Take Safety to the Sky - Tips from the National Safe Kids Campaign on Flying with Children and Car Seats
 

While flying is still the safest way to travel long distances, preventable injuries can happen. The people at highest risk of injury and, in rare cases, even death are those who are not buckled up correctly.

“Some parents unknowingly put their children at risk when flying with them on their laps,” said Heather Paul, Ph.D., executive director of the National SAFE KIDS Campaign. “All children 40 pounds and under should be in child safety seats on airplanes. Older children and adults should be in safety belts.”

Correctly using a child safety seat on an airplane protects a child during turbulence and in some emergency situations. In addition to increasing safety during the flight, traveling with your child’s safety seat can help ensure that your child is safe during ground transportation once you reach your destination.

To reduce the risk of injury, SAFE KIDS offers helpful safety tips to help make traveling less stressful for parents and keep children safe on airplanes:

Choose a child safety seat that is appropriate for the child’s size and age:

• Children should ride facing the rear of the aircraft until they are at least 12 months old and weigh at least 20 pounds. Rear-facing infant seats generally fit best on airplanes, but rear-facing convertibles can also be used.

• Children over age 1 who weigh 20 to 40 pounds can ride facing the front of the aircraft. Forward-facing or convertible safety seats can be used.

• Children who weigh more than 40 pounds should be snugly secured by aircraft safety belts. While booster seats and some harness vests enhance safety in automobiles, they are banned from use during aircraft taxi, take-off and landing.

• Determine whether your current child safety seat can be used on an airplane look for a label that says “This Restraint is Certified for Use in Motor Vehicles and Aircraft.”

• Belt-positioning booster seats, backless child restraint systems and certain harnesses cannot be used. They will be labeled with the statement “This Restraint is Not Certified for Use in Aircraft.”

• Child safety seats that are wider than 16 inches will not fit on airplane seats. Most others will fit on the seat, though some may be challenging to install with airplane safety belts.

• Buy a ticket for your child, and inform the reservations or travel agent if you will be traveling with a young child and a child safety seat:

• Many airlines offer discounted tickets for children under 24 months old who will be traveling in child safety seats. Some airlines also offer discounted child fares for children between ages 2 and 4.

• Ask whether the specific airline has policies for transporting children.

• If possible, avoid the busiest days and times to fly so you and your child will have adequate space.

• If you select your own airplane seats, be sure to choose adjacent seats for yourself and your child.

• The child safety seat must be installed in a window seat, so other passengers are not blocked from exiting the row.

• Children cannot ride in emergency exit rows.

• If you need to change planes to make a connecting flight, most airlines can help you transport your child, luggage and safety seat if arranged in advance.

To complete your trip, here are few more important travel tips:

• Ensure that all adult and child passengers are correctly restrained by safety belts and child safety seats while traveling to and from the airport, no matter how short the trip.

• All children ages 12 and under should ride properly restrained in a back seat.

• Make sure that the vehicle you will be riding in when you reach your destination has an adequate number of safe seating positions and safety belts.

• Even if you cannot use a booster seat during air travel, bring it with you for use in motor vehicles. Children over 40 pounds should be correctly secured in belt-positioning boosters or other appropriate child restraints until the adult lap and shoulder belts fit correctly (around age 8).

• Any child safety seat must be installed and used according to the manufacturer instructions.
   

Click here to view Air Travel Tips from Hotel Fun 4 Kids and also see As our Family Prepares to Fly, We Will Adjust to Changes in the Sky.

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