Family Holiday

Many parents debate over whether or not to bring their child’s chair on an airplane trip. If you plan to travel by car at your destination, you’ll need child’s car chair anyway.

They are sometimes available for rent, but you never know what the quality will be on a rental, and it may have been in an accident, making it a risky choice for your baby. It is better safe than sorry, so take your own with you.

Most airlines let children under age 2 ride in an adult’s lap. You can check your child’s chair with your other luggage, but wrap it in plastic or a bag for protection.

You can even buy your infant a ticket and use the seat on the airplane. Babies who are not in them can be injured when a parent can’t hold on during severe turbulence.

If your flight isn’t full, you may be able to take the car chair and use it without buying a ticket, if space is available. One carry-on bag that serves the role of purse, briefcase and diaper bag is the most pared down choice for air travel.

A favorite carry-on bag is a large backpack that you can share with your child. A backpack is easy to carry when your arms are otherwise occupied, and easily holds diapers, snacks, airline tickets, identification and even a spare outfit for the kid.

Most importantly, a backpack holds plenty of baby gear and still meets most airline requirements for carry-on baggage size. Even the smallest babies feel heavy after a long time in your arms, and toddlers often decide they can’t walk any longer at the most inconvenient times.

A stroller solves all of these problems. Most infant car chairs snap onto a travel system stroller, making it simple to take both along for the trip.

Otherwise, a lightweight stroller with a carrying strap is easy to haul around, and might help you make a connecting flight if your toddler’s legs give out. Once you make it to your gate, ask the gate agent for a gate check ticket for your child’s stroller.

Gate checking means you’ll leave the stroller at the gate before you board the airplane and it will be waiting for you as you exit the plane after the flight. This is very convenient if you need the stroller for a connecting flight.

Most airlines also allow parents traveling with babies and toddlers to board the plane early, giving you ample time to install a car seat and get settled. If you purchased a ticket for your baby, you’ll need to install the chair on the plane.

Airline seatbelts can be hard to tighten when buckled with a chair, so you may have to ask a flight attendant for help. Check the manual to be sure that your child’s car seat is FAA approved for air travel before taking it on the plane.

Also note that car seats can only be installed in a window chair on most airlines. A baby sling or backpack carrier may help you carry the child quickly through an airport, too.

Some parents have successfully used a baby sling or special flight vest during the airplane trip to keep a child close when the child doesn’t have a ticketed chair. However, some airlines do not allow slings or flight vests to be used, particularly during takeoff and landing, so be aware that you may be asked to put these items away while on the plane.

If you’re preparing for a long trip, or you travel a lot, invest in some top of the line travel gear to lessen travel hassles. Car chair and stroller combinations let you wheel the child right to the plane and board.

Add a set of travel straps to baby’s regular car seat and wear it like a backpack. Look for disposable feeding supplies like bibs, bottles, and utensils so that you don’t have to clean up during your trip.