Flying with 8MO

Were going to FL for Thanksgiving and DD will be just over 8 months.

My plan was to buy her a seat and use the car seat, but the flight home for her would be $250 vs. free in my lap.

Those who have flown with an infant, is it worth the $250 to be able to put her in her own seat?

Re: Flying with 8MO

For me it totally depends. I personally would never check a car seat either w/ the luggage or at the gate. Nor would I rent one from a car rental place. If I needed the seat at my destination and someone i know and trust could not provide me with one at the airport, I would purchase a seat and use the car seat on the plane.

When we went to Florida w/ DD who was then 6 months old, we held her in our laps because my SIL was picking us up from the airport with an infant seat that had been used by a cousin and we knew it was safe.

It is definitely safer for a child to be in their own seat in a car seat. Link

Flying with 8MO

I flew with my daughter to Florida when she was 10 months old and I did not buy her a seat. She was awesome. I tried to time our flights for times when she would nurse then sleep. I checked her infant car seat and base. I flew JetBlue and they seemed to take handling the car seats seriously. I talked to the staff at the gate check and felt comfortable with my choice. I know many people are against checking the car seat for good reasons but there is no way my daughter would have stayed in the car seat on the plane--I didn't have the option of borrowing a seat from someone at my destination so I made the best choice for my situation.

Flying with 8MO

I never bought my son a seat until he was 2. I have flown with car seats, rented and used one that my parents had. It all worked out perfect. Our seat made it just fine and the one we rented was cleaner than my own.

Re: Flying with 8MO

We didn't buy a seat until about 18+months because my kids would whine sitting next to me. When DS was 9 months he slept on me both ways.

Re: Flying with 8MO

We flew with DS at 10 mos and got him a seat and had him in his infant carrier for the flight (to Jackson Hole). He slept in there happy as a clam.

I think it depends how long your flight is and how expensive the ticket is...

Re: Flying with 8MO

Flying with 8MO

We flew to Texas when my DS was 8 months and didn't buy him a seat. He slept like a dream in his boba carrier both ways. We just rented a car seat with our rental car.

Re: Flying with 8MO

To me, it is a non-negotiable safety issue that a child should have their own seat and car seat. Have you seen the videos when there's turbulence and kids are literally thrown a few rows down? Or worse, crushed between you and the seat back in front of you if turbulence throws you forward? This is not about behaving. THis is about safety. I don't mean to be harsh, but your child is a full-fledged member of your family, and unfortunately that means paying for airfare for 3 instead of 2.

On a side note, I flew to CA when dd was just shy of 9 mos. old. She was comforted by her car seat. It's such a great age to fly with them!

Re: Flying with 8MO

Re: Flying with 8MO

We always bought DD a seat and at that age used her infant carrier for the flights. Worked great for safety and sleeping. Only bummer was she had to be by the window so that her seat didn't cause an evacuation issue for me in the row. I prefer the window but survived.
As she got older the extra seat was nice as it guaranteed us the row to ourselves so DH and I had plenty of space too (we are not small people).

Flying with 8MO

Its a 2 1/2 hour flight and the ticket is $110 down and $250 back . It's coming home the week of Thanksgiving, so I guess thats why its so much money. I obviously don't mind spending money for my daughters safety, but i am just not sure on this one. My mom flew to Europe and to California with me on her lap, so she thinks I am crazy to even consider a $250 flight to Florida. But DH and I are trying to decide if its worth it.

I think if I thought she would sleep in the seat the entire time it would be a no brainer. But I don't. Its several months away but as of now my DD does not nap for more then 20 minutes at a time. She is a power napper because she doesn't want to miss anything, but she sleeps through the night, so I'll take it. Overall she is such an easy going child, except when it comes to the car seat. She hates being in the back of the car by herself. She carries on if she is awake and in her car seat. She whales so loud the rest of the passengers will think we're killing her. I don't know if she would do it on the plane, since we are right there, but that could make it worse. She does not fall asleep just because we are moving. So most likely I think she will end up on our laps anyhow, so as to not disturb the rest of the plane. So I feel like I am basically buying a $250 seat for takeoff, landing and the 20 minute nap she may take. But then, if she does decide to stay in her seat it would be so much nicer and I am sure safer, not to have her on our laps the entire flight.

Did I mention we will have a dog under the seat too?

I should also mention that my mom buys DH and I our flights every year, so that we will come, so we didn't buy our flights. DH is on salary reduction and I am part time, so our budget is really tight right now too. I am hoping by then it will be back up, but not looking positive. So if its really a lot safer and better to have her in the seat I will buy one, if I can even still get one, but if it isn't, then I feel like why spend that money.

Thanks for all your feedback.

Message edited 8/28/2015 1:31:11 AM.

Re: Flying with 8MO

Re: Flying with 8MO

Flying with 8MO

OK and say I do take DD in a car seat? you can't use the base right? So what do you do to get the base to Florida?

Re: Flying with 8MO

Re: Flying with 8MO

Re: Flying with 8MO