Conference moira::parenting_v3

    Why carry the car seat?  That's always the first thing I check.  We're
    now past that stage, but I must have checked a car seat on about 30
    different flights, including checked-through plane changes, and never
    had one lost or damaged.
    
    		- Bruce
    

    ...perhaps so that it can be used in flight?

That's about the only reason I can think of to even bring a car seat.  I have
travelled with Kati on well over a dozen trips and after one or two trips, I
started renting a car seat (Avis rents them for $3 per day - well worth leaving
the hassle at home)!

Another tip for kids a bit older.... (starting when they get mobil) is to
buy a new toy they have never played with before.  Don't get it out until they
get bored on the airplane, and are beginning to get cranky.  Then pull out
the flashy new toy (the first time we made the mistake of getting a noise-
maker telephone, and I'm not sure all the passengers enjoyed it!) and they
are happy for the rest of the flight.  Then put it away until the return flight,
don't let them play with it while on the trip.

Happy Travelling!
Kristen

    re: .0
    
    We frequently do it the other way around -- we put the baby in the
    backpack and carry the diaper bag.  But we've found that the best
    way to travel with kids is to carry as little as possible.  They
    don't need as much things as we think, but they sure need all the
    attention you can spare.
    
    re: renting the car seat 
    
    If you're going to rent a car seat with the car, be sure to call
    ahead and make sure the rental office at your destination has them
    in stock and reserves one for you.  I think now that more people
    are travelling with their kids this is less of a problem than it
    used to be, but once when we flew to Florida we got "I'm sorry,
    but they're all in use right now."  
    
    We've never had a problem with either damage or loss in a couple
    of dozen trips -- in fact, on one flight when it took our
    suitcases an extra day to catch up, the car seat and the sassy
    seat came through just fine.  I think they take more care of
    the specially checked things. 
    
    --bonnie

    I've flown with Stephanie at 5 months and didn't have to worry about
    the cabin pressure on take off and landing because she would take a
    bottle.  But, she's 13 months now and been off bottles for 3 months or
    so.  So what do I do to help alleviate the pressure.  She's definately
    too young for bubble gum :^)
    
    					Mair
    

    Yes, Pat carried the infant seat for use on the plane.  Otherwise she
    would have checked it.  As far as damage of checked items, our Graco
    Pack 'n Play has been checked twice and has taken quite a beating. 
    Nothing got broken, but it certainly got banged up and scratched.
    
    Speaking of car seats, we had an interesting experience.  The car seat
    Pat brought was Michael's infant seat, which she uses on the plane and
    which we also use as a seat in restaurants, for feeding in the hotel,
    etc.  In the car, Michael uses a regular sit-up car seat, so I reserved
    one for the weekend through National about two weeks before Pat and
    Michael were to arrive.  When I got to the airport to pick them up, I
    went to the National counter to claim my car seat.  Well, they found my
    reservation immediately, but had no car seats available.  After getting
    very embarrassed and milling around wondering what to do for about ten
    minutes, the manager came out.  He told me to go buy a carseat, bring
    him the receipt, and he would reimburse me.  We used the one Pat
    brought to go to Toys 'R Us, bought the least expensive car seat they
    had (fifty-some dollars), and used it all weekend.  We took the seat
    and receipt to National Monday morning and they adjusted my car rental
    bill to credit me with the purchase price of the car seat.  They also
    waived the rental charges, so we got the use of a brand new seat for
    free.  That kind of service is enough to keep me renting from National
    - Tom Peters should have written about those folks!
    
    Re carrying the diaper bag and putting the baby in the backpack:  that
    will certainly work, but that way you have a diaper bag to carry.  With
    the baby in the Snugli and the diaper bag on your back, you have both
    hands free.
    
    As far as carrying lots of stuff, we carry: disposable diapers, wipes,
    extra flat diapers for wiping drool, enough bottles to last the trip
    plus one more in case of delay, enough cans of formula to fill that
    many bottles, a can opener, a bottle of water, a change of clothes, a
    changing pad, and as many toys as there's room left for.  In addition,
    Pat added her ticket, Delta system timetable, billfold, checkbook,
    keys, lipstick, Kleenex, and whatever else women put in their purses. 
    All that just about filled up the backpack.
    
    Steve

    re .5 about clearing pressure when off the bottle.
    
    If your child uses a sipper cup, I have found they work fine. Also
    sipping through a straw will even do it for my son. If worse comes to
    worse and your child knows how to blow their nose, have them blow it
    with you holding the kleenex and just as they are about to blow, pinch
    their nose. It will also clear the pressure. I do this last trick
    everytime we fly just in case the drinking does not clear the ears.
    Remember to bring your own juice for the take-off. Unless you are in
    first class, the beverages are locked up and they cannot be
    distributed.
    
    Another travel tip, is to rely on the stewardesses and stewards. They
    can provide you with children's packages (usually a coloring book and
    crayons, book, etc). Most airlines will even do a child's meal but that
    must be known at booking time. If you know the child is going to need
    something, let them know in advance and tell them it will be needed in 
    X number of minutes so they have time to get it. Remember they usually
    have crackers, peanuts, etc. If you need a bottle warmed or a glass of
    warm water to place it in, they usually can help. They can actually put
    bottles in a refrigerator if need be. Do still remember they have a
    whole cabin to take care of but it is their best interest to help you
    keep the child happy (otherwise they will have to serve alot a grumpy
    people). If the fligth is long enough to give the cabin crew a break
    they will usually be more then happy to take children up to the
    cock-pit, assuming the captain okays it. Ask at the beginning of the
    flight because they can plan around it but do not tell the children
    because often things change in flight and they might not be able to go
    up. It's a good thing to "pull out of your hat".
    
    Andrea (who has spent more on in-flight duty free toys then she cares
    		to think about)

    I have only been on a flight once with Samantha she was 15 months old. 
    I planned the flights to coincide with her nap schedules.  We were
    fortunate in that the flights were not delayed.  I kept her running
    around the airport terminal until it was time to board (take advantage
    of the early boarding for children) once we were settled into our seats
    I gave Samantha her blanket and a new toy (as suggested in previous
    notes).
    
    When my ears began to POP, I gave Samantha a bottle (which I am having
    trouble taking away).  She fell asleep 20 minutes into the flight and
    woke up 10 minutes before landing (just in time for another bottle for
    the way down).
    
    The people behind us had two children.  One about 6 months and one
    about 2.  For the older child they carried juice boxes for his ears.

Our pedi. recommended lollypops to clear the ears during takeoff and
landing.  Our son never had any problems, tho, so I can't attest to
whether or not they work.

� �ori

 We are leaving tomorrow for a 6hr flight to Denver, CO (by way of Chicago)
from Rhode Island.  Christopher is 10 months and while he's almost off the 
bottle I plan to bring a couple for the flight.  I am also planning to bring
a few small toys that he can chew on to alleviate the ear pressure.  Since
he's not old enough to color or read books, I'm hoping that he'll nap some
of the time and for the rest we'll have to keep him busy.  Our stop in Chicago
is for 50 minutes (no change of plane) so we are definitely getting off to
walk around ;-).
  I think carseats were mentioned earlier - we are bringing ours.  Has anyone 
out there carried on a carseat and had to stow it because there we no extra
seats?  You see, we did not buy a seat for Chris (would have been another
$400- too much for us!).  We are hoping that there will be extra seats so
he can sit in his carseat.  We have the Fisher-Price - does anyone out there
know if it fits in the storage compartment above the seats? My guess is no -
but thought I'd ask.  
          Thanks Laura

Re: .10

I once took a car seat on a flight and had to have it checked as luggage
because there were no spare seats.  The attendant will take care of this
for you if necessary.

I recommend drinks to help with ear pressure - chewing alone probably won't
do the trick for infants.

Be aware that the landing is apt to be more uncomfortable for the child than
the takeoff.

				Steve

    The best way to deal with ear pressure problems is with SCUBA lessons. 
    You really need to be able to deal with this to go diving.  However,
    maybe you don't want to wait that long!  Other thoughts:
    
    1) Don't create a problem where none exists.  Unless a child (or adult)
    has a cold, they should have no problem.  They should never have a
    problem going up (air can get _out_ of the inner ear without
    difficulty).  Even coming down with a cold, it is rare for any problem
    that is more than mild discomfort, and it will fix itself.  If you make
    the child anxious, you may make a moiuntain out of a molehill.
    
    2) IF there is real discomfort, the nose-blowing suggestion (was that
    from bonnie?) is excellent.  That's basically the SCUBA technique; hold
    your nose and exert air pressure against it, as if trying to inflate
    your sinuses (which is in fact just what you ARE trying to do!).  Any
    adult who has learned this can repeat it very easily.  For a kid too
    young to explain it to, the parentally interrupted nose-blowing is a good
    imitation.
    
    3) There is nothing magic about sucking on a bottle, indeed the sucking
    is the OPPOSITE of what is effective.  It's the SWALLOWING that can be
    helpful, and this works from a cup, too.  Indeed, anything that keeps
    the mouth and throat active will be some help, including chewing.
    
    4) The greatest benefit of any remedy for adults is distraction from
    the anxiety of anticipating an ear problem (and the anxiety of the
    conviction of an imminent crash!).  Looking out the window for your
    house or Farmer Brown's cow can be just as effective (and it may be
    only the _parent_ who needs distraction, in any case).
    
    		- Bruce

Re: .12

But don't assume that a problem won't exist and therefore be unprepared
for it.  I have seen unfortunate infants in sheer agony on flights, with
their parents shrugging it off as "oh, she's just tired".

			Steve

    In re: .13
    
    To be sure.  In the case of a young child, have a juice box tucked
    away.  In the case of an older child, teach them the SCUBA method
    (after learning it yourself!).  They will never again have any
    significant problem, in air or water.
    
    95% of childrens' fits on plane trips have nothing to do with
    compression problems.  But, as in life in general, preparation is
    usually the best prevention.
    
    		- Bruce

    And, when all else fails (even after you've RTFM  ;-)  ), try
    conspicuous and repeated yawning.  Few of us, aside from infants, are
    immune to the sight of a luxurious yawn - meaning we can't resist
    indulging in a good one ourselves - and it's a real good way to get
    your (*their*) ears to "pop."
    
    Leslie

    It does seem that the last time we flew to FL Samantha had a serious
    ear infection.  We were fortunate in that it was diagnosed the day
    before we were scheduled to depart.  Therefore, we were able to give
    her several doses of the antibiotic before take-off.  She handled the
    trip just fine. 
    
    On the other hand, I have had problems with my ears on flights for as
    long as I can remember.  I have tried every method to clear them and I
    still end up with the worst pain ever experienced.  It hurts so bad
    that it makes my eyes water.
    
    I have found that I have more trouble on the shorter flights that are
    just a quick and down.  At least with the longer flights I have a
    chance for the pain to lessen before it begins again during the decent.
    
    The idea of taking your mind off has helped me somewhat, my concern was
    for Samantha this last time and I just dealt with the pain.  I was
    afraid that she would have the same problems as I do.
    
    Bruce,  Thanks for the warning about being too alarmed I don't need to
    create anxiety for her.  It seems that she will be able to handle
    flying better than me.
    

    Having just returned from a solo, cross country trip with my almost-two year
    old son, I thought I would pass along this tip.  Due to a terrific
    airfare deal and a reluctance on my part to hold him on my lap for six
    hours, I purchased John his own seat on the plane.
    
    We were going to need his car seat on both the plane and at my folks
    house, but I couldn't figure out how I was going to get him, car seat,
    carry on bag, and diaper bag, AND winter coats all on the plane,
    without causing some serious departure delays!  Then, my husband who is
    a frequent traveller, saw this terrific idea at the airport in
    Vancouver BC.  He saw a woman walking along pulling her luggage
    cart...and *talking* to it, too.  Not one to miss a spectacle like
    that, he checked out the luggage cart and saw a kiddie car seat
    strapped to it and a small child in the car seat.  
    
    So...to make a long story short, we attached his car seat to the
    luggage cart with two bungie cords and hung the diaper bags off the top
    handle, John hopped in his seat,  and away we went!  Worked great and
    the luggage cart was narrow enough that we fit down the aisle and I
    didn't have to get John out to walk onto the plane!
    
    Cathy Koos Breazeal, Santa Clara 

                    <<< Note 224.17 by WR1FOR::BREAZEACA >>>
                         -< car seats/kids/air travel >-
>>>>Then, my husband who is
    a frequent traveller, saw this terrific idea at the airport in
    Vancouver BC.  He saw a woman walking along pulling her luggage
    cart...and *talking* to it, too.  Not one to miss a spectacle like
    that, he checked out the luggage cart and saw a kiddie car seat
    strapped to it and a small child in the car seat.  

Cathy,

I wonder if your spouse saw my spouse. We travel with Sammy on
his car seat strapped to the luggage cart. We have a nylon starp
like they use to keep kids in the shopping carts; not the bunge
cords since bunge cords will stretch and he might fall out.

calvin

    > So...to make a long story short, we attached his car seat to the
    > luggage cart with two bungie cords and hung the diaper bags off the top
    > handle, John hopped in his seat,  and away we went!  
    
    That's *inspired*!  I would have never thought of it in a million
    years, but you can bet the next time one of us travels alone with
    Michael we'll use it!  Thanks for a wonderful idea!
    
    Steve

    
    
    In a few months, my 4 year old son, my fiance and I are packing our 
    things and moving cross country.  We will be driving a rental truck 
    and camping along the way.  We are expecting this trek to take approx.
    6-7 days.  Does anyone have any inspired ideas for travel games
    or any other travel tips?  Any suggestions would be greatly
    appreciated!
    
    Thanks,
    Pam

    
    
    	I don't know if your son would be too young for some of
    	these, but on our yearly treks to Canada (which have
    	long since stopped), we used to see how many different
    	state license plates we'd enounter, if we could count
    	the dotted yellow lines on the highway...
    
    	Maybe something like an Etch-a-Sketch that's easily
    	portable and can be erased and re-written/drawn on
    	would be good.  
    	
    	I know you can also get travel size games for kids of
    	all ages at basic department stores....
    
    	/Kim

	
	My husband and I are planning a weekend trip to Philly by air
	in November with our baby, who will be 8 months old at the time
	of the trip.  This will be our first experience of air travel with
	baby.

	My question is, should we buy him a seat?  At his age, the
	airline says the choice is ours.  I want to do what's safest
	for him.  At the same time, it would be wasteful to buy a seat
	for him if we ended up holding him the whole way anyway.

	What do most people do?  Is it unsafe to hold the baby instead
	of strapping him into a seat?

	
	Kathy Z.

    If you are flying at a nonpeak time you can book an aisle and window
    seat for your husband and there will be a good chance that no one takes
    the middle seat.  Of course if you want to be sure...
    	Linda

    that should read "for your husband and yourself"

Yes, it is unsafe to hold the child, just as it is in an automobile.  Most
airlines will let you bring a car seat on board and use it in a vacant seat
if any.  But if the flight is full you'll have to check the seat as luggage
and hold the child.

If it were a flight of any significant length, I'd bite the bullet and buy
the extra ticket.  I've flown both ways with my son as an infant, and it
was definitely preferable for him to be in his car seat.

			Steve

    Last month's "Parents" magazine had a heart-wrenching article about a
    woman who lost her child in a plane crash.  If he has been in a car
    seat, he would have survived.  After having read that article, I would
    never consider anything but using a car seat in an airplane.  If you
    can find it, read the story (and have plenty of Kleenex handy).  I'll
    see if I still have the magazine at home, if anyone is interested. Very
    sad, and very scarey!
    Sarah

    I haven't read the Parents article yet, but I do remember that there
    was a plane crash a couple years ago where the only survivor was a
    child who was found under her mother.  She had been sitting in her
    mother's lap.
    
    For me personally, the jury is still out on this one.  Fortunately for
    us our family is within driving distance so the issue really isn't.
    I guess that if you can afford it, or want to gamble on the ajacent
    seat being vacant, then go that route.
    
    Lyn

    I read that article and haven't been able to get it out of my mind
    since.  I feel quite certain that a flight to Philly (especially
    if it's out of Manchester) will have empty seats.  We went from
    Manchester to either Laguardia or Philadelphia and then on to
    Daytona Airport and had many empty seats on each flight, down and
    back, and so we got to use the carseat.
    
    After reading that article, though, I'd no longer be comfortable
    hoping for an empty seat.  
    
    Donna
    

    We always flew with our infants on our laps (I sometimes flew with an
    infant while alone).  We always requested an "empty" seat be left
    between us when possible (most airline reservationists will be very
    accomodating).  The one time I brought a car seat on board with me and
    actually strapped my son in it for take-off I was told by the
    stewardess that unless I paid for the seat it was against regulation
    for me to leave him in it during takeoff.  She took the carseat and I
    had to hold him.
    
    -sandy
    

Boy this is a toughy especially after having read the Parent's Magazine
article.

The suggestion of flying at off-peak hours will greatly increase your
chances of having an open middle seat.  Take the car-seat and strap it
in.  If the flight does fill up, it will be the seat with car-seat that
will be the last to be taken (they don't want to take the time or the
energy to move it).  

I have been pretty lucky and have managed to get an open seat for the majority
of the flights that my daughter has taken with us, but have always just
held her for the take-off and landing.  It will cause more hassle, but I will
start taking her car-seat on board with us rather than checking it through.

This is probably another topic, but

I think airlines should require seats for all passengers.  FAA approved
seats are required if you do take them on board.  Why not go that one
step further and require the seat.  This does not necessarily mean that
we should have to pay full fare or even the child's fare for an infant.
Infant safety should be given a higher priority by airlines.

    
    What is the actual probability that anything life threatening will 
    happen to your plane? The total number of people killed in the 
    U.S. on commercial flights is so INCREDIBLY SMALL compared to the 
    total number of passengers.... and I would bet the the number of infants
    is MUCH SMALLER. I have absolutely no facts to backup my statement, 
    but I would bet that there is less than a .000001% chance that your baby
    will die in a plane accident. I imagine that your chances are far greater
    that your child will die of measles, chicken pox, or a vaccination
    reaction (I'm not kidding). I say do what is most comfortable for you
    (is it a short flight?) and forget about the miniscule chance of harm
    that could come to your baby. 
    
    doug
     

    I tend to agree with .31 in as much as the risks of a crash when
    flying are small.  Moreover, most plane crashes are not survivable.
    A seat will make negligible difference to the survivability odds when
    you consider that fire is what kills in a plane crash.
    
    But there are other factors ...  Turbulence for one ...  A seat will
    stop a baby flying through the cabin in rough air ... but then the
    bumps in rough air are *usually* insufficient to tear a child out of
    your arms.  So, this really isn't sufficient to make a seat mandatory.
    
    On the other hand, for *long* flights (over a few hours, having an
    extra seat to relieve the wear and tear on you is terrific!
    
    So, it's a toss up.
    
    Stuart

Don't US airlines supply those seat belts for infants that attach to the
parent's belt?  I think over here it is required that the parent hold the
child with this seat belt attached.

Flying out of Egypt once there was a mother with a small child (<2 yrs) and a
girl of about 3 years on the plane.  She really didn't seem to care if her kids
were strapped in or not.  Drove the stewardesses crazy.  She did have the baby
on her lap strapped in but the girl kept taking her belt off and getting up and
walking around.  About 2 seconds before takeoff, the stewardess stuck the kid
back in her seat and hurried back to her own seat.  During takeoff this kid was
WALKING around the plane (or trying to anyway).  

I agree with a few of the previous recent replies.  If it is a short trip, don't
worry (but use the attached lap belt for takeoff and landing).  If it is a
long trip, an extra seat may be desirable if you can afford it.  Even so, I'd
rather have a window than an extra seat.  On long trips, a baby can lie across
your laps to sleep or lie on the floor on a blanket.  Looking out a window is
a very entertaining thing, even when there's nothing to see.

Cheryl (who's taken babies on ALL kinds of flights)

    Lots of good advice in the previous replies. Let me jump in with my
    $.02...
    
    Four helpful tips for flying with kids:
    
    	1) Find a good travel agent.
    	2) Book off-peak flights if possible
    	3) Book a window and aisle seat. Single middle seats are the last
    	to be sold. 
    	4) Be polite and honest with the gate agents. They hate surprises.
    
    We've flown four round trips with Nick, and so far we haven't bought
    him his own seat. (That'll change now that he's 2 years old and we're
    required to buy him a seat.) First trip was at 6 mos; most recent was
    at 22 months. Most flights were booked for off-peak times, and in each
    case we reserved a window and an aisle seat, leaving the middle seat
    empty. We always brough his car seat on board (2 flights with an infant
    seat; 2 with a full-size car seat), and have always been allowed to use
    it in the empty middle seat without any hassle from the flight crew. In
    fact, we were bumped to first-class on two of the round-trips, and in
    both cases, Nick was given his own seat. (Boy, was he bummed the first
    time he had to fly coach...;^)
    
    Good luck, and have a nice flight...

    If we can afford it, we buy a seat for any kid who's old enough to
    not simply lie passive in arms.  It's just too much stress on the
    older members of the party otherwise.  
    
    My sister-in-law used to lie about her kids' ages so they could
    sit in her lap and she didn't have to pay for the extra seat. 
    She'd get to her parents' house and collapse. 
    
    --bonnie

    I read the Parent's mag. article 3 days before a family trip by air to
    Florida.  I immediately phoned the airline to find out if I could place
    my three-year old in her car seat in her assigned seat.  She said that
    as long as it met FAA regulations (Fisher-Price, and it did), it was
    not a problem.  
    
    Kate sat in the seat with a lot more cooperation that we would have had
    if she were sitting in the seat with just a belt.  One thing that we
    did learn:  we were sitting in a row of three seats, we wanted to place
    Kate in the seat in the middle, but the flight attendant required us to
    place her at the window so that both adults could get out of the
    aisle...  keep this in mind - on the first leg of our journey Kate DID
    sit between us and noone said anything, it was on our second flight
    that this was required.  So I guess it's an inconsistent requirement..
    
    Jeanne

All car seats manufactured since 1986 should be FAA certified and have
a sticker to that effect.  But it's best to call the airline to double-check
their policy, and arrive early to check again with the gate agents.

Also, if you are going to hold the child on your lap, and you have more than
one such child, you will be required to sit in separate rows as there is only
one spare oxygen mask in each row.

				Steve

    Check with the airline. 
    
    On international flights, you can request a bulkhead seat, and the
    airlines carry special cribs that bolt to the bulkhead. Failing that, a
    normal car seat should be valid. (except, we found in, in australia,
    where the Airlines, insist on an OZ FAA equivalent approved seat, which
    of course, aren't available to the public.) They would provide them on
    advance request. 
    
    q
    

	Re: requiring the seat to be by the window.

	That is, I believe, an FAA regulation. 

	We flew from S.C. to Pa. and back a couple of Christmases ago.  We 
had a total of 6 "legs" of flight.  This regulation was enforced only on one
or two of the returning legs.

	Here's the deal.  We bought a seat for Katie (who was 7 months at the 
time).  We had heard horror stories about people who were told that they 
*must* hold their child during landing and takeoff.  (Which is totally Bass-
ackwards, those are the times when things are MOST likely to go wrong and a seat 
would be most useful...)  Because of this, we checked with the Airline multiple
times after we made reservations and before getting on the flight as to the 
exsistence of this "regulation".  This is NOT to ANYONE's knowledge or ability 
to prove, a regulation of either the FAA or the Airlines that we used.

	So I was ready when they came by and told me that I had to hold Katie.
I pointed out that we had bought a seat for Katie, specifying that she was an 
infant that would be using a car seat and specifically asked about this "reg" 
and had been told that it did not exist.  The attendent was really flustered 
by this.  (I don't think anyone one had ever "prepared" to challenge them on 
this.  Argued and got mad, yes.  Calmly with facts refuted, no.)  The attendent 
then told me it was  "safer".  I refuted that and said that as long as it was 
not a reg it was MY call as a parent as to how secure the safety of my child.
He then fell back to telling me that he was the safety rep for the Union  or 
some such.  I told him that I wanted to see it in writing.  "I certainly don't 
want to break any rules or cause a problem, but unless you can show me 
supporting documentation, I will NOT hold my child during takeoff.  If you show 
me the regulation *in print*, I will cheerfully comply."  Apparently he could 
not find it, cause he didn't bother us again.

	On the way back we did the same with another flight attendent who got 
pissed off at my challenging her authority and kept looking until she found this 
really obscure regulation that says that cargo stored in a passenger seat (You 
apparently can buy a seat for 1/2 price to store stuff too big to be carryon) 
must be in the seat farthest from the aisle, so as not to block anyone's exit
should anything happen during takeoff or landing.  She further found an addendum
that for the purposes of that reg, a carseat is to be considered cargo.  (We had
Katie in the center between us.  We halfheartedly argued that the intent of the 
reg was to keep *people's* exits from being slowed down by *things* and that we 
would not leave till we unstrapped the infant seat with Katie no matter where it
was and were blocking no one else's exit....  But she was pissed off now and 
didn't want to budge.  And we HAD said that we would comply with a written 
regulation, so we relatively cheerfully gave in.)  I don't remeber now whether 
the cargo rules were FAA or Airline, but I *think* they were FAA.

For what it's worth....

Tracey
 

Having just returned from flying with a 10 month old -

We bought her a ticket and put her in her carseat - in the middle.  The flight 
was overbooked; they asked us if we would be willing to give up her seat and 
hold her.  We weren't, and there was no problem.

If you have the money, one good reason to buy the kid a ticket is that s/he
may sleep a good part of the way if s/he can settle in.  Elise did.

About the regulations - in my experience, either the FAA regulations and/or the
airline policies change from minute to minute, or their employees don't try
very hard to follow them.  It's a crap shoot.

BTW, I think someone else suggested using the airline diapers on long trips, so
as not to run out.  We did run out and found out that United doesn't carry
diapers, so don't count on that....

    Re United and Diapers...
    
    We flew from Australia with Andrew at about 10 Months. We get on a
    Brand new (well 2 weeks old 747-400, get settled, and then ask the
    stewardess, which of the lavatories have the fold down change tables.)
    None, she says. We were surprised. So was the United Marketing
    Executive sitting in the row behind us. I haven't checked on more
    recent flights, but I dare say they were going to clean up the act. I
    was annoyed however, when we asked for a special infant mean and they
    said they could do hot dogs and Hamburgers... Cmon, guys, he didn't
    have enough teeth at that stage....
    
    I did notice in the Sunday paper last weekend, that United will be
    offering a Special McDonalds meal service for kids (I think it might
    only be on their flights to Orlando, but I am not sure. ) Book ahead,
    and the child will get a special McD flight meal... 
    
    q
    

    Hi.  I couldn't find a topic on this under the Keyword listings.  I'm
    looking for information on flying with children under the age of 2.
    
    My husband, daughter, and I are flying to California in January.  I
    have booked a seat for my daughter and do plan on bringing her car seat
    with us for the plane ride.  We are also travelling on the same flight
    with my sister-in-law and her family (2 children ages 3 and about a
    year).  She does not plan on bringing a car seat for her youngest and
    has a seat booked for him.  
    
    I realize I can't tell her what to do with her children, but I don't
    wish to get to the airport and have problems presented to us as we're
    boarding.  I called American Airlines yesterday and asked what their
    regulations are.  They said, that if a seat is booked for a child under
    2, then a car seat must be brought on the plane for that child.  This
    is to ensure the child's safey, particularly during takeoff and
    landing.  I questioned what if the parent hold the child on her seat
    during takeoff/landing, even though a seat has been booked.  After all,
    if a seat was not booked, this would be the procedure.  The person I
    was speaking to on the phone put me on hold again to check, and could
    not come back with a valid answer.  She saw my point, but whomever she
    was talking to said that if a seat is book, then a car seat is
    necessary.
    
    Have any of you flown with young children and what were your
    experiences in a similar situation.  Also, can you point me to where I
    might be able to obtain information on this.  I picked up a copy of an
    article at our Health Services but it was old (about a year) and the
    article spoke about regulations that might go into effect the end of
    1990 or the beginning of 1991.  I have no idea what these regulations
    are.
    
    Thanks for your help.
    Mary
    
    PS - My husband will try and convince his sister to bring a car seat
    along.  After all, what is she going to do once we're in California?
    

    From all that I've seen of responses by people in here, in Parenting
    V2, personal experience and other sources, the airline's rules are
    interpreted differently by just about every single airline employee.
    What someone tells you on the phone and what a stewardess tries to make
    you do when you board may be two ENTIRELY different things ... and
    guess who rules ... not the person on the phone, and not likely you.
    
    They really only seem to understand one rule moderately collectively
    and that is "baggage must be stowed in overhead compartments or under
    the seat in front of you" ... and at times even that is not well under
    stood as they allow people to overload the coat racks.  Or if you don't
    have a seat in front of you!!!
    
    They make up rules on the fly, literally ... so to be honest, it really
    doesn't matter if a kiddie doesn't have a car seat for the flight.  If
    it *REALLY* mattered to the airline, they'd put it on the ticket as
    a condition.  Also, if they required you to have a car-type seat, then
    they should be supplying them ...  I can really see them doing that in
    a hurry these days.
    
    There was one note where someone took a car seat on board and wouldn't
    let them use the seat during take off and landing ... that's what I
    mean ... 
    
    Where can you change baby's wet pants if the washroom doesn't have a
    fold down change table ?  Outbound flight ... stewardess ..." do it
    on your lap if you are comfortable"  (and it was actually !)  Homebound
    ... steward ... "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING.  YOU CANNOT DO THAT
    THERE >>> AGAINST REGULATIONS <<.   I nearly told him to change the kid
    in the lavatory for us then!
    
    Stuart
    
    

	Thanks for all the input.   I've decided to buy a seat for my
	7-month-old.  I am a little surprised that the 'rules' around
	air travel for infants are so ambiguous.  I'm glad I asked!

	Kathy
	 

    Well, we just got back from our trip to California.  We flew American
    and booked a seat for our 19 month old daughter.  After reading the
    notes here, I was a little worried about bringing her car seat along
    and any reactions we might get from the crew.  Well, we had no problem. 
    The only comment we got was on our second leg of the trip out of
    Chicago when we tried to put Jackie's seat in the middle seat instead
    of the window seat.  Other than that, no problem.  And, I'm glad we had
    the seat because she's real active right now and with the seat we had
    much more control.
    
    My only negative comment is the lack of changing area both on the plane
    and in the airports.  In the ladies room, there was no place to change
    a child and thank goodness I had a changing pad because who knows about
    the floors!  Fortunately for us, Jackie did not require diaper changes
    on the way out to California, but on the way back she did.  This worked
    out ok because we had bulkhead seats and I just put her on the floor. 
    One woman travelling with a child (about 1 yr. - 15 months old I think)
    asked the stewardess where she could change her son and the reply was
    to bring him to the back of the plane near the bathrooms and place him
    on the floor.  She used the bathroom instead and said she barely had
    enough room.  Since my daughter was bigger than her son, it would have
    been nearly impossible for me to do that.  Disneyland is wonderful in
    this respect... changing areas in every ladies room (don't know about
    the mens room).
    
    Mary