FAA Family-Friendly Flying Tips – S4E6

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Jessica Stewart Gonzalez: Welcome to The Parenting Brief. I’m your host, Jessica Stewart Gonzalez, an Arizona working mom [00:00:10] and chief of the Office of Children’s Health at the Arizona Department of Health Services. This podcast is for busy parents on the go. Take a few minutes during nap time, a quick car ride, or [00:00:20] even folding laundry to check out our episodes for expert advice and tips.[00:00:30]

Jessica Stewart Gonzalez: Thank you for tuning in to The Parenting Brief. Flying with young children can be nerve wracking. Whether it’s your first time flying with your little [00:00:40] one or you’ve done it before, there’s a lot to think about. That’s why today we’re talking with the FAA to discuss car seats on planes and more helpful tips to make the experience smoother.[00:00:50]

Jessica Stewart Gonzalez: With us today is Jodi Baker, the Deputy Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety [00:01:00] for the Federal Aviation Administration or the FAA. Thank you so much for being here, Jodi.

Jodi Baker: My pleasure.

Jessica Stewart Gonzalez: So, in flying with infants or toddlers, what is the best [00:01:10] way to keep them safe? Are there specific devices parents can use or is it safe for a child to sit on the parent’s lap?

Jodi Baker: So, good question. And [00:01:20] simply, the safest place for your child under the age of two on an airplane is in an approved child restraint system or device and not in your lap. The FAA doesn’t actually require the use [00:01:30] of child restraint system or CRS on commercial airplanes but here at the FAA, we strongly encourage and recommend that you secure your child in an approved child [00:01:40] restraint system in their own seat for the entire flight.

Jodi Baker: And my kids are currently 13 and almost 17, but when we were still traveling with them and they were under the age of 2, [00:01:50] we always bought seats for them and we used their car seats on the plane. And although children who have not reached their second birthday are permitted to travel as lap children, The [00:02:00] FAA has not approved the use of harness or vests or carriers for use during movement on the surface, like taxi, takeoff, and landing.

Jodi Baker: And the [00:02:10] FAA also doesn’t permit the use of booster seats or backless boosters during taxi, takeoff, and landing. And while we don’t allow those to be used during taxi, takeoff, and landing, [00:02:20] They are not prohibited during flight, during cruise portion of flight, so you may be able to use that, but your airline may have a more restrictive requirement, so if you do want to use one of [00:02:30] those harnesses or vests or carriers during flight, check with your airline before flying.

Jessica Stewart Gonzalez: And how can families confirm that the car seat or carrier that they use is [00:02:40] FAA approved?

Jodi Baker: So on your child restraint seat, there’s a bunch of labels on the bottom or on the side, and you’re looking specifically for two statements on the label. [00:02:50] The first statement is, this child restraint system conforms to all applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards.

Jodi Baker: And the [00:03:00] second statement is this restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft. And that second statement is in red. And we actually have a picture of the label on the FAA [00:03:10] website. So in addition for looking for the labels, take a look at your user’s manual that came along with your child restraint system to make sure that your child restraint system can be secured properly in an [00:03:20] airplane seat.

Jodi Baker: Otherwise, you may have to check it as baggage.

Jessica Stewart Gonzalez: Are there standard measurements for carriers that are allowed on board an aircraft?

Jodi Baker: There aren’t actually [00:03:30] standard sizes of seats, nor are there standard requirements for size of car seats. But typically, if it’s under 16 inches, it’ll fit. One thing to keep in [00:03:40] mind, if you have bought a ticket for your child’s seat and you bring on an approved child restraint system.

Jodi Baker: The airline is responsible for accommodating that child restraint [00:03:50] seat. So if it doesn’t fit in the particular seat, they’re supposed to look for another seat in the same class of service to accommodate the child restraint. So if you bought a ticket in [00:04:00] economy, look for another economy seat. If you bought a seat in economy plus, another seat in economy plus.

Jodi Baker: And of course, if you bought a seat in first class, look for another seat in first class. Additionally, the [00:04:10] airlines will have, typically have policies on the safest location of a child restraint system that tends to be on the window. Child restraint systems are bulky, and they put them on [00:04:20] the window seats typically to avoid blocking access to the aisles to any of the other passengers in the row.

Jessica Stewart Gonzalez: Are forward facing versus rear facing seats recommended, or [00:04:30] is the installation process similar to how a parent would install that car seat in their car?

Jodi Baker: So you pick the car seat just like you would for the car seat in the car [00:04:40] based on the age and the size of your child. So you pick forward or aft facing depending on your child itself and then you install it like you would in the car.

Jodi Baker: So if you’ve got a rear facing seat [00:04:50] you put you install it rear facing in the aircraft. If you have a forward facing seat you install it forward facing on the aircraft. Install it according to the manufacturing instructions for the age [00:05:00] and typically weight of your child. Aircraft don’t have the latch system, so you won’t be using latch.

Jodi Baker: What you’ll be using is the airplane seat belt to actually secure the seat to the seat. [00:05:10] And to help with installation, the FAA has produced two videos. We have one called “How to Install a Forward Facing Seat in an Airplane,” and we have one called “How to Install a Rear Facing Child Seat in [00:05:20] an Airplane,” and they’re both located on the FAA webpage titled Flying with Children.

Jessica Stewart Gonzalez: If a parent decides that they’re not going to have the car [00:05:30] seat in a seat in the plane and they are going to check their car seat instead, how can they make sure that it’s safe under the plane?

Jodi Baker: So like many things sort of [00:05:40] large or irregularly shaped, we recommend that you put it in a bag. They make soft sided

Jodi Baker: car seat bags or there’s hard side car seat bags and we recommend that you [00:05:50] sort one of those before you put it underneath. You want to keep it clean. You want to avoid it from getting damaged and those straps can get caught in the baggage loading machines.

Jessica Stewart Gonzalez: We also want to make sure that children who may [00:06:00] have outgrown any.

Jessica Stewart Gonzalez: Carrier are also safe on the plane.

Jessica Stewart Gonzalez: Are there any specialized devices or safety measures designed for this type of situation [00:06:10] where the child would have their own seat but not necessarily have a car seat with them?

Jodi Baker: For toddlers who have outgrown child restraints or they’re smaller car seat. The FAA [00:06:20] has approved a device.

Jodi Baker: It’s called the AMSAFE CARES. It’s for children up to 40 inches tall, who weigh between 22 and 44 pounds. [00:06:30] And the child also has to be able to sit upright in the forward facing position. And essentially what it is, is it’s a harness that holds the torso up against the seat. Those [00:06:40] particular devices are approved for all phases of flight, including movement on the surface, taxi, takeoff, landing, and turbulence.

Jodi Baker: It does have a different label. So if you’re [00:06:50] using that CARES device, the label will say, it’s a little technical, it says, FAA approved in accordance with 14 CFR 21. 8 [00:07:00] D. Approved for aircraft use only. That’s option one. Option two is FAA approved in accordance with 14 CFR 21. [00:07:10] 305D Amendment 25. 50 6 9 1980.

Jodi Baker: Approved for aircraft use only. That’s a lot to remember. [00:07:20] We have a picture of this one online too.

Jessica Stewart Gonzalez: Do you have any tips for families to reduce travel anxiety at the airport and on the airplane?

Jodi Baker: So [00:07:30] travel with kids is challenging and to help reduce anxiety, I encourage people plan ahead and give yourself plenty of time.

Jodi Baker: So things like the child seat, that’s something [00:07:40] you can check at home. Make sure it’s appropriately labeled. Make sure that you are familiar with your airline’s policies about where that seat’s going to be located. If you are able to do it. By all [00:07:50] means, we encourage you to buy the ticket so you know you’ll have a seat for the, the child restraint when you bring it on board the aircraft.

Jodi Baker: Something my husband and I chose to do is we would choose to check all [00:08:00] of our non essential baggage. And so what we could carry on board the aircraft, we would carry our, our smaller carry on items and the, the kid gear, the diaper bag and the, the child restraint. [00:08:10] And you might want to check with your airline too in advance because they have certain items that are exempt for onboard travel.

Jodi Baker: Child restraints is typically a good example. So plan in advance. and give [00:08:20] yourself plenty of time. Uh, if you’re traveling with a kid older than two, we have a video online on our FAA website. It’s called Kids First Flight. You can watch out with your children to help them [00:08:30] prepare for their new adventure at the airport and know what to expect, and have fun!

Jodi Baker: Enjoy your trip.[00:08:40]

Jessica Stewart Gonzalez: For our listeners who tuned in today, we hope you enjoyed the show. And if you’re looking for more information on air travel safety, [00:08:50] take a look at our show notes. And while you’re there, don’t forget to follow the parenting brief on this podcast player. Be sure to share this episode with any new or expecting parents, caregivers, or [00:09:00] family members in your life.

Jessica Stewart Gonzalez: Until next time, this is Jessica, you’ve got [00:09:10] this.