What would you do?

[mommymy]

So we are travelling throughout Asia in a few months and we will be taking a few budget airlines such as southwest here in the States. I was reading online about travelling with children on the budget airlines and it says " No baby/car seats are allowed in the cabin of the aircraft". I've been struggling with the whole "do i bring a carseat vs not" since we will be doing a lot of subway and taxi transportation. Do you think the airline will allow a cares harness? I have a DS who is 32 pounds and a DD who is 23 pounds. Hmm....I really hate travelling without carseats. Kinda makes me not want to go... It's sad how foreign countries don't realize how important carseats are for children.

[Neatfreak]

I live in one of those foreign countries in Asia, and it is really sad. Before I even think about getting judgemental, I have to remember that if minimum wage is something like $8/day, of course there are no car seat laws because people can't afford car seats because they can't afford cars (thus, infants riding on motorcycles). Taxis without seatbelts do continue to irritate me, though.

When we've flown somewhere else in Asia, we usually hire a car and driver for our transportation. The vehicles are usually very nice sedans that are equipped with lap/shoulder belts so they can be used with boosters and harnessed seats. (No LATCH or tethers, of course). I think the most we've paid is less than $50/day.

It looks like Singapore is the only country in Asia that permits the CARES harness: http://www.kidsflysafe.com/faq.php I wouldn't expect the crews of other airlines to be familiar with the product.