Unlike US carriers, some international airlines offer discounts for children and infants.

Never Baby goes in carseat which is buckled in in its own seat. Lap babies are unsafe.

Foreign Service mom here. When the government pays I enjoy the extra seat. I even sleep a few minutes! Much more pleasant flight. When traveling on my own dime (and have done lots and lots of international travel with infants), I don't pay. It's not worth the month, and don't buy into the hysterics about the safety issues. Do your own research. Unless you are the sort of person worried about being struck down by lightning...

If you can afford the seat, buy the seat. Will be sooooo much more pleasant for you. If the seat is a financial hardship, don't worry about it. The lap belts they give you for babies keep them safe in the unlikely event of rough turbulance, a difficult landing, etc.

Anonymous wrote:Hell no! It's not that everyone who buys a seat for a kid less than 2 years old has an extra $800 sitting around. It's the fact that
. a kid under 2 is still a person, and in my book a person needs a seat
2. the main reason the FAA doesn't require airlines to insist on people buying a seat for a kid under 2 is that it would lead to more people driving instead, which is way more unsafe. Admittedly no one would consider driving to Europe, but they're thinking of domestic flights
3. Everyone is more comfortable if you get a seat. Your fellow passengers will thank you too!

Just curious - what is the source of your number 2?

Hell no! It's not that everyone who buys a seat for a kid less than 2 years old has an extra $800 sitting around. It's the fact that
1. a kid under 2 is still a person, and in my book a person needs a seat
2. the main reason the FAA doesn't require airlines to insist on people buying a seat for a kid under 2 is that it would lead to more people driving instead, which is way more unsafe. Admittedly no one would consider driving to Europe, but they're thinking of domestic flights
3. Everyone is more comfortable if you get a seat. Your fellow passengers will thank you too!

We flew on multiple trips with our son under 2 and always bought him a seat. We found that with his car seat there he would 80% fall asleep for long periods during the flight. Plus it was nice for us to be able to eat or sleep ourselves. Yes, it was money spent, but we figured that we were going to be spending that money anyway once he turned 2 so might as well start budgeting for it. Plus many planes are three seats across on the window so it worked out perfect for the three of us.

Anonymous wrote:If not for safety reasons, I would buy a ticket out of consideration for those around you. I sat next to a lap baby on a long flight and it was unpleasant for all concerned. We were all polite about being kicked, etc., but I would have paid for that baby to have its own seat after 9 hours. And I love, love, love little babies!

I think the OP said that both she and her husband are flying - one baby for two adults is much better than the unaccompanied 5 yo next to you on a transatlantic flight (that was some eye-opening thread, I have to admit).

If not for safety reasons, I would buy a ticket out of consideration for those around you. I sat next to a lap baby on a long flight and it was unpleasant for all concerned. We were all polite about being kicked, etc., but I would have paid for that baby to have its own seat after 9 hours. And I love, love, love little babies!

Anonymous wrote:I've done it several times. Yes, it's not the most comfortable, but it's just such a huge extra expense that I didn't even consider it. Also, even after 2 my kids wanted to be in my lap for most of the flight as soon as the seatbelt sign was off, so I would have been essentially just paying for take off and landing

This. I hate buying the kids plane tickets when DH and I literally hold them the entire flight. They like to cuddle and watch movies on flights.

How much money do you have OP? That's the answer to your question.

Anonymous wrote:PP: I've traveled all over the world with my kids including 21 hr flights with a child in my lap. So did my mom. It's not awesome but getting a seat for a young child is a waste of money.

Until you hit severe turbulence and are scared out of your mind. Unless you have a carrier to keep them in, it is so unsafe.

Yes, this is no big deal. In fact, now that we have to purchase seats for our over two year old, he cries to sit in my lap the whole time. Our babies were always more than happy to be held on flights.

Yes, I would, and have done this multiple times. You reserve a bulkhead seat and you can put the baby in the bassinet (which has a seatbelt to protect the baby in the event of turbulence).

Very, very few people have been seriously injured by turbulence. Your baby safer flying commercially as a lap infant than riding in your car.

I did it with a 19 mo old. It's fine if you have multiple adults. I would certainly do it again to save $800.