ExSmoggie

Hi, we are flying to the UK in March with my 1 year old daughter. The airline state (subject to seat availability) she can sit in a car seat but it needs to be 'internationally approved.' Does anyone know where I can get a list of such car seats? I tried googling it but had no joy. TIA.

Pomster

have you booked a seat for her? If not I would not bother with a car seat, they are awkward and you may just have it as extra hand luggage if you do not have a dedicated seat for her.

We took our daughter to Hong Kong when she was 20 months and took her car seat- just from our Aus car. It was fine but it was a pain to lug everywhere, and it meant she could easily kick the seat in front.

We never bothered again. (but now use a Trunki boostapak as she is older)

sr71

I have been on hundreds of flights in the last few years, not once have I ever seen car seat being used on a plane.

pomE

We've flown with ours a few times. Yes, they are cumbersome (especially ours which is heavier than normal), but we found our daughter was far more comfortable in the car seat than trying to get comfy in the chair (booked for her). She's three now so won't need it next time we fly.

Despite knowing that it is approved, our Peg Perego seat didnt carry a sticker to indicate it was approved, but Emirates at least have never asked whether it is apporved or not and that's on about half a dozen flights.

ExSmoggie

Thanks for your replies. I know it isn't common to take the car seat but by the time we fly back from the UK, I will be 5 months pregnant again and it's just my daughter and I flying and I don't think I will be able to have her on my lap for the whole flight. I'm planning on booking her a seat and believe this is the only way, she can sit on it on her own. She will be too big for a bassinett.

Japonica

We just used our Canadian one. No issues with it. No one came to inspect the sticker or anything. The biggest hassle was getting it in place and latched in during those few minutes before the hordes of other passengers started boarding.

I wouldn't do long haul with an under two year-old any other way. We even did the bassinet thing when our son was 8 months old. Total disaster for us.

We brought his car seat when we flew next time. He was 16 months old and slept most of the way. I doubt he would have found the hard, straight airplane seat comfortable. Also, toddler as a lap baby is just difficult on long haul flights. You also cannot count on empty seats next to you etc.

After two years old, we use the CARES harness. Useful for keeping toddlers safe and from roaming the aisles non-stop once they figure out how easy it is to undo a plane's lap belt.

Now using the seat in a car after you arrive is a whole other matter...

brian.w

We will be doing just the same,looking into this for days on end various forums and purchased a second hand but in excellent condition britax prince seat,thats what many place i read came up with,so we have one of them for the flight in which she will have her own seat,she will be 9 months when we make the move and just feel after reading into it a lot it was the best option,right now but this might change by the time she is 9 months she does not like sitting on your lap too long,bassinet due to the turbalence,your i think taking them out all the time which is annoying when they maybe sleeping,at least a seat they can be left in there to sleep and taken out and put on lap when need be.
This is what we are doing and i did wonder do we really need to carry a seat with us,its no use when we get to oz,but if it helps us travel over with less hassle etc then great,we will just sell it on to someone going back to uk,keep it if we need to head back to you at short notice or just get rid,thats the reason i did not buy a new one as its only going to be used once,its got to be forward facing as well and out current one in the uk id rear facing so not any good for us other wise we would have just taken the one she has already for car.
We are not going till end of may,so will not be able to comment on how it all went and what our thoughts was