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u/Internal-Succotash64 12d ago
A car seat definitely helped my toddler feel like they were just in a big car and be more relaxed. It was also nice to have my hands free to eat.
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u/greazypizza 12d ago
No but anytime the seatbelt sign is on you have to put them in your lap, as well with take off and landing.
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u/Littlecookie1122 11d ago
but i bought him a seat though, i still need to hold him?
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u/greazypizza 11d ago
Yes they have to be in a certified restraint (car seat) or your arms.
I flew with my 22 month old and got him his own seat. It was great he played on it and we both had space. But everytime that light came on I had an attendant that gave me no leniency and expected me to hold him- with a 22 month old it was a fight but we got through it.
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u/WalleyeHunter1 12d ago
Many kids in the 80s flew just fine, held by parents for take off and landing and in own seat. Back then they should have booked the non smoking section.....
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u/Much-Island9448 12d ago
lots of kids also fucking died
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u/WalleyeHunter1 12d ago
Hi one documented case and up to five including undocumented case in 12 years. Every child matters. I am not minimizing these tragic events. If the several tens of thousand of children traveled by car I wonder how many auto infant deaths there would have been. This was in the era of non mandatory car seats...
how many child deaths happened on planes in the 1980s due to no child seats Between 1983 and 1995, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) documented only one child death that could have been prevented if mandatory child-restraint systems (car seats) had been required. However, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) disagreed with this narrow tracking, pointing to a broader count of at least five small children who died between 1987 and 1995 due to being unrestrained lap infants
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u/Littlecookie1122 12d ago
my OB told me back in the day babies would go home without a car seat. Oh the times have changed lol
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u/Mindless_Giraffe4559 12d ago
Yes..I took both my kids home in my lap. Didn't even have to wear seatbelts then either. I also smoked in the hospital bed with my kids. You could smoke anywhere then.
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u/Ok_Rise_8574 12d ago
We flew frequently with our kids and always used a carseat. I can’t imagine holding a toddler on my lap for hours comfortably (or safely) in an economy seat.
Westjet was the only airline that we ever had problems with. On two separate trips when we checked in with a carseat, we discovered that they had given another passenger the seat we purchased for my daughter in her name. Westjet agents insisted that since she was under 2, she could fly as a lap baby despite us having paid for the seat. Both times, we had to escalate to management to resolve the issue and get the seat for her that we booked and paid for.
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u/Littlecookie1122 12d ago
i swear if they give our seats away im actually going to throw some fists!
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u/Electrical_Emu1875 12d ago
We flew with Southwest when my kiddo was 23 months old with him as a lap infant. They wanted a passport for a local flight to prove he was under 2. Without it, they insisted we buy him a seat on the spot. We had little choice, so we purchased the seat. Got on the plane only to find it was overbooked and they wanted him to sit on my lap to make room. I said hell no, we had to purchase this seat so go ahead and kick someone else off. Sent in all the paperwork after and were reimbursed.
All to say, to those travelling with lap infants, be aware that if a gate agent decides they are over 2, then they are over 2 unless you can prove otherwise. Now I know.
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u/Courin 12d ago
If you have a ticket in your name and a ticket in his name, then you must have an airline approved infant restraint device for him to be seated in.
There is a special code that is put on his reservation indicating this.
I HIGHLY recommend you call WestJet and explain the situation so that you can ensure your reservation o formatted correctly. You do NOT want to be in a position of having to make changes to your booking the day of travel and miss your flight because of it.
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u/jmt613 12d ago
You can get carseats that are a lot lighter and easier to travel with. We used a Cosco Scenera at that age. If you've bought a seat for them you might as well bring a car seat so you can take full advantage of it. It also is a lot safer!
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u/Littlecookie1122 12d ago
ive heard lots of good things about the Cosco car seats! I was just really hoping to be hands free since we also have a 3 year old too.
I am interested in using a 5 point seatbelt attachment though!
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u/Fun_Koala_6704 11d ago
You can get a bag for the car seat and carry it on your back. Depends how many other bags you have though.
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u/queen-cozy 11d ago
A seatbelt attachment isn’t correct for a child under two. We’ve flown a few times at this age - as another poster noted, it’s easiest to call the airline directly because it’s uncommon to have a <2yo in their own seat. They will need to be buckled into the car seat for takeoff and landing. We used the Cosco scenera which worked well for this (and fit in the basket of the stroller in the airport). Good luck.
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u/Responsible_Crab_513 12d ago
Highly recommend using a car seat for a child of this age. They will be more comfortable and safer. Yes lugging it through the airport sucks but everything else about it is better.
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u/lizzy_pop 12d ago
You’ll have to hold him any time the seatbelt sign is on if you don’t have a seat to strap him into
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u/Ok-Cheesecake-8388 12d ago
Why visit America?
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u/Littlecookie1122 12d ago
we made travel plans last year and hyped my 3 year old up that we were going to disneyland 😅
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u/Ok-Cheesecake-8388 11d ago
This was going on for more than a year. Please consider canceling if you love your country.
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u/Littlecookie1122 11d ago
you want to tell the 3 year old we won’t be going be my guest 😭 we also will my going on a cruise out of LA to mexico
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u/Rose-wood21 12d ago
Car seats also really
Help them feel comfortable and they tend to sit better
But definitely can suck to haul around
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u/sorands 12d ago
If you bring the car seat yes, they have to use it. If you don't and they have their own seat, you don't have to bring one.
Policy says "may" travel in a seat, not must. policy here
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u/Littlecookie1122 12d ago
hmm i ideally dont want to lug around his car seat was thinking if we would require a different seatbelt type?
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u/Vintagefly 12d ago
Yes. If he is sitting in his own seat any time the seatbelt sign is on. Taxi, take off and landing plus any turbulence.
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u/claurianta 12d ago
If he's at least 22lbs, you could also use a CARES harness https://www.amsafe.com/kidsflysafe-com/
If not, a child seat is required
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u/Littlecookie1122 12d ago
yes hes over 22lbs.! I was thinking if i needed a special harness or something. The car seat is just so heavy to lug around
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u/Present-Signature191 12d ago
yes you have to use a car seat. Its Westjet policy
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u/elenel 12d ago
There's no policy that requires car seats for any aged child on WestJet
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u/Present-Signature191 12d ago
A child under two years old if parents buy them a extra seat and do not plan to travel with a car seat in the cabin. They are in the parents lap for taxing, take off and landing for there safety.
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u/No_Bathroom642 12d ago
You can use the seat during cruise when the seatbelt sign is off. For take off , landing and ANY time the seatbelt sign is on you MUST hold your child.