Anonymous
09/15/2015 16:14
Subject: Re:Can a 3 YO fly with just the seat belt?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Yes, your 3 YO can fly with just the seatbelt. On a flight earlier this year, we forgot to pack the CARES harness and I had to do just that for my then 3 yo. It's not as safe as children are more susceptible to injury from the seat belt alone than for a harness, but it's not mandated, only strongly urged.
CARES harnesses are good until 44 lbs. Our kids' weight gain has slowed enough that I figure we'll be using these for years, and we travel by plane at least 2-3 times per year, so it was worth it to me to buy them (got them on ebay for like $25-30 each).
The CARES harnesses are really easy to use and the kids actually like having the shoulder straps. They especially like them when landing when the straps help hold them back against the seat during deceleration. And they are so much easier than car seats to install and use and the kids prefer them to the car seat.
Although the FAA "strongly urges" and does not have actual mandated requirements for you to use either a car seat/booster seat or CARES harness for 20-40 lbs, some airlines may not allow your child to fly only in the seat belt. You should contact your airline carrier to see if they have child restraint restrictions. Also, if you choose to buy a harness, make sure you actually buy a CARES brand harness and not a knock-off. On our recent Alaska Airlines flight they asked to see either the label on the harness or the instruction documentation that it was FAA-approved. The flight attendant who checked said that if we didn't have documentation that it was FAA-approved (it had the label and I had the instruction book in the carry bag, so I was doubly covered) then the airline policy was that it would have to be removed and the child would have to fly with only the seat belt.
Which airlines, do you know?
So so so not true. I've flown every airline with kids of all ages and sizes.
Anonymous
09/15/2015 08:52
Subject: Re:Can a 3 YO fly with just the seat belt?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We just flew for 4 hours with our 3yo yesterday. Totally fine in just the lap belt. Don't make life harder than it needs to be.
+1
+2
+3
Hate to say it, but if there's an airplane crash, a CARES harness won't make a difference. Just use the lap belt.
Anonymous
09/15/2015 08:31
Subject: Re:Can a 3 YO fly with just the seat belt?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:We just flew for 4 hours with our 3yo yesterday. Totally fine in just the lap belt. Don't make life harder than it needs to be.
+1
+2
Anonymous
09/14/2015 23:07
Subject: Re:Can a 3 YO fly with just the seat belt?
Anonymous wrote:Yes, your 3 YO can fly with just the seatbelt. On a flight earlier this year, we forgot to pack the CARES harness and I had to do just that for my then 3 yo. It's not as safe as children are more susceptible to injury from the seat belt alone than for a harness, but it's not mandated, only strongly urged.
CARES harnesses are good until 44 lbs. Our kids' weight gain has slowed enough that I figure we'll be using these for years, and we travel by plane at least 2-3 times per year, so it was worth it to me to buy them (got them on ebay for like $25-30 each).
The CARES harnesses are really easy to use and the kids actually like having the shoulder straps. They especially like them when landing when the straps help hold them back against the seat during deceleration. And they are so much easier than car seats to install and use and the kids prefer them to the car seat.
Although the FAA "strongly urges" and does not have actual mandated requirements for you to use either a car seat/booster seat or CARES harness for 20-40 lbs, some airlines may not allow your child to fly only in the seat belt. You should contact your airline carrier to see if they have child restraint restrictions. Also, if you choose to buy a harness, make sure you actually buy a CARES brand harness and not a knock-off. On our recent Alaska Airlines flight they asked to see either the label on the harness or the instruction documentation that it was FAA-approved. The flight attendant who checked said that if we didn't have documentation that it was FAA-approved (it had the label and I had the instruction book in the carry bag, so I was doubly covered) then the airline policy was that it would have to be removed and the child would have to fly with only the seat belt.
Which airlines, do you know?
Anonymous
09/14/2015 14:58
Subject: Can a 3 YO fly with just the seat belt?
We borrowed a CARES harness for our 2 year old for a flight last weekend and it was a waste of time. One more thing to schlep around. When he wanted to be in the seat, he was fine. When he wanted to be out of the seat and in my lap, it took him less than 3 minutes to get himself out of the CARES harness.
Anonymous
09/14/2015 13:45
Subject: Re:Can a 3 YO fly with just the seat belt?
Anonymous wrote:We just flew for 4 hours with our 3yo yesterday. Totally fine in just the lap belt. Don't make life harder than it needs to be.
+1
Anonymous
09/14/2015 13:28
Subject: Re:Can a 3 YO fly with just the seat belt?
We just flew for 4 hours with our 3yo yesterday. Totally fine in just the lap belt. Don't make life harder than it needs to be.
Anonymous
09/14/2015 13:13
Subject: Re:Can a 3 YO fly with just the seat belt?
Anonymous wrote:Yes, your 3 YO can fly with just the seatbelt. On a flight earlier this year, we forgot to pack the CARES harness and I had to do just that for my then 3 yo. It's not as safe as children are more susceptible to injury from the seat belt alone than for a harness, but it's not mandated, only strongly urged.
CARES harnesses are good until 44 lbs. Our kids' weight gain has slowed enough that I figure we'll be using these for years, and we travel by plane at least 2-3 times per year, so it was worth it to me to buy them (got them on ebay for like $25-30 each).
The CARES harnesses are really easy to use and the kids actually like having the shoulder straps. They especially like them when landing when the straps help hold them back against the seat during deceleration. And they are so much easier than car seats to install and use and the kids prefer them to the car seat.
Although the FAA "strongly urges" and does not have actual mandated requirements for you to use either a car seat/booster seat or CARES harness for 20-40 lbs, some airlines may not allow your child to fly only in the seat belt. You should contact your airline carrier to see if they have child restraint restrictions. Also, if you choose to buy a harness, make sure you actually buy a CARES brand harness and not a knock-off. On our recent Alaska Airlines flight they asked to see either the label on the harness or the instruction documentation that it was FAA-approved. The flight attendant who checked said that if we didn't have documentation that it was FAA-approved (it had the label and I had the instruction book in the carry bag, so I was doubly covered) then the airline policy was that it would have to be removed and the child would have to fly with only the seat belt.
British Air's policy is to allow the "AmSafe System" (same as CARES from what I can tell) for ages 1-4. I think we're flying AA back, which hopefully will also allow CARES (although I think would also allow the car seat). BA does not allow a car seat for children 3 and over, so I presume if they allow a harness and disallow a car seat, they would allow the seat belt only.
Anonymous
09/14/2015 13:04
Subject: Can a 3 YO fly with just the seat belt?
Our 3 year old DS was totally fine without CARES and just the seatbelt, and we were able to keep him in his seat even though I'm sure he could have opened the seatbelt if he really wanted to.
Anonymous
09/14/2015 13:01
Subject: Can a 3 YO fly with just the seat belt?
Anonymous wrote:Do you have a friend who has a cares harness you could borrow?
I checked our relatively inactive listserv with no results and most friends have smaller or no children. I'll keep looking, but it sounds like renting it may be the right idea.
Anonymous
09/14/2015 12:49
Subject: Re:Can a 3 YO fly with just the seat belt?
Yes, your 3 YO can fly with just the seatbelt. On a flight earlier this year, we forgot to pack the CARES harness and I had to do just that for my then 3 yo. It's not as safe as children are more susceptible to injury from the seat belt alone than for a harness, but it's not mandated, only strongly urged.
CARES harnesses are good until 44 lbs. Our kids' weight gain has slowed enough that I figure we'll be using these for years, and we travel by plane at least 2-3 times per year, so it was worth it to me to buy them (got them on ebay for like $25-30 each).
The CARES harnesses are really easy to use and the kids actually like having the shoulder straps. They especially like them when landing when the straps help hold them back against the seat during deceleration. And they are so much easier than car seats to install and use and the kids prefer them to the car seat.
Although the FAA "strongly urges" and does not have actual mandated requirements for you to use either a car seat/booster seat or CARES harness for 20-40 lbs, some airlines may not allow your child to fly only in the seat belt. You should contact your airline carrier to see if they have child restraint restrictions. Also, if you choose to buy a harness, make sure you actually buy a CARES brand harness and not a knock-off. On our recent Alaska Airlines flight they asked to see either the label on the harness or the instruction documentation that it was FAA-approved. The flight attendant who checked said that if we didn't have documentation that it was FAA-approved (it had the label and I had the instruction book in the carry bag, so I was doubly covered) then the airline policy was that it would have to be removed and the child would have to fly with only the seat belt.
CARES harnesses are good until 44 lbs. Our kids' weight gain has slowed enough that I figure we'll be using these for years, and we travel by plane at least 2-3 times per year, so it was worth it to me to buy them (got them on ebay for like $25-30 each).
The CARES harnesses are really easy to use and the kids actually like having the shoulder straps. They especially like them when landing when the straps help hold them back against the seat during deceleration. And they are so much easier than car seats to install and use and the kids prefer them to the car seat.
Although the FAA "strongly urges" and does not have actual mandated requirements for you to use either a car seat/booster seat or CARES harness for 20-40 lbs, some airlines may not allow your child to fly only in the seat belt. You should contact your airline carrier to see if they have child restraint restrictions. Also, if you choose to buy a harness, make sure you actually buy a CARES brand harness and not a knock-off. On our recent Alaska Airlines flight they asked to see either the label on the harness or the instruction documentation that it was FAA-approved. The flight attendant who checked said that if we didn't have documentation that it was FAA-approved (it had the label and I had the instruction book in the carry bag, so I was doubly covered) then the airline policy was that it would have to be removed and the child would have to fly with only the seat belt.
Anonymous
09/14/2015 12:43
Subject: Can a 3 YO fly with just the seat belt?
Do you have a friend who has a cares harness you could borrow?
Anonymous
09/14/2015 12:41
Subject: Can a 3 YO fly with just the seat belt?
Anonymous wrote:Rent the Cares on ebay. Super easy. We did it and DD was exactly 37 lbs. I recommend it.
I didn't even realize this was a possibility...thanks!
I was just saying yesterday that I have spent so much time brainstorming and researching each and every flight we've ever taken with DS, and wouldn't it be nice if airlines actually attempted to accommodate children on the planes? I would be happy to rent a CARES harness there, or I don't know, maybe airlines could design seatbelts or seats that work for children? I haven't found flying with a car seat to be easy at ALL, either, and I would think airlines would prefer you didn't use those since they take up a lot of room and slow down boarding and unloading. The whole thing is actually discouraging to even flying with children at all.
Anonymous
09/14/2015 12:38
Subject: Can a 3 YO fly with just the seat belt?
Rent the Cares on ebay. Super easy. We did it and DD was exactly 37 lbs. I recommend it.
Anonymous
09/14/2015 12:35
Subject: Can a 3 YO fly with just the seat belt?
My son is relatively tall and large for his age, 37+#, and will have just turned 3 when we fly with him. The airline we're flying with (BA) doesn't allow car seats for that age, so we'll have to gate check it since we'll need it there. I don't really want to buy the CARES harness and have heard mixed reviews on it anyway. Will he be okay with just the seat belt, or should I get a harness just in case? I'm hesitant to buy yet one more item for this trip since we really don't fly all that often and will probably fly even less once our second arrives next year, and that little set of straps is kind of pricey for what it is. It's a long overnight flight if that matters, and he will always be between me and the window for each of our flights. I'm really hoping he sleeps on the flight, too, which would have worked better with the car seat, but oh, well.