Airline Travel

[disneydreamer]

Since I don't do this often (cuz I have to be sedated to get on a plane), what is your opinion of booster seats on planes???? I just read in a parenting magazine that car seats are ok, but the booster seats don't meet federal aviation safety guidelines, so we probably could save ourselves some hassle not taking the booster seat......BUT........we are using the "super shuttle" van from LAX to the Disneyland Hotel & would feel very uncomfortable not having Anthony buckled into a safety seat. So do you happen to know if the shuttles have boosters available & if not, what should we do??? Anthony will be (turn) 5 on the trip & right now he weighs around 45 lbs.

[Tink]

Don't put Anthony in a booster on the plane. Alex was fine in June without a carseat or anything. Anthony will be fine. I actually just heard a news report about that as well. The report stated that the FAA now feels that safety seats should only be used for children under 2 whose parents purchase a seat for them. Once they have to have their own seat, the FAA is saying it is safer to simply strap them in to the existing seatbelt.
When using a shuttle or taxi in California, a car seat or booster is not required. When we don't have a carseat available, we simply again, use the belt lap for Alex, and we ALWAYS have one of us sitting next to him, or between us when possible to keep him seated. If you do want to use the booster, then check it in with your luggage on the plane, and then use it on the shuttle.
Leanne

[disneydreamer]

Ok, thanx for the info.......I guess we won't worry about the booster, but the traffic is quite frightening down there.....lol :P

[Arielfan]

You can't use the booster on the plane because the seat belts aren't big enough or something. With the car seats you use their seat belt only to secure the seat, not the child (You use the car seat straps to do that).

I would double check with the shuttle company.. I know some do require it since CA has a 6 or 60 rule for boosters.

After riding in the Super Shuttle in June, there is NO WAY I would allow my kids to ride without their car seats/booster, but that is just me.. I am also a strict car seat on the plane girl, also very strict about who drives the kids around, who installs the seats, etc. I think Sarah will be 40 pounds by Dec when we go.. she is just under 39 right now... so we will check her booster seat and Phil will sit in his on the plane.

just my 2 cents of course...

[Sue]

If you do decide to use a car or booster seat, it needs to be an FAA approved one...will need to look on the sticker.
I have never used a car seat with Trey (almost 4) on the plane...it keeps him from using the table top to watch his DVD player (a MUST on a plane ride! ), and eating on the tray as well. Talked to many airline friends about it...I agree with some of the other posters, it is not a necessity.
But I also agree with Ariel...always good to check ahead of time..I always tend to check my carseat on the plane, then that way I have it if needed, and also I like knowing I have my carseat for rental cars...I don't trust rental car seats.

[Arielfan]

We have always brought our car seats on the planes and never had trouble with the tray tables fitting.. maybe different planes???

Anyways... this is what the Karmel Shuttle from CA has on their site about travelling with kids...

New California Child Passenger Restraint Requirements
Effective January 1, 2002

(Excerpts from the California Vehicle Code)

27360.
(a) No parent or legal guardian, when present in a motor vehicle, as defined in Section 27315, shall permit his or her child or ward to be transported upon a highway in the motor vehicle without providing and properly securing the child or ward, in a child passenger restraint system meeting applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards unless the child or ward is at least one of the following:
(1) Six years of age or older.
(2) Weighs 60 pounds or more.

(b) No driver shall transport on a highway any child in a motor vehicle, as defined in Section 27315, without providing and properly securing the child in a child passenger restraint system meeting applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards unless the child is at least one of the following:
(1) Six years of age or older.
(2) Weighs 60 pounds or more.


It is interesting to me that it specifies highway... would be interesting to read the rest of the code to see if they are required on the side streets, etc.

Carole

[disneydreamer]

I agree, we drove those highways this past summer & having Anthony ride with out being properly belted in makes us nervous (you have to understand, my hubby is a paramedic & is very strict about seatbelts & safety seats). So I'll have to check with AAA & see if they know which shuttle van we will be using & check to see if they have a booster seat available. The only problem with us checking ours at the airport is, its one of the boosters that the back comes off so when he gets big enough he just uses the bottom part to lift up his booty.......but if picked up incorrectly, the back falls off.........then what? So I'm hoping there is a good answer for this & will have to do some checking. Thanx for all the input & help.

[Sue]

All airlines have large plastic luggage bags that you can use when you check in luggage, you just have to ask, and they will put the seat in the bag for you...that way if it comes apart in two pieces, both pieces are still contained in the bag.
Can you tell we have done that already? hehe

[Arielfan]

yup, or you can stick in it your own garbage bag...whatever works best for you. I know that the bag they gave us at LAX was big enough to put 2 umbrella strollers into it. I have also in the past put a full sized carseat in when Sarah was 1 and sitting on my lap....