The label should read, 'This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft.' Flight attendants are instructed to look for the label, and you may run into problems if it's missing.īe sure to measure the car seat you're planning to travel with, too. What kind of car seat do I need?īefore you bring a car seat on board an airplane, make sure it's FAA-approved. Call your airline to ask for a discount, or ask what the company's policy is for using empty seats. Many airlines offer half-price tickets for small children. If your child is young enough to ride free, you may be able to find an empty seat for him, but there's no guarantee. Whether you use a car seat or a harness, your child will need his own seat on the airplane. And statistically that's a far more dangerous way to travel. Why isn't there a law requiring child safety restraints in airplanes? Because Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) analyses have found that if forced to buy an extra airline ticket, many families would drive instead. Ironically, the law mandates that everything in an airplane cabin be battened down during takeoff, landing, and turbulence - except children young enough to ride on their parents' lap. And in a crash, your child could be crushed against your body.

Legally you may carry a child up to 24 months old on your lap, usually free of charge - but unexpected turbulence can send that lap-carried kid flying out of your arms.

That means either an approved car seat or the CARES harness (see below).

You're not required to, but both the Federal Aviation Administration and the American Academy of Pediatrics strongly recommend that you use an FAA-approved child restraint device.

Delta airlines car seat check