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teaforthree
My Handsome Boy!
Member since 12/10 2549 total posts
Name:
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Flying with One Year Old - Lap ticket or Buy his own seat?
I'm torn on whether to shell out the bucks to get DS his own seat when we fly to Florida when he's 13 months... or just have him sit on our laps. Since this is our first child, I really don't know too much of what to expect when he's one, including how much he'll squirm, how well he'll sleep if he's not in his own seat, etc. Right now, he's not the kind of baby that can fall asleep anywhere. We're actually swaddling him, which we're hoping to wean off of soon.
Anywho, I keep checking prices for our trip. Right now, they're $159 or so, one way. I'm thinking I'm not going to pay that much. BUT - if the price drops to less than $100, I would definitely consider it... ESPECIALLY since paying for his own seat would let us add bags. Since I definitely have a tendency of overpacking - even WITHOUT a baby - the extra bag allowance when paying for his seat is tempting.
My other option is... since we're flying Southwest - NOT buying his own seat, but hoping the flight isn's full so we can get a row of three for him to sit anyway.
Does it seem wrong to anyone else that you have to have a baby seat if you buy a ticket - but it's not problem for him to sit on your lap if you don't? I can't believe that babies are allowed to fly on laps... what about the possibiliity of turbulence? ADULTS have to be buckled, but not kids?
Anyway... that's beside the point.
What to you think?
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Posted 2/19/12 1:38 PM  |
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BargainMama
LIF Adult
Member since 5/09 15660 total posts
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Re: Flying with One Year Old - Lap ticket or Buy his own seat?
Posted by teaforthree
Does it seem wrong to anyone else that you have to have a baby seat if you buy a ticket - but it's not problem for him to sit on your lap if you don't?
What to you think?
You don't have to use a carseat on an airplane. It's obviously "safer" in the event of a crash, but it's not required.
I would buy a seat because I wouldn't want to hold a squirmy child for 3 hours if there are no empty seats.
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| Posted 2/19/12 2:08 PM |
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EMS418
LIF Infant
Member since 8/11 248 total posts
Name:
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Re: Flying with One Year Old - Lap ticket or Buy his own seat?
We fly Southwest to Florida about 4 times a year and the flights are always book. So I wouldn't bank of having a free seat.
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| Posted 2/19/12 2:18 PM |
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Porrruss
Nya nya nya
Member since 5/05 11618 total posts
Name:
Amy
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Re: Flying with One Year Old - Lap ticket or Buy his own seat?
Southwest has reduced their schedule to compensate for fuel costs, so flights are MUCH more full. If you're going to any family-friendly destinations I can guarantee there will be plenty of people who have the same idea (not paying for a seat, but hoping for a free seat).
Personally, I'd buy an extra seat. Simply put, it is just NOT safe to hold a baby on your lap, even though the FAA and NTSB would lead you to believe it is by allowing the option of lap children.
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| Posted 2/19/12 2:26 PM |
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teaforthree
My Handsome Boy!
Member since 12/10 2549 total posts
Name:
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Re: Flying with One Year Old - Lap ticket or Buy his own seat?
Posted by EMS418
We fly Southwest to Florida about 4 times a year and the flights are always book. So I wouldn't bank of having a free seat.
Good to know... thanks!
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| Posted 2/19/12 2:31 PM |
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WNA01
my 2 boys
Member since 10/08 4240 total posts
Name:
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Re: Flying with One Year Old - Lap ticket or Buy his own seat?
i wouldn't buy a seat if i didint have to..
we flew southwest with a 6 month old and a almost 2 yr old ( he was going to be 2 within 2 weeks) - going there the flight was full - not an issue bc dh was holding my 6 month old and ds wanted to sit on my lap
coming home it was empty we could have sat anywhere - ds wanted to still sit on my lap
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| Posted 2/19/12 2:47 PM |
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DiamondGirl
You are my I love you
Member since 7/09 18802 total posts
Name:
DiamondMama
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Re: Flying with One Year Old - Lap ticket or Buy his own seat?
We just flew to Florida with DS, he is only 4 months, but he was very good on our laps. I would not get a seat for him at one year old though. I probably would wait until two to get his own seat provided it was me and DH flying together so we could share the load 
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| Posted 2/19/12 3:01 PM |
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jlk51496
Mom of 3 - YIKES! =)
Member since 10/09 6758 total posts
Name:
Katie
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Re: Flying with One Year Old - Lap ticket or Buy his own seat?
i didnt buy my kids a seat until i had to...the younger ones were on our laps most of the time anyway..i rather save my money 
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| Posted 2/19/12 3:58 PM |
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GoldenRod
10 years on LIF!
Member since 11/06 26792 total posts
Name:
Shawn
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Re: Flying with One Year Old - Lap ticket or Buy his own seat?
We always bought DC seats, mainly for the safety reasons.
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| Posted 2/19/12 4:23 PM |
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ttcing
LIF Adolescent
Member since 8/09 851 total posts
Name:
Mel
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Re: Flying with One Year Old - Lap ticket or Buy his own seat?
Why pay if u dont have to? We took dd to fl when she was 13 months old n she was on our lap n coming home we got lucky with an open seat. Save ur money..it will be fine just bring new toys n books for him to play with
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| Posted 2/19/12 4:47 PM |
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aliwnec10
mom of 3 boys
Member since 4/06 11426 total posts
Name:
Ali
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Re: Flying with One Year Old - Lap ticket or Buy his own seat?
Posted by jlk51496
i didnt buy my kids a seat until i had to...the younger ones were on our laps most of the time anyway..i rather save my money
same here and we flew a lot those first 2 years with jacen. We always did lap child and many times we got lucky with the extra seat next to us. 
ETA: 95% of the time, jacen fell asleep on the planes.
Message edited 2/19/2012 5:02:17 PM.
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| Posted 2/19/12 5:01 PM |
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schmora15
LIF Adult
Member since 9/08 2476 total posts
Name:
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Re: Flying with One Year Old - Lap ticket or Buy his own seat?
I wouldnt buy a seat since there are 2 of you and it's not a long flight. At that age I just dealt with it unless I was flying to my brothers which was 8 hrs.
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| Posted 2/19/12 7:05 PM |
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FirstMate
My lil cowboy
Member since 10/10 7790 total posts
Name:
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Re: Flying with One Year Old - Lap ticket or Buy his own seat?
Buy the seat. I just flew with my 6 month old DS and I was so glad I had the extra seat. Holding him that whole time would have been really uncomfortable.
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| Posted 2/19/12 8:37 PM |
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yankinmanc
Happy Days!
Member since 8/05 18208 total posts
Name:
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Re: Flying with One Year Old - Lap ticket or Buy his own seat?
I wouldn't buy a seat unless I had to, I just flew from the UK to Florida last week, 16 hours, with my 23 month old daughter in my lap, it was tedious, but not that bad. We survived!
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| Posted 2/19/12 10:26 PM |
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allIwant
Love my crazy life!
Member since 1/10 9170 total posts
Name:
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Re: Flying with One Year Old - Lap ticket or Buy his own seat?
We are in Florida now. We just flee with 13 month old twins. We had a stop in Baltimore so we were on plane for 4 hours. We didnt buy them seats and they did amazing. Just be prepared snacks, dvd player, toys etc it is really not bad at all !
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| Posted 2/19/12 10:54 PM |
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CaMacho
Sisters :)
Member since 7/06 15112 total posts
Name:
Jess
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Re: Flying with One Year Old - Lap ticket or Buy his own seat?
Lap... we flew about 10x wtih DD on our laps until she turned 2 and it was never an issue. Bring some new toys, snacks, etc..
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| Posted 2/20/12 8:07 AM |
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