Should we use carseat on the plane to Europe?

[Anonymous]

We're heading to Western Europe in a couple months with our daughter who will have just turned 2. In the past, we have always checked her carseat at the gate. I'm wondering though since she'll have her own seat on this flight, and it's a long one, should we use her carseat on the plane? How do 2 year olds do in their own seats without one? Our flight will be leaving the US early evening, so hopefully she'll fall asleep for 2-3 hours of it.

[Anonymous]

If you've already bought her a seat, I would definitely use the carseat on the flight. It's safer, plus she'll be more comfortable and easier to control. The only reason I'd forgo a carseat is if I wasn't buying a seat.

[Anonymous]

Check out recent post (a few down) called LONG trip to Asia with a 2 year old.

[Anonymous]

Yes! My kids always had a hard time sleeping on planes without their car seats.

[Anonymous]

Definitely! If I had a 2 year old fall asleep on just an airplane seat then I wouldnt be able to fall asleep myself--if she was strapped into a carseat, I would feel comfortable about nodding off because I know she wouldn't fall off/escape.

[Anonymous]

Yes, yes and yes. When we traveled from London to DC with our just turned 2 year old, we didn't take on the carseat b/c the airline told us we couldn't (they lied). We got stuck on the runway for almost 2 hours before we took off and I really had a hard time controlling my 2yo DS in his seat. He kept slipping under the seat belt and it was just a total nightmare. If he'd been in his carseat, at least the worst of it would have been him screaming and not just him screaming and me physically restraining him in his seat.

It seriously sucked beyond words...

[Anonymous]

Hm, I guess I'm the only one voting "no."

We recently took a 4 hr flight to the US southwest with our 2+ yo. She wasn't interested in sleepgin at all, and not interested in sitting either unless she had a DVD to watch. (Aside: I DEFINITELY recommend a mini DVD player!!!)

On our most recent trip to Germany last year when DD was approx 15 months old, we didn't use a car seat, either. Again, DVDs yes, and we also asked for bulkhead seating. The extra space was amazingfantasticwowiethankyou!

[Anonymous]

If you don't do the car seat, do the CARES harness.

[Anonymous]

Definitely yes. It can be less convenient, but it is much safer than a lap belt for a 2 year old (who probably weighs less than 30 lbs). But try to think about it on par with whether you would take your child in an automobile without a carseat?
A woman I know encountered some really bad turbulence on a flight from Florida over the summer, the plane dropped suddenly and shook in the turbulence, and she broke her neck when her head was thrown against the ceiling above her seat. Her child was uninjured, thanks to being buckled into her car seat. After speaking with her, I was really, really convinced of the importance of buying a seat and keeping the kids buckled in, even if they don't love it.

[Anonymous]

Would you be using the seat after landing? If not, I wouldn't take one. If you're going to need it to get to the airport and will use it again after landing, then might as well haul it onboard with you.

[Anonymous]

YES! Turbulence is no joke, people are frequently injured. Children slide under lap belts. ANd they're much easier to control.

I'm a mother of 2 frequent flyers (Asia, Australia, INdia, Europe). They're always in car seats (assuming it's age appropriate, one has outgrown the need).

[Anonymous]

NO. Cares Harness will give you far more room.

[Anonymous]

It's a crapshoot really.

We recently took a 3 hour trip using the car seat. On the way, our 19 mo DS was great in the seat. We were so glad to have it! But the way back was a totally different story. I would have given anything to have had an empty seat for her to move around in. She screamed bloody murder when we tried to put her in her car seat. It was a nightmare. I'll never travel with it again.