Anyone Used a Baby B'air Flight Vest?

Hi!

I'm going to post something very unpopular--as it was with me before I did some research. ALL children, no matter what their age, should be in an approved car seat on a flight. Before you freak about the problems, costs, etc., please hear me out. (Sorry, this is kind of long.)

The year between my daughter's first and second birthdays, I had to fly with between Minnesota and Colorado nine times. (Long story, family illness.) I was thrilled that I could just plop her on my lap and not pay for a seat. Then I heard about the Baby B'Air, and I got very excited. It seemd like a nice, safe alternative to simply trying to hold her.

I started doing some research to see if it was comfortable, worked well, etc. What I found was pleas from airline personnel to NEVER fly with a lap baby. There are stories all over the web from traumatized flight attendants who've seen firsthand the damage that one pocket of turbulance can do to a small child when he/she is ripped from his/her parents' arms. It really scared me. (I always figured that if we crashed, no one is going to survive anyway, but the point is that kids get hurt during rough patches in flight. I never considered that.) Plus, you can't wear the Baby B'Air during take off and landing! How often is that the roughest part of the flight!?!

Most importantly, many agencies such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Flight Attendant Association are lobbying to get federal regulations changed so that no babies are allowed to fly without an approved restraining seat. (See articles below.) The bottom line is that we would never go on the highway without our precious children in a car seat, so why would we fly without them restrained? And did you know that the airlines' policy reads that they are not responsible for injuries to unrestrained passengers?

Luckily the airlines provide half-price tickets for kids under two so it's not quite so expensive. But the stories from the flight personnel made me realize I didn't care about the price. (Okay, it was PAINFUL x 9 flights, but my DD is far more important than that.) Plus, there are many incidents of when car seats have been damaged when placed in the cargo area, making them unsafe when you put them back in your car.

Two things that were helpful--even though lugging the darn thing is a huge pain! My daughter likes to be high enough to see out the window and around the plane, which the car seat helps with. Also, she knows when she's in her car seat, there's not getting up. I thought she'd hate flying and want to run around, but she's never fought the seat on a plane. I was pleasantly surprised!

Okay, I'll jump off of my soap box now. I'm pretty emotional about this, especially since I just read the information about the 5-point harnesses and booster seats. (Check out that thread! "Convertible Car Seats" and the link: http://www.kyledavidmiller.org/pages/home/index.htm. Really important info!)

Here are three links that might be of interest. The last one has an ad for a different product, but the information is sound.

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"Occupant protection policies for children younger than 2 years on aircraft are inconsistent with all other national policies on safe transportation. Children younger than 2 years are not required to be restrained or secured on aircraft during takeoff, landing, and conditions of turbulence. They are permitted to be held on the lap of an adult. Preventable injuries and deaths have occurred in children younger than 2 years who were unrestrained in aircraft during survivable crashes and conditions of turbulence. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a mandatory federal requirement for restraint use for children on aircraft. The Academy further recommends that parents ensure that a seat is available for all children during aircraft transport and follow current recommendations for restraint use for all children. Physicians play a significant role in counseling families, advocating for public policy mandates, and encouraging technologic research that will improve protection of children in aircraft.

Full article at http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/ped...

"Flight attendants are required to secure all items onboard an aircraft to comply with FAA regulations, including carry on baggage and coffee pots, but not infants and small children," Lohr said. "This is about the safety of our smallest, most defenseless passengers-and the safety of those around them. If the FAA and the airlines continue to allow children under two to be held on a parent's lap, many parents will continue to have the false impression that this practice is safe.

"When preparing the aircraft cabin for an emergency, flight attendants should not have to look a parent in the eye and instruct them to continue to hold a child on their lap when we know there is a very real possibility that child may not survive without proper restraints," Lohr said.

From the Association of Flight Attendants. Full article at http://www.afanet.org/default.asp?id=385

From Jet with Kids. (This one has the ad.)http://www.jetwithkids.com/blog/infant-air-travel-danger-...

I would check with the rules and regulations of your airline. I don't think that they are legal. There is so little room on the planes you won't need much except for maybe a blanket to put under your arm.

Yes, I used this with 3 of my children. It gave me peace of mind during the flight and the flight crew didn't say anything about it. My recommendation is to get it if you would be worried because it will make you feel safer.

I am going to 100% agree with Julianne B. I've flown with both my boys numerous times a year and I always purchase them a seat, and bring thier carseats. I will never check a carseat... you've seen how they throw the luggage around, they do the same to a carseat and it will get damaged and possibly to the poitn where it won't be safe in an accident. NOT WORTH IT!

Buy him a seat, ask the airline if they offer discounts for babies under 2 with seat purchase. We always got 30-60% off seats when I asked. That way you can bring both carseats, strap them in, and it'll be like a car ride, no fussing, they can sit and be comfy and have thier own space.

The Baby B'Aire flight vests are not approved for take off or landing, only for the cruise portion of hte flight. IMO its not worth it to purchase if you can only use it part of the time, and its not really the best setup anyway.

I think that is what I used for my daughter when we went somewhere, but that was about 5 years ago. I do know that it stated that they aren't to be used for take off and landings. I did use it for the rest of the trip. She was 18 months at the time. I don't know what the rules are now, so be sure to check with the airline or even a travel agent.