Vacation with 16-month-old - would you buy a seat for him on plane?

[Anonymous]

For a 2 hour flight, it's a toss-up in my opinion. But I probably wouldn't. 5 hour flight...YES, YES, YES...totally worth the money.

[Anonymous]

We always bought my son a seat. (he's 23 months now) Partially because it was safer, but primarily for sanity. He sleeps in his car seat fairly easily, plus there is just no way on earth he would have stayed in my lap or DH's lap for a 2 hour flight. He wouldn't stay still on my lap for an 8 minute Bob the Builder!

That being said, each trip we've taken, he's been out of his seat for about half the time of one direction. But he's generally happy to sit still in the carseat and he'll accept those restraints. In my arms it would have been lots of wild swinging and wriggling, and me using every ounce of energy trying not to be p*ssed off at a toddler.

[Anonymous]

For a two hour flight I wouldn't bother. We did a 3 hour flight with our 17 month olds and it was fine. Just bring books, snacks, and paper to draw.

[Anonymous]

Yes, why take the chance. Its not that much money if you can afford a vacation.

[Anonymous]

For short flights we didn't buy a seat when they were that age. Longer flights we did.

[Anonymous]

I have two kids. I always bought them a seat when they traveled and they were not yet 2. To me its a safety issue. If there is severe turbulence and a baby is in your arms, the kid could go flying. I just don't understand why I seem to be in the minority though. I can't put a price on my kids safety. Agree with the poster that said if you can afford the vacation, you can afford the ticket for your kid. If you can't, pick another place to go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have two kids. I always bought them a seat when they traveled and they were not yet 2. To me its a safety issue. If there is severe turbulence and a baby is in your arms, the kid could go flying. I just don't understand why I seem to be in the minority though. I can't put a price on my kids safety. Agree with the poster that said if you can afford the vacation, you can afford the ticket for your kid. If you can't, pick another place to go.

I have flown extensively for the last twenty years. I have never once hit turbulence so severe that it would have ripped a child I was tightly holding onto out of my arms. The only time I have ever been knocked around was once when I was in the bathroom and I should have been in my seat. How often have you experienced turbulence so violent that you would be unable to hold a child? Unless there was suction I really can't imagine being so weak that I couldn't hold my child while the plane bounced a bit.

[Anonymous]

My son is on the taller/heavier side and traveling with him at 16 months was NOT an option unless we got another seat. If you can afford it, DO IT.

[Anonymous]

buy a seat. your fellow travelers will appreciate it.

[Anonymous]

I would not buy a seat, and didn't on the many times we traveled with our son while under the age of two, throughout the US and internationally.

While it would be safer to have him strapped in at all times, I flew frequently for years and have never 1) encountered severe enough turbulence for it to be a problem or 2) been in a plane crash. It's much more likely that he would be injured in the "shuttle" driving from one terminal to another than on the plane. Life is full of risks and you need to weigh up your tolerance for them. The risk on a plane is tiny.

That said, in all our travels with an under two year old, I don’t even remember a flight where we weren’t able to get an extra seat (without paying for it). There are a few tricks that will help you increase your chances. 1) don’t fly at the busiest times or on the busiest flights 2) if you and your husband are flying too, book your seats as aisle and window with an empty middle seat in between you. Even if that middle seat fills up the person in that seat will likely be very happy to move when faced with the option of sitting between a couple and a baby. 3) when you check in, when you arrive at the gate and when you get on the plane ask the check in/gate agent/flight attendant if there are any empty seats and if they can help you have one as you are traveling with a lap infant. If there is a single empty seat on the plane, in my experience, they will help you get it, and will move people around to make sure it’s between you. If the seat that needs to be switched is a middle seat (because you have aisle and window on the same row) then it makes it much easier for them to make the switch. 4) bring your car seat with you to the gate and only gate check it if you are certain that there is no empty seat. If you have a seat for your toddler and no car seat it can be very difficult to keep them sitting down.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:buy a seat. your fellow travelers will appreciate it.

I've never had any travelers comment in any way about my traveling with my child without a seat except to say how well behaved he was, how cute he was, or that they didn't even notice that there was a baby there. Some people here assume that everyone is filthy rich. Paying hundreds of dollars for a one year old is not an option for everyone and it's basically not necessary.

[Anonymous]

For 2 hours? No way would I buy a seat. I took my kid to London as a lap child at that age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:2 hours? No way. Waste of money.

This. I flew on a 10 hour flight with a 16 month old. Alone. Miserable for me but OK for him. Had bulkhead seats. 2 hours would be a dream.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:buy a seat. your fellow travelers will appreciate it.

what is the difference exactly b/w a kid screaming in his seat or carseat versus screaming in the lap of a parent??

[Anonymous]

For a squirmy boy, yes, absolutely buy him a seat. There is a reason why flight attendants call lap babies "missles".