The Lap Question: Keeping Your Baby Safe When Flying with a Ticket
So, you’ve booked a flight for your little one. You have that precious plane ticket with their name on it. Naturally, the thought pops into your head: “Great, she has her seat, but can she just ride on my lap during the flight anyway? It’d be easier, and honestly, I’d feel better holding her.” It’s a super common question and feels completely intuitive. After all, snuggling your baby is what feels safest, right?
Here’s the crucial thing to understand: Purchasing a separate ticket for your infant does not automatically mean you can or should hold them on your lap during the flight.
The Simple Answer (And Why Safety Trumps Convenience):
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations and international aviation safety standards are incredibly clear on this point: The absolute safest place for your baby during a flight, especially during takeoff, landing, and any unexpected turbulence, is in their own seat, securely buckled into an approved child restraint system (CRS).
Think of it this way:
1. You Have the Seat: Buying the ticket gives your baby the right to that physical seat space.
2. Safety Requires the Restraint: To maximize the safety that seat provides, you must use an FAA-approved car seat (CRS) or harness device specifically designed for aircraft use, secured in that seat with the airplane seatbelt.
3. Lap-Holding is a Separate (and Less Safe) Option: Airlines typically offer a “lap infant” fare for children under 2. This is a discounted fare specifically because the child does not occupy their own seat and rides on the lap of a ticketed adult. This is fundamentally different from buying a full ticket and then choosing not to use the seat.
Why Holding Your Baby on Your Lap Isn’t Safe, Even With a Ticket:
Imagine a car ride. Would you ever buckle yourself into the driver’s seat and then hold your infant on your lap instead of securing them in a rear-facing car seat? Probably not, because you know the forces involved in even a minor collision could make it impossible to hold onto them. The same physics apply dramatically during air travel:
1. Unpredictable Turbulence: This is the biggest risk. Turbulence can strike suddenly and violently, without warning. Even experienced flight attendants get injured. The forces generated can wrench your baby out of your arms with terrifying ease. No matter how strong you think your grip is, you cannot physically restrain your child against these forces. A secured CRS holds them safely in place.
2. Takeoff and Landing: These are critical phases of flight with significant forces. While smoother than turbulence usually, a hard landing or an aborted takeoff could still pose a serious risk to an unrestrained child.
3. Your Own Safety: In the event of sudden deceleration, you become a projectile relative to the airplane. Holding your baby means they become a projectile relative to you. This significantly increases the risk of injury to both of you. If you are properly restrained by your seatbelt, your baby becomes unrestrained mass that could be thrown around the cabin or impact you forcefully.
4. Ejection Risk: Severe turbulence or an accident could literally eject the child from your arms and into the cabin structure, seats, or other passengers.
So, What Should You Do With That Ticket You Bought?
You made the safest choice by purchasing a seat! Now, maximize that safety:
1. Use an FAA-Approved Car Seat (CRS):
Ensure your car seat has a label stating: “This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft.” (Look for FAA approval specifically).
It must fit within the aircraft seat dimensions (typically up to 16 inches wide). Check your airline’s specific requirements.
Install it rear-facing in the airplane seat, following both the car seat manufacturer’s instructions and the airline’s guidelines. Flight attendants can usually help confirm it’s installed correctly.
The baby must be buckled into the car seat harness during taxi, takeoff, landing, and whenever the seatbelt sign is on.
2. Consider an FAA-Approved Harness Device (Alternative to Car Seat):
Devices like the CARES harness (approved for children approximately 1 year and older, 22-44 lbs) attach directly to the airplane seatbelt.
These are lighter and more portable than car seats but only work on the airplane, not for ground transportation.
Crucially: These harnesses require the child to have their own purchased seat. You cannot use one for a lap infant.
What About the “Lap Infant” Option?
If you didn’t purchase a separate ticket and are traveling with your baby as a “lap infant”:
You will hold them on your lap.
During takeoff and landing, and when the seatbelt sign is on, the airline will provide a special infant seatbelt that loops through your own seatbelt and secures around the baby’s waist. This is not as safe as a CRS.
Understand the risks outlined above still apply. The FAA strongly discourages lap infants for safety reasons.
The Bottom Line: Safety First, Always
Buying your infant their own plane ticket was the first and most important step toward ensuring their safety in the air. However, that ticket only provides the opportunity for safety; the actual protection comes from properly using an FAA-approved child restraint system (car seat or harness) secured in that seat.
Choosing to hold your baby on your lap instead, even though you paid for the seat, defeats the primary safety purpose of having that seat available. The risks associated with turbulence and other unexpected events are simply too great. Airlines won’t force you to use the CRS if the seat is paid for (you can technically choose to hold them after takeoff, though it’s strongly discouraged), but why introduce unnecessary danger?
Give your little traveler the secure ride they deserve. Buckle them into their approved car seat or harness in the seat you thoughtfully purchased. It’s the best way to ensure your journey is as safe and worry-free as possible for everyone on board. Enjoy the flight knowing you’ve made the safest choice for your most precious passenger!
Please indicate: Thinking In Educating » The Lap Question: Keeping Your Baby Safe When Flying with a Ticket