Most parents know that when flying with a baby (under two years old), you have a couple of options.  Babies can either be held on a lap, or ride in their own seat using an approved restraint system.

This is a heavily debated topic.  From a safety standpoint, it seems to be the general consensus that reserving baby his own seat and keeping him in his carseat is better.  However, is this the right choice for you? There are a lot of things to consider.

Read more below about what is really costs to fly with a lap infant.

Read more below about why there’s more to the safety side of flying with a lap infant than meets the eye.

Maybe you’ve ready that the National Transportation Safety Board(NTSB) has called to remove the lap infant option on flights , and the FAA strongly urges parents to have their children in an approved child restraint during flights, but how does this translate into real life scenarios?

Obviously, the data is in, and the safest place for a child to be is buckled in to an approved child restraint.  I’m not going to argue that at all.  However, given the inconvenience of dragging along a baby car seat(that may not even fit in the seat) how risky is it?

Check out this chart from the NTSB on transportation fatalities.  There were 37,133 Highway fatalities, and only 350 Aviation fatalities.  So, the argument for child restraints on planes, based on the fact that children must be restrained in a vehicle is kind of comparing apples to oranges.  Yes, something could happen, but the likelihood is slim.  Everything in life is risk/reward.  For example, just by stepping on the plane, you’re risking your life.  Planes do(rarely) crash.  But, statistically, the chances are very slim.  However, when it’s your child that’s injured, it’s hard not to question why you didn’t do everything in your power to protect him.

The chances of your restrained child fussing and causing a scene- those are pretty high.  So, it’s all up to you on the amount of risk you feel comfortable with.

There are 2 options for harnesses that we love, and help us feel more protected.

The short answer is:  sometimes yes, sometimes no.

On domestic flights, flying with a lap infant is nearly always free.  However, on international flights, you will most likely have to pay taxes and fees, plus 10% of the cost of the ticket.  Before you book international, always do the comparison of child ticket vs. lap infant.  The difference might not be that much, and the extra room could save your sanity.

MY HORROR STORY

International lap infant prices are based off current available tickets!  Seems obvious, right?

Well, here’s how it can all go wrong:

I booked a flight to Europe a month before giving birth to my son, who would be traveling with us.  I was informed by the agent at the time of booking to simply call in after he was born to add him as a lap infant, as a his name and birth date were required for booking.

Well fast forward to 3 weeks before our trip when I call to add my son, there are not seats currently available on our flight, and therefore I can’t book a ticket for him.  That’s right, even though he didn’t need an actual seat, since none were available on the plane, he couldn’t be added.

After nearly 6 hours in tears calling our airline, the code shares, and the 3rd party booking site, someone could finally get him on the plane.  Yay!  But wait, the fare had to be based of the business class fare.  So, my lap infant price only ended up being $50 less than my full fare flight from the U.S. to Europe.

This was probably my worst travel experience yet, and I want new parents to understand the restrictions that I didn’t.

It’s a toss-up!  There are pros and cons to each, so you will just need to evaluate what is most suitable for your family.

If you do choose to bring your baby as a lap infant, you can always try to score an additional seat.  We usually ask the gate attendant if there is anywhere that our family might be able to spread out a bit on the flight.  If they have the available space, they are usually very accommodating. I’ve gotten extra seats on the majority of our flights, but there are no guarantees.  

We’ve also been on several fully booked long-haul flights.  So, make sure that if you book a lap infant ticket, you are prepared to keep that baby on your lap and not bothering your neighbor for the entire flight.  Know your baby. If you have a super-active baby (or toddler) who won’t sit still, you may want to pay for the extra space to ensure you aren’t encroaching on the teeny tiny amount of space that your unsuspecting neighbor paid for.  

Purchasing a seat works best for our family as my boys are out of the infant phase.  However, if traveling with a small baby that cannot sit on his own, I’d still go the lap infant route.  Try to score a bassinet if on a flight offering them!

I know this is a hot button issue, but what’s your opinion?  Do you fly with lap infants or always book a seat?