Will This Affect Your Travel?

[kitty9]

The FAA announced they are considering a rule change that would make it mandatory for all passengers on airplanes to have their own seats. No more lap children, regardless of age, even infants will have to purchase a separate seat. Will this affect any of you with regards to travel?

[6rugrats]

I haven't seen any recent announcement. Where did you read this? I know the NTSB sent a letter in August 2010 to the FAA about this issue:

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/metro/documents/childsafety.pdf

 

This letter is interesting reading for those considering holding their child in their lap, especially pages 1, 4, 5, 7 and 10.

[cb at sea]

They've considered this "rule" before and it didn't fly....Yeah, I think if folks had to pay full fare for an infant, it would change their travel plans!

 

This is in response to the small plane crash that killed all onboard....4 kids were found some distance from the wreakage, indicating that they weren't strapped in. Never mind that all of the adults (who were in seatbelts) also died!

[Ellanora]

On one of the Seconds from Disaster episodes on The National Geographic Channel, this issue comes up - the airplane was in distress and the flight attendant instructed the mother to put the baby on the floor per airline procedure. Many people lived through the subsequent crash - the mother, the flight attendant, other passengers - but not the baby. :( The narrator of the episode, or maybe it was one of the NTSB guys, notes that while some airline guidelines and procedures changed due to the causes of the crash, that was one that did not.

 

Personally, I would choose to buy a seat and take one of those small foldable car seats I've seen parents mention on these boards - gives you extra room to stretch out while you hold the baby, plus a safe place to strap him/her in, in the event of an emergency.

[MamaParrotHead]

I was stuck, by myself, on the runway with one seat between me and my then 18 month old. For THREE hours. That was enough of that. Ever since, if I couldn't afford the extra seat for my kids (when they were eligible to be "lap kids"), we didn't go. It was a NIGHTMARE.

[quincytoo]

My children are past the lap child age but if they still were?? This new ruling would not affect my travel plans at all.....I don' mind paying for a seat for them especially if it means they might be marginally safer should something happen while on route.

[boulders]

I travelled with my oldest as a lap child on a 1 1/2 hour flight ONCE. That was more than enough. I always purchased a ticket for each child after that. :p

[SusieV]

Having never flown with my son yet, I'd say yes because I'm more likely to want to take him somewhere if he's free! Bad enough I'm paying $699 as a 3rd person rate on a cruise but to have to pay airfare too? :eek:

 

Guess we'll see how it goes... we have bulkhead seats and grandparents to pass him off to...

 

Once he's two, coming along with Daddy on business trips may be a no go- cheaper to leave him home with Grandma and give Mommy and Daddy some alone time!

[kitty9]

I haven't seen any recent announcement. Where did you read this? I know the NTSB sent a letter in August 2010 to the FAA about this issue:

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/metro/documents/childsafety.pdf

 

This letter is interesting reading for those considering holding their child in their lap, especially pages 1, 4, 5, 7 and 10.

 

It was on CNN this morning. It's being revisited due to a recent plane crash where a number of children, many who were lap kids, were killed. Another incident was when a plane recently hit serious turbulence and two lap kids flew up and hit the overheads.

[A&Jfamily]

I only flew once with each of my kids "in the lap." Did the $200 savings for a seat help in the cost of the trip? Sure. But if that makes or breaks the cost of the trip, I probably shouldn't be taking in to begin with. So, no I do not think a change in the rules would affect my choice.

[notentirelynormal]

I didn't fly much when my kids were little, but now that I have grandkids and we still cruise - yes, I buy them tickets. My son thought I was silly to do so on his flight from Spokane through Salt Lake to LAX - then the next day LAX to Miami. She was 1-1/2 years old but I bought the tickets anyway. What DID annoy me - the airline from Spokane didn't have three seats to sit them together so moved one of them to the back of the plane so instead of seating the family together my son basically told them to keep the seat I paid for as it was worthless, so they did and resold it without a refund to me. Now the long flight from LAX to/from Miami all three kids had paid for seats and this time he used it. I know I don't want to hold a kid for hours and I'm sure they don't want to be held either. I always factor kids seats in to the budget.

[6rugrats]

It was on CNN this morning. It's being revisited due to a recent plane crash where a number of children, many who were lap kids, were killed. Another incident was when a plane recently hit serious turbulence and two lap kids flew up and hit the overheads.

 

Thank you. I am wondering if the deaths were those on the small private plane that is referenced in the NTSB letter. All adults on that flight, who were wearing seat belts, were also killed. I don't know about the turbulence one.

 

My BIL was on the recent UA flight that had to make an emergency landing in Denver because of turbulence. Things flew all over the place; after that, he said if people saw what bad turbulence was like, they'd never fly with a lap child.

[6rugrats]

What DID annoy me - the airline from Spokane didn't have three seats to sit them together so moved one of them to the back of the plane so instead of seating the family together my son basically told them to keep the seat I paid for as it was worthless, so they did and resold it without a refund to me. Now the long flight from LAX to/from Miami all three kids had paid for seats and this time he used it.

 

That would be annoying, but it was his choice to not use the seat. It was the same as if he didn't show up for the flight; the airline had no obligation to give you a refund. I am guessing they just assigned it to a standby passenger and it was not technically resold. Your son should have selected seats long before the flight. I'm glad he used the tickets the next flight.

[CanadianTwosome]

I didn't fly much when my kids were little, but now that I have grandkids and we still cruise - yes, I buy them tickets. My son thought I was silly to do so on his flight from Spokane through Salt Lake to LAX - then the next day LAX to Miami. She was 1-1/2 years old but I bought the tickets anyway. What DID annoy me - the airline from Spokane didn't have three seats to sit them together so moved one of them to the back of the plane so instead of seating the family together my son basically told them to keep the seat I paid for as it was worthless, so they did and resold it without a refund to me. Now the long flight from LAX to/from Miami all three kids had paid for seats and this time he used it. I know I don't want to hold a kid for hours and I'm sure they don't want to be held either. I always factor kids seats in to the budget.

 

I'm not sure I understand why the seat was 'worthless'... This happens to us all the time. The first time, when we got our 'surprise' seat assignments (we weren't able to choose when we booked), all three of us were seated apart, so I called the airline. They wanted to sell me a 'premium' seat. I told them that I wasn't going to pay for a seat, but that they could assign a flight attendant to my 'unaccompanied minor' since she was going to have to sit by herself. Amazingly, they were able to find us a pair of seats together at no charge!! ha ha ha

 

From where we fly, at least the first leg is always a 2x2 plane, so there are never three seats available together, so we usually have one parent across the aisle, but even when one of us (I say 'one of us' but I mean 'my husband' :p) has to sit in a different aisle, we don't mind. As long as my daughter and I can sit together, everyone feels safe and supervised, and truth be told, I'm pretty sure my husband enjoys being able to sleep or read without being disturbed. :)

[notentirelynormal]

That would be annoying, but it was his choice to not use the seat. It was the same as if he didn't show up for the flight; the airline had no obligation to give you a refund. I am guessing they just assigned it to a standby passenger and it was not technically resold. Your son should have selected seats long before the flight. I'm glad he used the tickets the next flight.

 

He couldn't have selected his seat. It was a small commuter plane and they didn't allow it.

 

I'm not sure I understand why the seat was 'worthless'... This happens to us all the time. The first time, when we got our 'surprise' seat assignments (we weren't able to choose when we booked), all three of us were seated apart, so I called the airline. They wanted to sell me a 'premium' seat. I told them that I wasn't going to pay for a seat, but that they could assign a flight attendant to my 'unaccompanied minor' since she was going to have to sit by herself. Amazingly, they were able to find us a pair of seats together at no charge!! ha ha ha :)

 

Well, I paid around $300 for her flight. They had the parents sitting together and the kid in the back when they went to check in. Obviously they would have sat them one adult/child and moved the adult.

 

Since all seating was assigned at the airport I don't see why they couldn't have sat them together. I say worthless because they had no desire to hand the kid to one or the other but prefer to take care of her together for the 5 plus hours in the air.

 

Whether or not they "resold" my ticket is irrelevant (to me). I'm sure the person in the seat paid the airline for the pleasure of flying.

 

Actually I was more annoyed at my son, rather then the airline. He had 3 tickets in his hand for adult fares and I think if HE had paid the money he'd have been a little more forceful in getting the seats he wanted. Thankfully he has now moved to a bigger city (SEA) and we can get normal flights LOL.

[CanadianTwosome]

He couldn't have selected his seat. It was a small commuter plane and they didn't allow it.

 

 

 

Well, I paid around $300 for her flight. They had the parents sitting together and the kid in the back when they went to check in. Obviously they would have sat them one adult/child and moved the adult.

 

Since all seating was assigned at the airport I don't see why they couldn't have sat them together. I say worthless because they had no desire to hand the kid to one or the other but prefer to take care of her together for the 5 plus hours in the air.

 

Whether or not they "resold" my ticket is irrelevant (to me). I'm sure the person in the seat paid the airline for the pleasure of flying.

 

Actually I was more annoyed at my son, rather then the airline. He had 3 tickets in his hand for adult fares and I think if HE had paid the money he'd have been a little more forceful in getting the seats he wanted. Thankfully he has now moved to a bigger city (SEA) and we can get normal flights LOL.

 

Thanks for explaining. Five hours is a long time! I agree with you, also. The airline definitely could have put more effort into ensuring they could sit together. I know as someone who flies alone at times, I'm always happy to give up my seat if asked (and have many times). As I noted, I also completely understand about 'normal flights'. Planning flights is always the most difficult part of any travelling I do - there are only a few places that I can get a direct flight to (on a puddle-jumper), and then I have to make a connection (hopefully on the same day).

 

Now that we've gone wildly off topic, I just thought I'd add that any ruling for purchasing seats for kids won't affect me, since mine is now officially as tall as I am (5'10" at 12!!). I only travelled with her once as a lap-baby, and she was only 3 months old. I took her along because she was nursing, but my husband joined us with the car, so if we'd been expected to purchase a seat for her, she probably would have ridden in the car and I would have carried a pump on my lap instead! :p

[WeatherGeek]

We flew once when my daughter was under 2 and I bought a seat for her and strapped her into her car seat in that seat. She's over 2 now, but if she were still under 2 and this became the new rule, it would not affect our decision at all.

[Maryscooking]

No, it wouldn't make a difference for us at all. I've seen the reports of what has happened to lap children in instances of severe turbulence, and therefore have always purchased a seat for my daughter.

 

The two flights we took when she could have been a lap child cost an extra $680 for her two tickets - yes, that is a good chunk of change to me, but it doesn't even compare to what I'd feel if something completely preventable happened to her as a result of being unrestrained.

[Onessa]

DD is now nearly 15YO but always had her own seat.

 

Just trying to fit one adult into current airline seat space is challenging enough!

[bean24]

I also have heard horror stories about lap children, so I always said I would buy a seat if flying with a child. On our recent Bermuda cruise, my son got sick and we had to stay on the island,thankfully we had travel insurance so they paid for all of our tickets, but since we had no car seat we had to buy another one in Bermuda, for the plane. Oh well we can always use another car seat, and we all arrived home safely.

[mrs.mobster]

I would LOVE to be forced into getting a regular seat for my infant child/ren! DH refuses to because he doesnt see the value. Maybe thats beacuse *IM* the one with the fussy, squirmy, "i dont wanna be held" baby on my lap... Flying with her at 6 months to Italy, with her on my lap, the whoooooole time.... ugh. I was trying to convince DH to cruise after her 2nd bday (Feb 2nd) so we would have to have her sit on her own... but he wont do it. LOL. Im dreading having a 23.5 month old on my lap from Boston to Miami and back in Jan for our cruise....

 

So, no, it wouldnt change anything for us, we would (happily=me) suck it up and pay for the seat.