Airlines in the United States
I didn't originally look at US Airlines outside of the Alliances when I compiled the posts on Airlines and Carseats because there is generally far more information available about car seat use on planes for the US market, however as I am hoping to bridge the gap for lack of information especially in the UK I get that others may like to know just what US airlines allow:-) If there's any Airlines in the US that others think would be useful to include please do comment!
Alaska Airlines (AS)
Infants traveling on a regular fare are strongly recommended to be
secured in an appropriate child restraint system (CRS). Lap infants
sharing a seat with their parent may bring a child restraint seat on
board provided there is an empty seat available for the infant. If the
flight is full, the car seat will be checked at the gate using a
claim-at-gate tag. The car seat will be returned to you at the gate upon
arrival.
All child restraint systems must bear the following two required labels:
1. This restraint system conforms to all applicable federal motor vehicle safety conditions.
2. This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and
aircraft. (in red lettering) (NOTE: Labels that indicate U.S. or Foreign
Government approval or show the seat was manufactured under the
standards of the United Nations are also valid.)
In addition to the standard CRS mentioned above, children between
22 to 44 pounds and 40 inches or less may use an Aircraft Safety Device
(ACSD) for added security. Currently the AmSafe CARES Restraint is the
only approved ACSD and must bear a label that reads:
FAA APPROVED IN ACCORDANCE WITH
14 CFR 21.302(d) APPROVED FOR
AIRCRAFT USE ONLY
Use of the ACSD is the same as use of any approved CRS. Any other
child booster seats and other types of child restraints may not be used
during take-off, landing, and surface movements regardless of what
stamp/seal of approval these booster or harness devices carry.
The window seat is the preferred location for a child restraint
system, although it may be placed in the middle seat if the window seat
is vacant, or if the restraint system does not block access to the
aisle. If you are uncertain, the Flight Attendant can assist in
determining if middle seat is acceptable. For safety, a child restraint
system must not be placed in the aisle seat. Child restraint systems are
not permitted in the emergency exit rows, in the rows forward or aft of
exit rows on any Alaska Airlines flight or in any bulkhead row seat
(rows 1 and 6) on Alaska Airlines flights 001-999.
Hawaiian Airlines (HA)
For the safety of your child, Hawaiian Airlines recommends purchasing
a seat for children under the age of two and using an approved child
restraint system. A seat must be purchased for infants traveling in a
child restraint seat. Infants traveling as a lap child (sharing seat
with an adult) may bring a child restraint seat on board if: 1) there is
an empty seat available for the infant and 2) the car seat bears the
following two required labels:
- This restraint system conforms to all applicable federal motor vehicle safety conditions.
- This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft.
(in red lettering) (NOTE: Labels that indicate U.S. or Foreign
Government approval or show the seat was manufactured under the
standards of the United Nations are also valid.)
Any other child booster seats and other types of child restraints may
not be used during take-off, landing, and surface movements regardless
of what stamp/seal of approval these booster or harness devices carry.
If the flight is full, the car seat will be checked at the gate using
a claim-at-gate tag. The car seat will be returned to the passenger at
the gate upon arrival.
Jet Blue (B6)
Infants and children may occupy a seat with or without a Child Restraint
System (CRS). If the infant is not in a child restraint system, they must be
able to sit upright. Use of booster seats, harness and vest restraints will not
be allowed during the movement on surface, takeoff or landing, unless it is an
FAA-approved device.
All special accommodations are left to the discretion of the Inflight
crewmembers.
If checking a safety seat, it will not count as one of your checked bags and
there is no fee assessed.
Child aviation restraint systems (CARES) are also certified by the FAA for
use during all phases of flight including taxiing, takeoff, landing and during
periods of turbulence. CARES is a belt-and-buckle device that attaches directly
to the aircraft seatbelt. It is designed for children over one year old,
weighing between 22 and 44 pounds
- an infant safety seat should
be placed in a window seat; it may be placed in a middle seat or
aisle seat as long as the other seat(s) remain empty or occupied by
another infant seat. An infant safety seat may not obstruct a
customer's pathway to the aisle.
- infant safety seats may not
be placed between two individuals.
- an infant safety seat may
face backward if it is FAA approved and properly secured by the
parent/guardian
- only one lap infant will be
assigned per row of seats on each side of the aircraft.
- lap infants may not be
seated in emergency exit rows
- any infant seat used during
flight must remain secured to the passenger seat at all times, even when
unoccupied.
JetBlue allows the use of FAA-approved infant safety seats secured to standard
passenger seats. Safety seats must have the appropriate manufacturer's label.
Child Restraint Systems (CRS) manufactured between January 1, 1981 and
February 25, 1985 must have one of the following labels: "This child
restraint system conforms to all applicable federal motor vehicle safety
standards." or "This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles
and aircraft."
Seats manufactured after February 26, 1985 must have an additional label
which reads: "This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and
aircraft."
Booster-type seats, vest and harness-type child restraint systems, lap-held
child restraints or seats manufactured before January 1, 1981 are not
acceptable
South West Airlines (WN)
- Affordable Infant Fares are available that enable a Customer to
reserve a seat for an infant and use his/her FAA-approved car seat.
- A boarding pass is required.
- Online checkin is available if the infant traveling on an Infant Fare is age verified
A birth certificate is required to validate the age of all infants under age two.
Proper use of a Child Restraint Systems (CRS) enhances child safety
onboard the aircraft. For this reason, Southwest Airlines and the
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) strongly recommend that infants
and small children who weigh under 40 pounds be secured in an
appropriate CRS when traveling by air.
Be sure to check the width of your CRS. Although the width of
aircraft seats varies, a safety seat wider than 16 inches is unlikely to
fit, even if the armrests of the aircraft seats are moved out of the
way. An ill-fitting safety seat will not provide adequate protection for
your child.
The FAA has banned the use on board aircraft of certain types of CRSs
that may be harmful to a child in the event of an aviation emergency.
These include backless booster seats, safety belt extensions (commonly
referred to as "belly belts"), and vest or harness devices that attach
to an adult. Although some that were manufactured before the FAA's ban
may carry an insignia and/or language indicating they are approved for
aircraft use, please understand that they are no longer permitted.
Please note that a CRS may not be placed in any aisle seat, an emergency
exit row seat, or in a row directly in front of or behind an emergency
exit row
- Approved Child Restraint Systems
- Many of these carry the FMVSS.213 insignia and/or language
indicating that they are "approved for use in motor vehicles and on
aircraft."
- Any CRS manufactured between January 1, 1961 and February 25, 1985,
must have the following label: "This child restraint device conforms to
all applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards."
- Any CRS manufactured since February 26, 1985, must have both of the
following labels: "This child restraint device conforms to all
applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards" and "This restraint
is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft."
- Harness-type devices approved by the FAA:
- At this time, the FAA has approved only the AmSafe Aviation CARES,
which is appropriate for children weighing between 22 and 44 pounds.
- The AmSafe Aviation CARES must have a label indicating "FAA Approved
in Accordance with 14CFR 21.305(d), Approved for Aircraft Use Only."
Spirit Airlines (NK)
A car seat that is an FAA approved child restraint system may be carried
onboard the plane if a seat has been purchased for the child. Customers
traveling with car seats are unable to sit in our Big Front Seats. If
the car seat cannot be accommodated in the assigned seat (e.g., car seat
is too large), we will do our best to reseat the car seat and family to
open seats where the car seat can be accommodated
Virgin America (VX)
Virgin America will accept FAA approved infant/child
restraint systems (car seats or CARES harness) when the accompanying adult has
purchased a seat for the infant/child. If a seat has not
been purchased and there is an empty seat next to the parent or if the parent
can be relocated to an empty seat in the same cabin with an adjoining empty
seat, the car seat may be brought onboard and placed in the adjoining seat for
no fee. It is important to note that to confirm that a child may sit
in their car seat on Virgin America flight next to their parent, a seat should
be purchased for the child.
The FAA recommends that children weighing less than 20 lbs. be placed in a
rear-facing child restraint system. However, restraint systems are not
required.
Safety seats manufactured between January 1981 and February 1985, are
acceptable for use in commercial aircraft provided they bear the label,
"THIS CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM CONFORMS TO ALL APPLICABLE FEDERAL MOTOR
VEHICLE SAFETY CONDITIONS." Seats manufactured after February 26, 1985,
will be acceptable provided they have a second label in red lettering which
reads, "THIS RESTRAINT IS CERTIFIED FOR USE IN MOTOR VEHICLES AND
AIRCRAFT." Safety seats bearing the "UNITED NATIONS" label can
be accepted for use on an aircraft.
Unacceptable restraint systems:
· Unlabeled child safety seats or
safety seats manufactured before January, 1981 cannot be used.
· Vest and harness (besides CARES
harness only) type child restrains or belly belts cannot be used during taxi,
takeoff or landing.
· Booster-type child restraint systems
are not authorized onboard. The FAA has determined that these items do not
provide adequate protection.
The following are additional procedures that
must be followed:
· No other guest can occupy the same
guest seat with a child/infant seat.
· During an emergency evacuation the
child/infant seat should remain attached to the guest seat, and only
the child should be removed from the aircraft.
· While in use, all child/infant
seat straps, especially shoulder straps, should always be in place per
instructions provided by the seat's manufacturer whenever other guests are
required to have their seat belts fastened and during turbulence
· A window seat is the preferred location;
however, other locations are acceptable provided that only persons responsible
for the child occupy seats next to the child/infant.
· The child/infant seat
cannot be located in an aisle or exit row seat. It also cannot be located in
the rows in front of or behind the exit row. If no vacant seat is available for
the child restraint seat, it is considered carry-on baggage and must be stowed
or checked.
· During taxi, takeoff and landing,
the child must occupy his or her child seat and have all harnesses properly
fastened.
· Virgin America will not supply child
restraint systems for guest use.
