Air Travel - what carseat with 1 1/2 year old?

[staceywj]

I currently have the Britax Roundabout and love it but I think it is too cumbersome for the airplane. Is there another car seat that I could buy that would be a little "slimmer" on the plane. My DD will be 18 months at the time of travel and she currently weighs 22 pounds and is 31" tall (my bean pole). Also, should I put her rear facing?
Thanks so much for any advice!
Stacey
mom to Alexa 10/25/04

[bensmom]

Oops - double post.

[bensmom]

The Roundabout is fine on the airplane. I tend to travel with my Cosco Regal Ride (same as Touriva, replaced by Scenera) instead, just because it's lighter for me to carry. I use the seat on the plane the same as in the car - so DS has always been RF (he just turned two, last flight was at about 23 months). I had one flight attendant give me a problem about that (in over 40 flights), but I just indicated that he was ticketed and using the seat correctly. She left me alone after that. (Also, it's easier to do the same as the car because then you don't need to move the straps around).

I also think RF on the plane is easier because it allows you to see your child more easily to interact. The recline usually isn't great because the seats are so close together, but that shouldn't be a problem for an 18 month old.


Ilana

CPS Tech and mom

[daniele_ut]

We travel with our Roundabout and have had no problems with it on Jet Blue. I was able to install it quickly and easily RF and could even put the armrest back down when I was done if I needed it.

[californiagirl]

So far, we've just traveled with the Roundabout. We did have horrible, nasty, issues with flight attendants over rear-facing it (we always won, but it was exhausting) so once she got over a year and over 20 pounds we turned her forward-facing on the airplane (she still rear-faces in the car). The Roundabout doesn't have strap issues changing from RF to FF, so it's no big deal practically, and planes are safer than cars anyway so I'm OK with it from a safety point of view.

[bensmom]

The Roundabout doesn't have strap issues changing from
>RF to FF, so it's no big deal practically, and planes are
>safer than cars anyway so I'm OK with it from a safety point
>of view.

Just wanted to clarify - generally, straps do need to be moved when you switch from RF to FF, because they need to be at or below the shoulders for RF and at or above the shoulders for FF (I say generally because shoulders may hit in slightly different places when RF vs FF). It's not that it's hard to move the straps, just needs to be done most of the time.

Ilana

CPS Tech and mom

[o_mom]

Just out of curiosity, when you say the RA doesn't have strap issues for RF to FF, do you mean you don't change the shoulder strap height?

[o_mom]

Cosco Scenera - $40 at Target, Walmart or Kmart. It is tall enough she will be able to use for quite a while. It installs easily and weighs very little compared to the Roundabout.

Definately put her rear-facing, though be prepared for mis-informed flight attendents to tell you otherwise :-) . Since the Scenera is forward facing from 22-40lbs, she is right at the bottom of the weight range. I would just tell them she is 21 lbs ;-) and point out the label that says she must be 22 lbs to FF. If you aren't comfortable with a small fib, there are FAA regs that say the parent is responsible for installing the seat and using correctly, as well as other polite ways to point out that you are allowed to rear-face.

[staceywj]

Thank you so much for all your posts. I am going to get the Scenera and place it RF. If the attendents ask, I decided to do what one of you recommended and tell them she is 21 pounds. I think it may save an unnecessary arguement with this small fib.
Thanks again,
Stacey