Bringing car seat on plane - 21 months

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a 3rd time mom bragging you have 3 kids you should know you always bring a seat on the plane as its safer. It shouldn't be an option.

Agree as CPS Tech/Instructor

I have debated this topic long and hard with some CPST friends, as I think the dogmatic pressing of this point weakens the good message most CPST have about proper use of restraints *in cars* -- which is an actual, serious concern that results in numerous deaths and injuries every year. Air travel...not so much. Kind of a boy who cried wolf situation.

Here's the reality - every mode of transportation has inherent risks of transit. The relative risks (in terms of frequency and type and severity of injuries and fatalities) lead us to make regulations as to what protections we deem reasonable and necessary to bring the risk to an acceptable level, while balancing the restrictions and negative impacts of these protective measures. This is why our cars have lap-shoulder belts but we don't wear helmets and harnesses. Why we don't wear seat belts on trains. Air travel is much, much safer on commercial flights than riding in a car for both children (even in lap) and adults. The odds of an unrestrained child being severely injured or killed on a commercial flight are significantly less than the odds of being injured in a motor vehicle accident.

I often travel with my 2 kids on my own. I know I can't manage 2 car seats and 2 kids in the airport - but we still fly because all 3 of us are "safer" (in terms of relative risk) if we fly than if I drove us 300 miles.

I don't get having two or three kids and then saying you cannot manage their needs in this kind of situation. It is your responsibility to figure out how to "manage" two kids with car seats if they need to be in car seats. It is safer. The risks are minimal but things happen, especially turbulence. Small kids do not fit well in the lap belts and can easily slide under. You can rationalize it all you want but don't make arguments that make no sense to many.