Plane trip with 2 yr old

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately once they turn 2 they are required to be in their seat for take off and landing. You cannot hold them. A couple of families with toddlers were recently kicked off planes for toddlers not sitting in their seat / protesting initially.

[Anonymous]

We have a sit n stroll and it is a lifesaver! It is a carseat and stroller in one and FAA approved. Use it in the airport, on plane and when we land as a car seat. DS is 95th percentile for height and we've never had a problem. He is almost 3 now and we still use it.

[Anonymous]

I liked the CARES harnesss for the containment factor. Because it has shoulder straps, it kept him where he was supposed to be more easily than the seatbelt alone. OP, can you ask around friends and borrow one?

Other things my kid liked at that age: stickers; snacks; video (with headphones); being read to aloud; more snacks. Books about planes are especially nice (and you can read them ahead of time) -- there are some great Byron Barton ones that are suitable for kids just that age that talk about what you do at the airport.

[Anonymous]

For any trip where we needed a car seat at our destination, we brought it on to the plane. We have a lightweight seat just for travel, so it was not much of hassle, and better than wondering how your seat will fare in the hold. Given how many times our gate-checked stroller has been banged up, carrying on the seat was one less worry.
We've never had an issue with seat kicking, and when we were on short haul flights the person in front never cared when we asked if we could install RF (which makes it easier to entertain/feed the kid).

Age 3.3 was our first flight where we wouldn't need a car seat on arrival, and for that one we just used the regular belt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For any trip where we needed a car seat at our destination, we brought it on to the plane. We have a lightweight seat just for travel, so it was not much of hassle, and better than wondering how your seat will fare in the hold. Given how many times our gate-checked stroller has been banged up, carrying on the seat was one less worry.
We've never had an issue with seat kicking, and when we were on short haul flights the person in front never cared when we asked if we could install RF (which makes it easier to entertain/feed the kid).

Age 3.3 was our first flight where we wouldn't need a car seat on arrival, and for that one we just used the regular belt.

NP. Children need car seat or booster seat till age 8 in most places. Where did you not need a car seat at age 3.3?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For any trip where we needed a car seat at our destination, we brought it on to the plane. We have a lightweight seat just for travel, so it was not much of hassle, and better than wondering how your seat will fare in the hold. Given how many times our gate-checked stroller has been banged up, carrying on the seat was one less worry.
We've never had an issue with seat kicking, and when we were on short haul flights the person in front never cared when we asked if we could install RF (which makes it easier to entertain/feed the kid).

Age 3.3 was our first flight where we wouldn't need a car seat on arrival, and for that one we just used the regular belt.

NP. Children need car seat or booster seat till age 8 in most places. Where did you not need a car seat at age 3.3?

Disney - rode buses only. And trips to grandparents who keep a car seat around for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unless you have a very slim carseat, I hated using the carseat on the plane. Rearfacing, the person in front of him couldn't recline, and forward facing, he kicked the seat in front of him. Not to mention the seat buckle while FF was right in the middle of his back. I tried so hard to keep his feet down, but the carseat was too far up to use the tray table, and his feet were just at the exact right height relative to the seat in front to put his feet on it and PUSH. It was a very long couple of flights. If I had it to do over again, I would buy a cheap carseat, gate check it, and use a harness on the plane. Also, he only slept on one of 4 flights, even though at least two of them were during times he would normally be asleep. He was about a month shy of two (but I didn't want to hold a wiggly toddler on my lap for a cross country flight). I can't remember what we did about ID, but it was a domestic flight and we don't have a passport for him yet. I think I may have taken a copy of his birth certificate? Can't remember.

Same experience with my 2 year old. Spent the entire flight holding his feet down.

[Anonymous]

Loved CARES belt. Flew 4x a year - have two kids. Often flew United. Had to present birth certificate every single time. Youngest 5 now. Would suggest bringing it just in case. Passport would also work if you have one.

Also - Richard scary had a book about airport my kids loved to have at airport when they were 2-3. Served as a look n find source as well as a story book. Thumbs up on sticker books and those crayola wonder colors that work only on special paper/books. They sell 5x7-ish sized ones as well.