It's for Turbulence, not the Crash!

On our trip out to Portland for the Lifesavers 2008 conference, we were surrounded by parents and kids. I was ready with my Bose noise canceling headphones, but alas.. no need. These kids were pretty well behaved. Two infants, two toddlers, one four year old, but no seats.   

We asked the flight attendant for a completely unscientific estimate of how many infants travel in seats on her flights. She guessed about 5%. Based on her rock solid numbers, we thought 95% non-use was worth a post. Let's cut to the chase.

Here are the most commonly cited reasons for not using a seat on the plane:

1. Too expensive to buy extra seat or two (most airlines don't give discounts for an extra seat)...

2. Too much to carry through airport.
3. I'll just hold my child
4. We're renting seats
5. In a crash, it won't help anyway.

Best reasons to rethink those first 5:

A. Your children will be most comfortable in their own car seats.
B. If you rent a car, installing your seat is much easier than installing a questionable rental seat.
C. You don't have to worry about the baggage carousel beating up your child's seat (another reason for expiration dates).
D. By using attachments like the Go Go Kidz Travelmate or light weight strollers like the Graco Snugrider with your infant or convertible seat will make airport travel easier. If you want something more comprehensive, dedicated travel strollers or the C.A.R.E.S. system are also popular.
E. Using a seat will allow you freedom to read or move around, especially if you're traveling alone.
F. The car seat is for turbulence, not the crash. In severe and sudden turbulence you won't be able to hold your baby.

That's it. No begging or pleading.  It's your choice as a parent. The airlines don't care if you do or don't use a seat. We hope you choose to try it next time.

On our arrival back into Chicago, we watched a young family using a Go Go Kids Travelmate /Britax Marathon combination stroll out of the airport, through the cab stand and out into the cab.  Dad popped off the Travelmate, moved baby and seat into the cab, secured the seatbelt, then hopped into the back (90 seconds). It could have been a commercial, but it wasn't... it was just one of many families that put safety first.