Flying Wirh Baby

[TanjaB]

Hi. I am posting this here rather than in the travel section as I know that some of the ladies (and gents!) who post regularly on here have some experience with this issue. We are currently getting ready for the birth of our son and buying all the baby items we think we'll need. One of these items is a (rear facing) baby car seat. We will be returning to the the UK in November and rather than having a 3-months old baby on our laps or in a skycot we will book a seat for our son & take the car seat onboard- more comfortable for all involved. Any suggestions on what car seats are approved for air travel (brand, cost, availability in BKK)? So far all the car seats I have seen seem to be for car travel only, i.e. they need to be secured with an adult seatbelt, rather than just a lapbelt as would be the case on a plane.

Any advice would be appreciated

Thank you!

PS: We will most probably fly with EVA, anyone know their attitude towards babies in car seats? I've heard some airlines can be trouble...

PPS: Despite the car seat I will probably still hold our son during take off and landing, mainly because I will be feeding him a bottle to (hopefully) avoid ear trouble - that should not present a problem with the flight attendants, right (i.e. they won't persists on the baby having to be strapped into his car seat)?

[Boo]

Just as an fyi, it is advised by health professionals that babies not be in a car seat for more than a couple of hours as babies shouldn't be left in a fully upright position for long periods due to respritory & spine development issues. That may be something to consider for a long haul flights.

We too are flying with our newborn in August on Eva & will book a sky cot as lying flat or at a max of 30 degree angle is the best position for a baby to be in for at least the first 6 months.

Here is a link to a bbc news report on the subject.

And here is a link to the baby expert website on the subject.

[TanjaB]

Just as an fyi, it is advised by health professionals that babies not be in a car seat for more than a couple of hours as babies shouldn't be left in a fully upright position for long periods due to respritory & spine development issues. That may be something to consider for a long haul flights.

We too are flying with our newborn in August on Eva & will book a sky cot as lying flat or at a max of 30 degree angle is the best position for a baby to be in for at least the first 6 months.

Here is a link to a bbc news report on the subject.

And here is a link to the baby expert website on the subject.

Hi Boo. Thank you for that. Obviously we would not just strap the baby in and leave him in his car seat for 12 hours straight, but we feel that the car seat would be the safest place to be for him during turbulences for example. We would be getting one of those car seats which recline for babies comfort (so he'd be lying down rather than sitting). Also, should it be a turbulent flight where the seat belt sign is constantly on, he would have to be taken out of the skycot, for safety reasons (never wake a sleeping baby ) . Also, I have flown from the UK to the US with a 1-year old on my lap, and at the end of it I had a huge bruise on my leg from where the child had been sitting whilst sleeping- bit worried about that happening again and developing dvt.

[Boo]

No problem, it wasn't a critism btw just wanted to give you the info in case you weren't aware

I will be calling eva in the next month to book our flights for august so will ask for you about the car seats but I cant see it being a problem but you may have to pay full fare as they charge 10% of adult fare for babies who have sky cots or sit on parents laps, so they may charge full price ofyou want baby to have his own seat but I will check that out for you too.

[TanjaB]

No offence taken It'd be great if you could get that info for me regarding the car seat. I already know from their website that they do charge the full price for a child travelling in their own seat, which I guess is fair enough. Finding accurate information on car seats on planes is so confusing, as everyone seems to have a different opinion on what is safe and what's not... I just read that UK airlines don't even allow babies under 6 months in car seats at all. Australian airlines don't have set rules (apparently), which means they can flat out refuse you to take it on board with you on the day, even if you have paid for a seat. It's all soooo confusing...

[Boo]

I'll pm you once I have the info but will be a bit later in the month as I have to finalise the sale of my place before I can commit to dates to come over to LOS.

When is your son due?

[TanjaB]

He is due at the end of July/beginning of August - which still (all going to plan!) leaves me some time to get organized. However, as I'm getting bigger and the weather hotter (or so it feels to me) I find it more&more difficult to walk around the shopping centres. The car seat is one of the last things on the list, and as long as I know what/which one is recommended I can always send my hubby out to get it - he should be fine if given clear instructions

[think_too_mut]

I don't think it is a car seat that you are after. Such a small baby can not sit at all. What you are asking is probably a capsule that may serve as a car seat, without baby actually sitting - rather, laying horozontally in an ergonomic craddle.

We have one and it is secured with a lap belt only, it is not rear facing and I don't know how it can be better than the cot airlines provide for small babies.

There are some that are multipurpose, you may be able to find adjustable rear-facing one but be ready to shell out 40-50K baht at the Emporium for them.

[alleypanda]

maxi cosi is Approved by the FAA my new born going to be in it when we are flying back home.

[TanjaB]

I don't think it is a car seat that you are after. Such a small baby can not sit at all. What you are asking is probably a capsule that may serve as a car seat, without baby actually sitting - rather, laying horozontally in an ergonomic craddle.

I am very much after a car seat. That's what they are called, as they are meant to be used as seats for babies whilst travelling in a car http://www.kiddicare.com/page/navpage?No=0&N=379 . As there is a wide range of car seats I made a point of mentioning that it is for a baby, as information about car seats for older children would not be very useful to me at this point. I am aware that little babies can not sit by themselves. What makes it more useful than a skycot is that a car seat is -argueably- safer during turbulences, as I already mentioned in a previous post.

@alleypanda: Thanks for telling me about the Maxi Cosi, that's one of a few I had in mind. Is it the Maxi Cosi Cabrio?

[think_too_mut]

I don't think it is a car seat that you are after. Such a small baby can not sit at all. What you are asking is probably a capsule that may serve as a car seat, without baby actually sitting - rather, laying horozontally in an ergonomic craddle.

I am very much after a car seat. That's what they are called, as they are meant to be used as seats for babies whilst travelling in a car http://www.kiddicare.com/page/navpage?No=0&N=379 . As there is a wide range of car seats I made a point of mentioning that it is for a baby, as information about car seats for older children would not be very useful to me at this point. I am aware that little babies can not sit by themselves. What makes it more useful than a skycot is that a car seat is -argueably- safer during turbulences, as I already mentioned in a previous post.

@alleypanda: Thanks for telling me about the Maxi Cosi, that's one of a few I had in mind. Is it the Maxi Cosi Cabrio?

This is what would do the trick and save you from buying a cosmonaut expensive capsule and paying for an extra seat. Also, what would you do with that while overseas?

A major problem to carry the thing around while your baby can get the same, if not better comfort, in an "included in the price" , airline supplied cot.

Whatever might be "FAA approved" is not better than what many airlines do. They fly babies everyday, FAA has to watch them.

SQ995, NRT-BKK:

[TanjaB]

This is what would do the trick and save you from buying a cosmonaut expensive capsule and paying for an extra seat. Also, what would you do with that while overseas?

A major problem to carry the thing around while your baby can get the same, if not better comfort, in an "included in the price" , airline supplied cot.

A perfectly good baby car seat (Maxi Cosi, Graco, Fisher Price)can be bought for under THB10000 at the Paragon, Emporium, Central, etc. I am just after recommendations which one is best. Overseas we will use it for car travel, as required by law in the UK . We are actually returning to the UK for good in November, but even if we were just going on holiday, a car seat for the baby is something definitely worth spending some money on. Also, it should be a must for everyone who is travelling in a car with a baby in Thailand too!!!

[think_too_mut]

This is what would do the trick and save you from buying a cosmonaut expensive capsule and paying for an extra seat. Also, what would you do with that while overseas?

A major problem to carry the thing around while your baby can get the same, if not better comfort, in an "included in the price" , airline supplied cot.

A perfectly good baby car seat (Maxi Cosi, Graco, Fisher Price)can be bought for under THB10000 at the Paragon, Emporium, Central, etc. I am just after recommendations which one is best. Overseas we will use it for car travel, as required by law in the UK . We are actually returning to the UK for good in November, but even if we were just going on holiday, a car seat for the baby is something definitely worth spending some money on. Also, it should be a must for everyone who is travelling in a car with a baby in Thailand too!!!

That shifts the focus from "Flying With Baby" to the purchase of a car seat that will be needed anyway.

I just did not examine what was so special about those Combi seats priced 32, 37, 45K baht at the Emporium. Except that the price is what it is in Japan.

[TanjaB]

The reason why I asked this question in the first place was that we want to buy a car seat which will be suitable for airtravel, as not all car seats are. I was hoping that someone on this forum may have travelled on a plane with a baby before and has used a car seat they could recommend to us. And it's not a combi seat we're after - you are right that it would be a pain to travel with. We are looking for a categorie 0+ carseat. The 'Graco SnugRide' seems to match all the criteria but I'm not sure if we can get that one around here.

Edited June 5, 2007 by TanjaB

[leftcross]

just flew to the uk and back with a six month old boy.

you have to have the baby strapped in while taking off and landing, and also while the seatbelt sign is on. you wouldnt be able to hold the baby while taking off or landing.

we just used the skycot thing, it worked fine. lad slept for a while but he was awake most of the time. didn't cry once as i just took him around for a walk whenever he was bored (good for me too). there were plenty of other kids on there too and no-one had a car seat - seems unneccessary to me.

[TanjaB]

just flew to the uk and back with a six month old boy.

you have to have the baby strapped in while taking off and landing, and also while the seatbelt sign is on. you wouldnt be able to hold the baby while taking off or landing.

we just used the skycot thing, it worked fine. lad slept for a while but he was awake most of the time. didn't cry once as i just took him around for a walk whenever he was bored (good for me too). there were plenty of other kids on there too and no-one had a car seat - seems unneccessary to me.

Strapped in how/where during take off and landing? In the skycot? I thought that was only installed once you're at cruising height? Also, I thought the skycot would not be usable during turbulences? Also, how are you supposed to give a bottle/ nurse during those times (to avoid 'ear popping') if you can't hold the baby? I always see people holding babies during those times, as well as holding a 1-year old myself once. I guess every airline has different rules. Who did you fly with? Many reasons for having a car seat for a baby on the plane , some of them are listed here: http://saferidenews.com/html/Airplane_Eng.htm

BTW, it's not just the FAA, and similar, trying to push to make it the law to use car seats for infants on aircrafts, it's also people who really know what they are talking about, including many flight attendants who have seen what can happen to babies/children during sudden turbulences and difficult landings if they are sitting on their parents' lap (acting as an air bag for whoever is holding them, being thrown across the cabin, etc.) or are not strapped in safely in their own seat. Everybody has to make that choice for themselves, and I would like to take a car seat on board with me.

[leftcross]

strapped into a seat belt on your lap that threads through your belt.

sky cot has a strap inside that can secure a baby during turbulence.

yes, it's your choice but many parents would think three months is too young to take a baby on a long haul flight.

Edited June 12, 2007 by leftcross

[TanjaB]

strapped into a seat belt on your lap that threads through your belt.

sky cot has a strap inside that can secure a baby during turbulence.

yes, it's your choice but many parents would think three months is too young to take a baby on a long haul flight.

My husbands' work assignment ends in November and we are moving back to the UK, so not just flying for the sake of it. Plenty of parents on here have actually flown with babies 3-month old and younger, and from a medical point of view it's pretty safe. We would not do it if we felt our babies' well-being may be put at risk, which is also the reason why I am trying to make sure that his journey will be as safe and comfortable as it possibly can be.

Edited June 13, 2007 by TanjaB