Do you buy airline tickets for children under 2?

Silver Member Joined: Oct 28 2009 Posts: 789

we'll be going oot for pesach and dh wants to but the baby a seat. he says he doestn want to hold him for a whole 6 hour flight. he'll be 8 months ka'h. I'm not going to change dh's mind, just want to know if anyone does this.

Executive Member Joined: Apr 09 2008 Posts: 288

I flew with my 2 month old, then with her again at 7 months, bought her a seat both times. we were flying israel_california though, and there was no way I was holding her for 16 hours... and I was traveling by myself. its your choice, but I recommend buying a seat
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Gold Member Joined: Dec 10 2009 Posts: 1390

to cali? we hold our kids....many times there are extra seats on the flights....

Senior Member Joined: Oct 22 2009 Posts: 118

We usually buy a seat if possible. I have done many flights (16+) some with and most without a baby on my lap. Without is much, much better. If there is an empty seat you will be able to use it. However, the baby is safest in a carseat. If you don't know in advance there will be a seat you will not have your carseat with you.

Of course it does depend on your child. Mine just doesn't stop moving and flying with him on my lap is awful.

Gold Member Joined: Feb 10 2009 Posts: 1423

We recently went on an 8+ hour flight with our 16 month old on my lap. It was pretty difficult, but mostly because I'm pregnant so my lap space is compensated. Usually when the airline sees that you have an infant they'll give you the seats in front with more leg room. On the way back, we got a bassinet for her (the airplanes have one that attaches to the wall in front of the seats) and she slept in that which was great.

Diamond Member Joined: Dec 28 2005 Posts: 4663

Nope. I flew (alone) with my then-6 month old daughter to Israel. One way I had a bassinet and the other way I didn't get one. Even the direction I didn't get one they gave me the row right behind first class so I had a lot of legroom. It was fine.

Most recently (this past Sunday/Monday) I flew (again alone) with the baby now 14 months on a flight just under an hour away to visit my grandmother. One of the ways there was an empty seat to put the car seat but she didn't want to stay in it long. Because of her age, in a certain sense it was rougher than the flight to Israel! But either way not worth it to me to spend on an extra ticket.

Diamond Member Joined: Oct 25 2007 Posts: 4863

Absolutely! I always bought seats for my kids and used car seats. It only takes a little turbulence to send a baby flying out of your arms!

Gold Member Joined: Jan 16 2008 Posts: 1829

It depends. Flying to the UK from the USA will cost about $800 for my 10 month old. I just can't afford it, but if I was flying in the US and it was cheaper, then I might.

I flew from LA to sydney when dd was 4 months didnt buy an extra seat and we had a bassinet when dd was 12 months flew from LA to buenos aires didnt buy an extra seat but both ways they gave us an extra one
they are usually very accommodating abt giving u an extra seat. we have flown a lot and never got an extra seat though now dd is 2 we have have to and I think only 1x we didnt have an extra seat and thats b/c there werent any on the flight. if there are extra seats its in the airlines best interest to give it to u b/c then they are less likely to have a crying baby in flight upsetting the other passengers

Posted: Thu, Jan 14 2010, 1:29 am Post subject:

I have flown many times without paying for an extra seat. I always bring a carseat onto the plane and except for 1 time there was always a seat for the baby. If there is an extra seat, they will work it out so it can be next to you. If there are truly no extra seats, they will take the carseat and stick it under the plane. But if you want that seat, you have to speak up and ask for it!

I traveled when my daughter was just over one twice and both times we had a seat for her. we put her car seat in the seat. one was a 9 hour flight (overnight) and the other was an 11 hour flight. I would never hold her for that long. if I was traveling in america, for 5 hours or less, I would have to think about it, but probably not then either. my husband and I traveled within south africa, the flight was about 2 hours and it was pure hell to hold her the whole time.

Gold Member Joined: Feb 12 2008 Posts: 2386

I've flown 4 times (8 flights, 5 of those alone) with my 7 month old and never used a car seat. The flights were short mostly one hour flights but two four hour flights and we held her. I personally wouldn't feel comfortable spending and extra several hundred to a thousand dollars to put the baby in the car seat for a couple hours here and there.
How long can a baby sit happily in a car seat? I've never been allowed to bring mine on and checked it last time (made security much easier than having to take a snap and go apart and put it through the xray machine while holding a squirming baby).

I don't really think it is safer. I hold on tight to DD and turbulence can happen at any time and most babies won't stay in a car seat the whole time. If ch"v anything happens to the plane I highly doubt a car seat would make much difference.

Senior Member Joined: Oct 28 2009 Posts: 109

Posted: Thu, Jan 14 2010, 2:23 am Post subject:

Yes and no. The only time I did was when I was flying by myself with my 22 month old and my newborn. You're not allowed more than one lap infant per adult ticket, so we bought one (75% fare) for my older son. But generally no, I don't. I can't afford to. And if someone else is offering to pay I don't have the chutzpah to insist that they spend on an extra seat.
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Senior Member Joined: Apr 19 2009 Posts: 100

I went on a 20+ hour flight with an almost 2 year old without an extra seat. I can't say it was anything near comfortable, but it was definitely worth the many hundrends of dollars in savings for a little bit of discomfort!

if it's a long flight I can't afford the extra ticket, and a short one I can manage holding the baby for an hour or 2. (and we share holding the baby) Even when I had a carseat and a spare seat to put it in I think I wasn't allowed to put the baby in for take off and landing. I always get the bulkhead for long flights fo the baby usually sleeps in the cot for a part of the ride.

Marion - I'm surprised you were allowed to fly with 2 infants! on one accasion I had to go somewhere alone with 3 kids under 2.5, and the ariline told me for safety reasons they only allow one infant per adult. It was in important trip so I had to get a friend to come with me.

Posted: Thu, Jan 14 2010, 7:08 am Post subject:

We've flown so many times with under-2s, but I must confess I don't recall EVER buying a ticket. It's either A) short-distance (within Europe, to Israel) so DH and I don't mind holding the baby, B) kids are active to be strapped to seats so why waste money on an unused seat, or C) long-distance (8hrs-16hrs) but tickets are too expensive. We survived, and still continue to travel. At least with under-2s you do have an option of not buying a seat.

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