Checking in a Car Seat

[happymom52003]

http://www.kidsflysafe.com/

The CARES harness is an awesome product. It is not that great for toddlers, even though the directions say a child can start using it at 22 pounds...the child needs to be old enough to understand that they need to keep it buckled since it uses the airplane seat buckle (it is not meant to restrain the child...it is meant to keep them from slipping out of the seat belt in case of an emergency or severe turbulence). My five year old still uses it because she is only 32 pounds. It is very easy to install. When they were babies/toddlers, we just dealt with the hassle of dragging the car seat onto the plane. But once my daughter was around three years old, we bought the CARES harness and love, love, love it!

 

[loveofamouse]

I think this video says alot

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6564309n&tag=api

One thing I think all parents should know, in the case of hard landings or bad turbulence, when the passengers are instructed to brace for impact, everyone in a seat will be told to put trays up, feet down, heads down with arms braced on seat in front for impact. If you have a lap baby, you are to put the baby on the floor, hold the baby down with one arm while you brace your buckled self with your other. Obviously, you can see that this isn't safe.

Whenit comes to older babies without carseats but with their own seat, they are given the same brace for impact instructions. Now, you think, will a 2-5yr old really keep their heads down through the entire landing? Nope. If they sit up, though, the force is worse than if you put them in the backseat of your car in only a lap belt and slammed into a wall at 70mph. There's a big risk for spinal cord injury and internal decapitation. Remember, the plane doesn't have to crash for injury to occur. It just takes a hard landing or bad turbulence which happens with most flights.

Depending on the size of yoru child, there are much smaller, lighter seats that will work. Walmart sells a seat for $35ish that will hold a child to 40lbs. The seat is small and very light. You could easily take it to the plane and use it in the car once you land. It's a great back up seat to have. It also RF to 35lbs which is even better for older toddlers.
Yes, older children can ride rear facing. My son will be 6 in March and loves sitting backwards more than forwards