As a courtesy, DLTC advocates safety and responsibility for all who are at the mercy of others. This means senior citizens, pets and minor children. This message is to encourage parents to BUY a seat for their children and to buckle them up for safety.

Flying With Baby

Traveling with Infants and Toddlers on Airplanes Kelby Carr

It can be quite tempting to save a few bucks on airfare by sharing your seat with your baby, but it isn’t the safest or sanest way to fly.

Yes, your baby may technically be able to fly for free if he or she is under age two. Airlines do not require tickets for those babies and toddlers who sit in an adult's lap. That doesn't necessarily mean it's a good idea. If you wouldn't dream of traveling in a car with your infant loose, you probably should consider that when flying.

A ticket for baby

There are several pros to just coughing up the cash for baby to get his or her own ticket, such as:

Your baby will be secured in a car seat and in the airplane's seatbelt. Even in the event of minor turbulance, this could prevent major injuries.
You will be freed of holding the baby the entire time. This isn't so troublesome on a short D.C.-to-New York jaunt. Try a trans-Atlantic flight with a squirmy toddler in your lap (I have). Do it once, and you'll never make that mistake again.
Your baby will likely be happier and less fussy secured in a car seat. It is also easy to give your baby a bottle for lift-off and landing in the seat, which will prevent painful ear pressure.
Your mealtime will also be much easier. With baby or toddler in your lap on the airplane, you can forget about eating a decent meal or even putting your tray down.

Baby flies free

There are several cons to this choice, however:

The baby's safety is a big one. The baby cannot travel in his or her car seat, but must sit on your lap. In fact, you as the parent are safer than your baby, since you will have a seatbelt. There is a product that is FAA approved that can reduce the risk somewhat, the Baby B'Air Infant Products Flight Vest Travel Harness. If you've ever flown with a baby tethered to you, however, you'll know this isn't ideal.
Your baby or toddler will not have her own space on the airplane. We all know how cramped airline seats are when it's just you. Add a baby or toddler, and you can count on doing pretty much no moving around for the whole flight.
If you must have a car seat at your destination, you will need to check it, which can be a slight nuisance if it's part of a stroller/car seat travel system.

Making the choice: to ticket or not

If there is any way for you to purchase a seat for your infant or toddler on the airplane, however, it is the safest and most responsible way to travel with child.

UA FLIGHT #232 - A plane with mechanical failure that crash landed in Sioux City, Iowa. This was a survivable crash for 184 people. Sadly, one lap held baby died -a boy named Evan. He was placed on the floor to enable the parents to assume a safer position after flight crew made announcements for passengers to brace themselves for the crash. The mother of the boy who was buckled in survived.

Jan Brown Lohr - United 232's Senior Flight Attendant. She was forced by regulation to ask parents with "lap babies" (children without seats) aboard flight 232 to place their children on the cabin floor during the flight's final moments before impact. One of four children died from smoke inhalation.

**Turbulence is unexpected and a handheld baby has no protection!! People who are not belted have been jolted so hard that their heads have been thrown against the plane or the ceiling.

** Only one oxygen mask per seat will drop down. Flight attendants must be tracked down to dispense others in the event of an emergency. If smoke or chaos fills the cabin, this is almost impossible to do for dependent children.

** Survivable crashes at take off / landing, or water landings depend solely on all passengers wearing a safety belt. Lap held babies like the one in the yellow outfit above is not safe during flight. As a parent you are risking your babies life by not buying a seat ticket. In fact, you cannot take off or land with a purse or bag in your lap, so why are babies allowed to be unsafely held on a lap?

** In mock accidents where dummy infants were used, they suffered the most life threatening injuries and since a parent carries the child, the limbs and head of the dummies were traumatized exiting through doorways without a carrier in tow to protect them.

** All airlines insist that passengers wear their seat belts when seated. Written on the back of all seats is this message:

"Fasten Seat Belt While Seated" in both English and Spanish is written on seat back tray tables on all American flights.

Why then are babies not required to have a seat and to be belted for safety? It seems like common sense to me.

Airlines know that it isn't safe to have babies or children in exit rows. They need extra time and energy to adequately gather them up and usher them out of the plane in case of an incident. Airlines know that unbuckled passengers are in danger.

On the window of the exit row is this message NO CHILDREN THIS ROW-This is because small children/babies require extra time upon emergency exiting. Airlines want ready and willing adults in this most important seating area.

So, don't rely on the airlines to protect your children. Buying a seat for them and buckling them up for safety, like you do in your passenger car is the only rational, safe, sane and responsible way to fly.


	Flying with a baby, toddleror infant without a seat belt is NOT safe and not recommended by the FAA. The ONLY safe passengers in this airline regulation photo card are the safety belted adults and the 2 children who have their own seats with safety belts. Babies and toddlers whose parents purchase a seat for them are safest! Flight #232 portrays this when a lap held child DIED.

	As a courtesy, DLTC advocates safety and responsibility for all who are at the mercy of others. This means senior citizens, pets and minor children. This message is to encourage parents to BUY a seat for their children and to buckle them up for safety. Flying With Baby Traveling with Infants and Toddlers on Airplanes Kelby Carr It can be quite tempting to save a few bucks on airfare by sharing your seat with your baby, but it isn’t the safest or sanest way to fly. Yes, your baby may technically be able to fly for free if he or she is under age two. Airlines do not require tickets for those babies and toddlers who sit in an adult's lap. That doesn't necessarily mean it's a good idea. If you wouldn't dream of traveling in a car with your infant loose, you probably should consider that when flying. A ticket for baby There are several pros to just coughing up the cash for baby to get his or her own ticket, such as: Your baby will be secured in a car seat and in the airplane's seatbelt. Even in the event of minor turbulance, this could prevent major injuries. You will be freed of holding the baby the entire time. This isn't so troublesome on a short D.C.-to-New York jaunt. Try a trans-Atlantic flight with a squirmy toddler in your lap (I have). Do it once, and you'll never make that mistake again. Your baby will likely be happier and less fussy secured in a car seat. It is also easy to give your baby a bottle for lift-off and landing in the seat, which will prevent painful ear pressure. Your mealtime will also be much easier. With baby or toddler in your lap on the airplane, you can forget about eating a decent meal or even putting your tray down. Baby flies free There are several cons to this choice, however: The baby's safety is a big one. The baby cannot travel in his or her car seat, but must sit on your lap. In fact, you as the parent are safer than your baby, since you will have a seatbelt. There is a product that is FAA approved that can reduce the risk somewhat, the Baby B'Air Infant Products Flight Vest Travel Harness. If you've ever flown with a baby tethered to you, however, you'll know this isn't ideal. Your baby or toddler will not have her own space on the airplane. We all know how cramped airline seats are when it's just you. Add a baby or toddler, and you can count on doing pretty much no moving around for the whole flight. If you must have a car seat at your destination, you will need to check it, which can be a slight nuisance if it's part of a stroller/car seat travel system. Making the choice: to ticket or not If there is any way for you to purchase a seat for your infant or toddler on the airplane, however, it is the safest and most responsible way to travel with child. UA FLIGHT #232 - A plane with mechanical failure that crash landed in Sioux City, Iowa. This was a survivable crash for 184 people. Sadly, one lap held baby died -a boy named Evan. He was placed on the floor to enable the parents to assume a safer position after flight crew made announcements for passengers to brace themselves for the crash. The mother of the boy who was buckled in survived. Jan Brown Lohr - United 232's Senior Flight Attendant. She was forced by regulation to ask parents with "lap babies" (children without seats) aboard flight 232 to place their children on the cabin floor during the flight's final moments before impact. One of four children died from smoke inhalation. FACTS: Turbulence is unexpected and a handheld baby has no protection!! People who are not belted have been jolted so hard that their heads have been thrown against the plane or the ceiling. Only one oxygen mask per seat will drop down. Flight attendants must be tracked down to dispense others in the event of an emergency. If smoke or chaos fills the cabin, this is almost impossible to do for dependent children. Survivable crashes at take off / landing, or water landings depend solely on all passengers wearing a safety belt. Lap held babies like the one in the yellow outfit above is not safe during flight. As a parent you are risking your babies life by not buying a seat ticket. In fact, you cannot take off or land with a purse or bag in your lap, so why are babies allowed to be unsafely held on a lap? In mock accidents where dummy infants were used, they suffered the most life threatening injuries and since a parent carries the child, the limbs and head of the dummies were traumatized exiting through doorways without a carrier in tow to protect them. ** All airlines insist that passengers wear their seat belts when seated. Written on the back of all seats is this message: "Fasten Seat Belt While Seated" in both English and Spanish is written on seat back tray tables on all American flights. Why then are babies not required to have a seat and to be belted for safety? It seems like common sense to me. Airlines know that it isn't safe to have babies or children in exit rows. They need extra time and energy to adequately gather them up and usher them out of the plane in case of an incident. Airlines know that unbuckled passengers are in danger. On the window of the exit row is this message NO CHILDREN THIS ROW-This is because small children/babies require extra time upon emergency exiting. Airlines want ready and willing adults in this most important seating area. So, don't rely on the airlines to protect your children. Buying a seat for them and buckling them up for safety, like you do in your passenger car is the only rational, safe, sane and responsible way to fly. Wouldn't you rather be safe than sorry?