# Bag for carseat when gate-checking?



## Illaria (Jul 9, 2007)

We are planning to fly with our new baby at Christmas, he'll be about 2.5 months by then. This is our first baby and thus we have never traveled with an infant before. We were thinking of attaching the carseat to a stroller and strolling that through the airport (even if baby is in a sling) and then gate checking the carseat and the stroller (folded up, of course). For gate-checking carseats, it is best to have a bag to put the carseat in? Or, is it fine to just gate-check it as is? Thanks!!


----------



## PassionateWriter (Feb 27, 2008)

i would recommend going over to the family safety forum and looking at the threads that recommend taking your car seat on the plane for the baby. lap babies are at an increased risk during turbulence. ill see if i can find some links for you.


----------



## Mamato3wild ponnie (Jan 6, 2007)

I've always held my babaies when we fly...i see no reason to buy a ticket for a 2 month old....turbulence...is nothing like it used to be. I've flown international and never used a carset. Hold baby in sling and you'll be fine. If you gate check...thus means when your getting ready to board the plane you leave the stroller and carseat at the door of the plane and they throw it under the plane...right? I would cover it...just because baby is so little and it can get dirt or rain or what ever on it. I'd carry a thick clear plastic bag to cover it with. And keep it cose by. I've checked carseats in with regular luggage and always covered them in plastic bags or a box...but that is with all the other luggage. We've flown to central america and the carribean where carseats in cars are not manditory like the US....so i've always held baby in my lap in the car...But that is my 2 cents...when flying in the states i take a car seat with us.


----------



## PassionateWriter (Feb 27, 2008)

there is some good information in this thread: http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=932064

its a parental decision. everyone should just be aware of the risks flying w/ lapbabies pose.

there are other threads in family safety too but i am struggling w/ a sick baby today and cant go find them. doing a search for "planes" should bring some of them up (b/c i dont think that thread in particular is about flying w/ a lapbaby).

good luck!


----------



## dongurigal (Aug 5, 2008)

We've always checked in both car seat and stroller frame and carried DD in the carrier. Less stuff to lug around in the airport. As far as I know, at least internationally, you don't have to pay to check your car seat/stroller frame. The airlines have always provided the plastic bags--not sure if all airlines do. (We used Air Canada, Emirates and Qatar Airways, fyi)

Also not sure of all airplanes, but Qatar Airways and Emirates have seatbelts for lap babies. Air Canada did not--at least domestically. I had to hold DD upright and was not allowed to keep her in the carrier, which I felt was safer than just holding her. Oh well...


----------



## User101 (Mar 3, 2002)

Moving to family safety


----------



## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

I wouldn't fly without my kids in their car seats.


----------



## ChristyMarie (May 31, 2006)

I would also strongly suggest having the car seat on the plane for baby.

As for the bags, I have one with a long strap and wheels. It is awesome for getting the darn thing through the airport to the plane.


----------



## Kessed (Nov 28, 2007)

Personally - I think it's completely ridiculous to put an infant in a carseat on an airplane.

There is NO reason for it.

If you look at the numbers - there have been SO FEW injuries or deaths of unrestrained lap babies in the last 20 years that it's just fear mongering. There was a good discussion a few months past where someone actually looked up the numbers - and it's a chance of like 2/billion of death. It's FAR FAR more risky to drive to the airport.

We checked our carseat with our luggage. We had a stop over and didn't want to bother with it. We did gate check our stroller. I don't know what I would have done if we'd had a travel system. ? I guess - my DD SCREAMED bloody murder every time she was put in her carseat at that age. So the whole idea of subjecting her to any more time in it than absolutly necessary just didn't fly for us.

Even if we'd bought a seat for her - I'm not going to do CIO on an airplane. And you can't stop the plane every 5 minutes like you can a car.

Let me add - I'm a BIG supporter of extended RFing because there is actual data to back up that position. Same thing with keeping kids harnessed for as long as possible. There are numbers which back up those positions. There are NO numbers to back up the position to use a car seat on a plane.


----------



## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

There are many reasons to put a car seat on a plane.

Numbers don't much matter to me. Being unrestrained in any moving vehicle is unsafe, period, so we don't do it.


----------



## Friday13th (Jun 13, 2006)

I think the biggest deciding factor for me was learning what happened to lap babies during turbulence, even minor turbulence. Not safety wise but standard airline protocol which is to stuff the babies under the seat in front of you and restrain them there so they aren't flying around the cabin. I find that idea far more upsetting then dealing with a child who is restrained in a familiar car seat.


----------



## Kessed (Nov 28, 2007)

Please answer my questions...

My definition the kind of turbulence that causes injury and harm - is the kind that is unexpected. Most people injured are injured because they are away from their seats or not buckled in because everything is 'normal'...

So - in order to prevent those injuries - you would need to stay seated and buckled 100% of the time you were on a plane. To keep an infant "safe" you would need to leave them buckled in their carseat 100% of the time too.

Do you dispute that?

I leave my DD buckled 100% of the time we are in the car. I leave myself buckled 100% of the time too. I don't, for example, nurse her over the side of the carseat - because that leaves me vulnerable if we got into a collision.

But in a car - we can stop every 5 minutes if we need to. And we often did in the early months. My in-laws live 30 mintues away - and MANY trips home from their house were made in 5 minute hops.

I would do what I needed to do if there was ANY proof that a carseat was actually worth it on a plane.

But ALL the numbers indicate that there is nothing to worry about. The rate of lap babies being seriously injured or killed during turbulance on planes is sooooooo tiny it's negligible.

I refuse to live in fear of things like that. I also don't make her wear a helmet when she walks outside just in case she falls over.


----------



## Kessed (Nov 28, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Friday13th* 
I think the biggest deciding factor for me was learning what happened to lap babies during turbulence, even minor turbulence. Not safety wise but standard airline protocol which is to stuff the babies under the seat in front of you and restrain them there so they aren't flying around the cabin. I find that idea far more upsetting then dealing with a child who is restrained in a familiar car seat.

We've been on 6 flights with DD, my sister has been on close to 40 with her 3 kids, and my other sister flew 20 times during her son's first 2 years. (all of those flights as lap babies)

None of us have ever heard the "put the baby under the seat" myth.

All of us were told that if there was a threat of turbulence (and an announcement was made) to hold the baby in the cradle hold and lean forward.


----------



## Norabella (Mar 14, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Friday13th* 
I think the biggest deciding factor for me was learning what happened to lap babies during turbulence, even minor turbulence. Not safety wise but standard airline protocol which is to stuff the babies under the seat in front of you and restrain them there so they aren't flying around the cabin. I find that idea far more upsetting then dealing with a child who is restrained in a familiar car seat.

I believe this is pretty outdated information. I called and asked AK Airlines about this, and the customer service rep was totally shocked at the question and the very idea of placing a baby on the floor. So, it seems unlikely that it is standard practice/policy for any major airline these days. Also, as someone pointed out a while back, the passenger safety information card (available in your seat-back pocket







) shows positions for bracing yourself while holding a lap infant, and does not instruct you to put the baby on the floor.


----------



## kittyhead (Oct 28, 2005)

we got a bag for ours at babies r us. its pretty sturdy and has wheels







ive seen people gate check them as is, but the bag seemed to protect it more. ours cost about 35$ and ive used it on two round trips and it's still in pretty good shape. if i remember correctly they had a few kinds of "universal" carseat bags to fit different types of seats.


----------



## PassionateWriter (Feb 27, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *an_aurora* 
There are many reasons to put a car seat on a plane.

Numbers don't much matter to me. Being unrestrained in any moving vehicle is unsafe, period, so we don't do it.

i absolutely agree with you. there is no way i would fly w/o my children restrained. i dont get the arguing over the safety aspects of it.

if i had simply put my son in a booster seat at 2 and driven my normal driving, he would still be unharmed b/c i havent been in an accident since his birth. but its not wise nor is it the safest practice.

ppl need to understand that there are reasons to restrain a child in an airplane. if YOU (general you) dont do it, its a parental decision that you chose. but its still not safest.


----------



## luv (Mar 20, 2007)

We've flown both with and without a carseat. I prefer with because I like the extra space. That wasn't the question asked though. The question asked was where to find a bag.

I've been told you can find em at toys r us. We havnt seen them there yet (but we're in France) I would LOVE to find out for sure where to find one though. We'll be doing yet another international flight and a wheeled bag would make getting the seat through the airport so much easier.

If you dont mind reposting where you end up finding one I'd appreciate it


----------



## WhaleinGaloshes (Oct 9, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Kessed* 
But ALL the numbers indicate that there is nothing to worry about. The rate of lap babies being seriously injured or killed during turbulance on planes is sooooooo tiny it's negligible.

What came out of the discussion a few months ago, which is no longer available for review, was that the 'numbers' are extremely incomplete. Airlines are not required to, nor do they, keep accurate records of infants on their manifests. The data do not exist one way or the other.

It is without question, airplane travel is very safe statistically. In the absence of more complete data, I take into account the positions of virtually every air-travel and/or safety regulatory body as published:

The FAA recommendation:
http://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/crs/

Quote:

"Did you know the safest place for your little one during turbulence or an emergency is in an approved child restraint system (CRS) or device, not on your lap?

"The FAA strongly urges parents and guardians to secure children in an appropriate restraint based on weight and size. Keeping a child in a CRS or device during the flight is the smart and right thing to do."
The AAP recommendation:
http://aappolicy.aappublications.org...ics;108/5/1218

Quote:

"Preventable injuries and deaths have occurred in children younger than 2 years who were unrestrained in aircraft during survivable crashes and conditions of turbulence. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a mandatory federal requirement for restraint use for children on aircraft. The Academy further recommends that parents ensure that a seat is available for all children during aircraft transport and follow current recommendations for restraint use for all children."
The NTSB recommendation:
http://www.ntsb.gov/recs/letters/1990/a90_78_79.pdf

Quote:

Quote:

"The Safety Board believes that, in addition to the increased risk of injury or death, unrestrained occupants jeopardize the safety of other passengers....

"...[As early as January 1, 1981] the FAA recognized the benefits of child safety seats and encouraged their use on board aircraft....

"...The Safety Board believes that the use of child safety seats should be required for children below the weight of 40 pounds and under the height of 40 inches...Infants and small children should be afforded equal or greater protection from death and injury during crash impacts and turbulence as afforded other persons on board commercial and general aviation aircraft...."
The Association of Flight Attendants recommendation:
http://www.afanet.org/Legislative/default.asp?id=5

Quote:

"For over 15 years, AFA has actively supported the use of mandatory child restraint seats for children under two on aircraft. Flight attendants have been joined by carriers and consumer groups in calling for the use of child restraint seats...

"Too many unrestrained children have been needlessly killed during crashes or injured during turbulence or emergency landings. It is time to provide children, under two yearsof age, the same protections as all other passengers. AFA will continue working to pass legislation that mandates the use of child restraint seats on aircraft."
Safe Ride News is a trusted source and has a good page, too:
http://www.saferidenews.com/html/Airplane_Eng.htm

My answer to the second question is that DD rides in her seat and buckled whenever the seatbelt light is on and whenever she's seated and it's off, like everybody else.

I agree that it's a parental decision. Child restraints are not required on planes. If I were gate checking a seat, I would definitely use a canvas bag to prevent damage as much as possible. The potential for damage to the seat in baggage handling is another reason to take it on board.


----------



## Kessed (Nov 28, 2007)

Actually the death rate you mention does not separate out "survivable" VS "catastrophic" crashes.

The question here is about bouts of sever turbulence that would be survivable if the child was restrained - but not if the child wasn't.

That death rate is MUCH lower. The rate of serious injury from turbulence is 63 per 11.25 billion passengers, or about 6 per billion. And that includes the 2 deaths recorded over a 15 year period.

Now - with those numbers it doesn't matter how many of them were unrestrained, infants or other.

Quote:

During 1981 to Nov 1996, there were 252 reports of turbulence affecting major air carriers and 863 passengers received minor injuries, 63 received serious injuries and 2 passengers died.
Maybe it makes me a 'bad' mom - but I'm willing to risk those odds to save $1000.


----------



## dallaschildren (Jun 14, 2003)

I have removed some posts from this thread for violating the MDC UA particularly: *Do not post in a disrespectful, defamatory, adversarial, baiting, harassing, offensive, insultingly sarcastic or otherwise improper manner, toward a member or other individual, including casting of suspicion upon a person, invasion of privacy, humiliation, demeaning criticism, name-calling, personal attack, or in any way which violates the law.*

I am leaving the thread open for discussion, however any further UA violations will result in this thread being closed/or removed. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Dallaschildren


----------



## WhaleinGaloshes (Oct 9, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Kessed* 

The question here is about bouts of sever turbulence that would be survivable if the child was restrained - but not if the child wasn't.


IMO, all survivable accidents are relevant. Planes skid off runways...I can recall it happening twice last year and that's just my recollection. There was also a near miss on the runway between two taxiing aircraft. I think restraints on aircraft, for anyone, are important in more than one scenario.

Because it bears repeating: it's without doubt that a baby getting injured while flying is statistically very unlikely. Using restraints for infants is left to the discretion of individual parents. A number of authorities recommend using them, and I think it's worth putting that out there.


----------



## tree-hugger (Jul 18, 2007)

The article says there were 319 fatalities but it does not say what caused those deaths. It does not say that those deaths were caused by a crash or by turbulence. There was an article in the news recently about a woman who was found dead in an airplane bathroom--that article noted that hundreds of people die on airplanes every year from things like heart attack, stroke etc. Many of those 319 people would have died whether they were buckled in or not.

In risk analysis, it is necessary to consider both the magnitude of the potential problem and the probability of that problem actually happening. Granted, it would be far, far worse for a baby to suffer a head injury than to cry inconsolably in its car seat for a couple of hours. But that is not the only thing to consider. For my baby, and probably for many other babies, the chance of it crying inconsolably in the car seat if buckled in on a flight is near 100%. I think it would be psychologically damaging for my baby to be buckled in to a car seat and see me sitting next to her and not taking her out and helping her when she is clearly communicating that she is hungry or needs a diaper change or hates being in the car seat, or simply needs to be held so that she feels safe, loved, and respected. If I force her to be in a carseat for takeoff and landing the risk of that damage is pretty much 100%.

So we have a choice between serious damage that is probably never ever going to happen and very minor damage that is virtually guaranteed. There is no perfectly safe solution. A person has to weigh those risks and choose, but to be logical about it one must consider both the magnitude of the damage AND the probability of it taking place.


----------



## DevaMajka (Jul 4, 2005)

I personally would not check a car seat. I'd be too worried that it would get bumped, and they can be damaged without any visible damage.

We flew once with ds as a lap baby. Didn't check a car seat- my MIL had one here for us. It probably would have been so much more comfortable for him to have had his own seat.
After that, I flew with a car seat for ds until he was about 3.5. Of course, he was older, but it was very nice for him to have his own space, and for me to have my own space for a few minutes.

If you do decide to check the car seat, I'd see if they have a hard shelled car seat case, or something that is padded that would take the brunt of the banging and keep the car seat as secure as possible.


----------



## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

I wouldn't ever check a carseat with the luggage (I've had my suitcase damaged too many times!). I have never had an issue with gate checking. Even without a bag, never a scuff on my carseat and only "damage" to my stroller was that the canopy got dirty. But I would HIGHLY recommend putting the carseat in a bag to be on the safe side. I'd worry more about them carrying the carseat by the straps and such and it getting dirty.


----------

