car seats on planes

The only times I've travelled with the kids on planes, Gia was about 14 months and she sat on my knee and they gave me a belt that would go around her and clip onto my seatbelt. 

 

Have you bought a seat for tom and James?  Cos if you're taking James in his capsule he'll need a seat to be straped into.  I was caught out with this when we travelled with Rico when he was a month old to Oz, and I just assumed he could have a seat next to me and be in his capsule, but it just happened there was a spare seat next to me on the plane, otherwise I would've had to have held him through the flight.

 

Sorry, don't know about the carseat thing for Tom though....

One of my journeys back from London there was a lady with young twin girls, she had one in a carseat and the other in her lap and just switched them over occasionally. I think they had an extention to the seatbelt that enabled it to be strapped in safely.

Thanks Tishy....just what I wanted to hear!! YAY!!

 

lilfatty...James doesnt have a capsule....and to be honest...he is the easiest one to have on my lap

Oh my you need a car seat on a plane!?!

I have a flight with bubs booked for us (CHC-WLG) and she will be anywhere from 6-10 weeks at that stage. We only have one seat and I assumed I would just carry her (in a sling or wrap probably)... how does it work for babies that age on short flights like that??

Sarah, I just flew to Melbourne a couple of weeks ago when Chelsea was 6 weeks old, and had her on my lap with an extension belt for take off and landing, and they put up the bassinette (we were in front row of cattle class) for the rest of the journey (although she preferred being held so didn't go in the bassinette much. and not sure they would do that for shorter domestic flights). We're going to Akl next month and I hope it's the same and we don't have to buy an extra seat for her!

*bump*

I am travelling to Auckland in a couple of weeks and originally DF was going to be coming with, but now can't so I have tickets for two adults, does that mean I should be able to take Lexies Carseat on the plane and put it into the seat next to me then? She has a convertible and is obviously still in rear-facing will that be an issue? I am really hoping I can because I have issues with flying and so when DF was coming it wasn't such a biggie because he could've looked after her for take-off and landing which are the parts I am gripping the seat freaking out

Definitely check with the airline. They've never allowed me to take the carseats on board even when there are lots of spare seats on the plane.

And if you're wearing the baby and they make you put the belt on, I just tend to make it "look" like I've got the belt on bubs. Esp if they're asleep.

Who did you talk to? Sounds like someone who didn't know the answer and couldn't be bothered finding out to me! Did they not know whether you could use the car seat or just the extra seat itself?

We have paid for a seat for Callum a couple of times on different airlines for cheap flights where it's actually cheaper to buy him a seat than get him an infant ticket!

I don't think it's a hard and fast rule that your carseat has to be forward facing, our capsule is FAA approved and I know plenty of people who have taken them on flights. Only issue can be that they make someone travelling with you sit in the seat in front of the capsule (ie you pay for 3 seats) as that front seat can't be reclined. That's what SIA do anyway.

I also meant to write before. It is all a lot easier than it seems before you go I was terrified the first time I flew with Callum - his first flight and we were travellin alone - and worried about it and talked it to death with EVERYONE before we left. But, you know what? It was FINE. I even found that when there was turbulence or anything that I was much calmer holding C as I was really conscious of not letting him see that I was afraid.

TBH, travelling on your own I would check the car seat in and take Lexie in a sling or carrier so you have your hands free for other stuff. The airline staff in the airport are generally really lovely in NZ and will go out of their way to help you out, we had a great experience flying Welly to Auckland last year so hopefully you do too

yeah the seats aren't transferable so basically you have to give away your paid seat unfortunately... did you book through an agent or online? if you booked through an agent you could see if they could ask air nz to give them an authority to do a name change on the ticket. if the surname is the same and it's just the first name they sometimes let you get away with it.

worth a shot?