Cosi Mico 30 infant seat that weighs less than 9lbs! CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL OUR FAVORITE TRAVEL CARSEATS
Determine if your seat should face forwards or backwards. In a car, your little one should rear face until 2 years old (at a minimum) or until they max out the height and weight limit for that specific seat in the rear-facing position. Ideally, the same rule applies in air. However, you might find it to be a tight-squeeze on some planes — especially on budget airlines where the space from seat to seat is mere inches! If you have the luxury of space for your seat to have a proper incline then install your infant seat or convertible carseat in the rear facing position. Otherwise, you can forward face the seat.
Find the correct belt path: For an infant carseat, there will likely be a slot or hook on each side of the seat towards the top for the seatbelt to slide in and buckle on-top of the seat. With a convertible seat, there will likely be a slot on each side of the seat towards the bottom for your to threat the seatbelt underneath the seat. One issue you may find is that the clunky buckle lands directly underneath your toddler’s bottom.
I’m still feeling nervous… Don’t worry! When you’re traveling with children you can take advantage of priority boarding! This means you can be one of the first people on the plane and have plenty of time to familiarize yourself with the seat and get situated. If you’re traveling with another adult, one of you could board the plane FIRST with the carseat and install it while the other keeps the kiddos in the terminal to let out their last bit of energy then board the plane in the back of the line.
Know YOUR seat before you go! Before you head to the airport, familiarize yourself with YOUR carseat’s SPECIFIC best practices and safety requirements. Make sure to read your carseat’s manual and you can also search for youtube videos directly from the manufacturer of your seat. It’s always best to ask for help! Some manufactures, like Uppababy, you can schedule a video appointment with their in-house CPST. Facebook group, Carseats for Littles, also offers fit-checks, best practices, and hosts a community of CPSTs to answer your questions.
How to Get Through Airport Security with a Baby
It all begins with an idea.
So you have your flights booked, your luggage packed, and you’ve figured out the airport parking lot (why do they always seem so confusing?!) but now you need to navigate getting through security. Passing by the TSA is the last, stressful, hurdle before you can relax at your gate and it can be tough to juggle your little one and all the gear you’ve brought along for them. Plus, there’s the panicked feeling that your against some imaginary clock! Let’s break the process of going through airport security with your baby step-by-step with everything you need to know so you can feel confident on your next vacation!
TSA: Traveling with children: To ensure your security, all travelers are required to undergo screening. However, TSA has developed modified screening procedures for children who appear to be 12 years old and younger. TSA officers will consult parents or the traveling guardian about the best way to relieve any concerns during the screening of a child. For children 13 years and older, TSA’s standard screening procedures apply. Accessible property of all travelers, regardless of age, must be screened. If there is an alarm, the individual will undergo additional screening.
Read below:
The Always Somewhere Family: How to get through airport security with a baby
How to get through airport security with a baby or toddler
Getting to the airport: Once you’ve arrived at the airport (either public transportation, dropped off by family/friends, parked in airport or 3rd party parking garage, etc.) you need to go to the gate of the airline you’re traveling. Even if you already checked in for your flight online or if you don’t have any bags to check, you’ll still need to check in at the gate when traveling with a lap infant under 2 years old. They will likely check your child’s form of ID and then send you off towards security. *Pro tip: There is usually a secondary line for this!
Transportation Security Administration: You’ll need to go through the security check point known as TSA. The rules, requirements, and expectations of TSA officers can greatly vary based on airport location.
My Morning Routine
It all begins with an idea.
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.
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Productive Habits
It all begins with an idea.
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.
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The Start of Something New
It all begins with an idea.
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.
Praesent commodo cursus magna, vel scelerisque nisl consectetur et. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Nulla vitae elit libero, a pharetra augue. Etiam porta sem malesuada magna mollis euismod. Nullam id dolor id nibh ultricies vehicula ut id elit.
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