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Agnes
I am travelling with my toddler soon who is 24 months old. I cannot bear the hassle of bringing his car seat with me on that plane, as it is very bulky and i heard you can be prevented from using it in the aircraft. Does anyone know of any alternative to provide seat safety/comfort for a toddler on an airplane ? Thanks.
Answer
I'm a former Flight Attendant and I now fly a lot with my own kids.
Yes there is an alternative to a car seat. It's called a CARES harness;
http://www.kidsflysafe.com/
Here it is on the FAA's website;
http://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/crs/
It's easy to carry and safer than using an adult seat belt alone, which don't fit toddlers very well. People who have used it, really liked it. So far, I've never heard anyone complain...
The other plus is that it is now approved by a number of different national air authorities. This is still an issue with car seats.
http://www.kidsflysafe.com/in-flight-documents.php
One niggly complaint is that the child's legs stick out when using this. Other parents have countered that their children were very comfortable and simply sat cross-legged on the seat (I suggest bringing slippers anyway). Yes, children can sleep comfortably in it.
The biggest minus is the price. It's $75 for something that can ONLY be used for the flight. It's not approved for use in a car. Meanwhile, there are very light, easy to carry car seats for as little as $40-50, good seats that car seat techs like. It's a myth that seats have to big, bulky and expensive to be safe (although Britax does make some nice seats...)
If you search with "CARES harness Ebay" or "Craigslist", you'll see that some people have started renting these gizmos out. I can't tell you much more. I would actually suggest buying one and then selling it on once it's outgrown by your last child.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but if you need a car seat at your destination, it's really risky to check them. They are considered "delicate items" and the airlines wont take responsiblity for any loss or damage.
I'm making this point because on my last long-haul flight, three of our four bags didn't make it. I saw at least two car seats while I was looking for my bags but I had no worries. We had our car seat with us and my daughter was safe for the 2 hour drive home. The bags were brought to us two days later.
A CARES harness seems a good deal if you are leaving somewhere that you don't need a car seat, like visiting a big city where you'll be taking mostly public transportation. Or, many grandparents keep car seats for their visiting children and grandchildren. Never rent a car seat with a rental car company. They are infamous for being old, dirty, expired and you don't know the seat's "history" (like if it's been in an accident). I had a bad experience and I'm not alone. Don't risk your childs' safety this way!
Just to clear up some of what you mentioned, if you are in the U.S. and you have a seat for your child and bring a FAA approved car seat for that child, IT CANNOT BE REFUSED. Your right to use that seat is protected by LAW. This is not the case elsewhere in the world. I have had my American car seat removed by Lufthansa (German), Iberia (Spain) and Ryan Air (Irish but doesn't allow any car seats in any form anyway).
If you are flying a non-U.S. company, search with the name of the airline followed by "children" to get to the page with information on what they require in car seats. Sometimes too, I have "gotten away" with my American car seat on Lufthansa and once on Air France.
Since your child is 2 years old, they cannot sit in your lap. Almost all airlines have this rule, although some are flexible with round trip tickets. The FAA is strict about it. Someone mentioned double seat belts. Some foreign airlines still use these but they are dangerous and banned by the FAA in the U.S.
As far as getting a car seat through the airport, I manage it flying alone with three children since each was 4 months old. There are contraptions like this to get car seats through airports;
http://www.gogobabyz.com/products/gogo_kids.html
Some complain that it's hard to get on and off the cart. I saw one on my last flight and it does roll nicely and the child can ride in it.
Another product makes the car seat into a backpack and some parents get creative with bungee cording their seat to the stroller.
I simply use a small metal luggage cart and an extra bungee cord to secure it. My 3 year old could actually ride in this and it saved me major money and I check the stroller (she hardly needs it anyway anymore unless she's tired).
Honestly, it doesn't have to be too horrible taking the car seat with you but weigh up the facts and make an informed decision based on your specific circumstances, budget and needs.
About eight years ago, I wrote an article on flying with children for a local newsletter. I kept it on line, adding to it over the years and then put it on a blog to help other parents (and my flying partners). It's based on both my professional and practical experience as flying with my children. People have written in from all over the world and contributed. It's totally non-commercial, my little personal mitvah so feel free to visit;
http://flyingwithchildren.blogspot.com
My contact information is at the end.
Do what works for you and have a good flight!
I'm a former Flight Attendant and I now fly a lot with my own kids.
Yes there is an alternative to a car seat. It's called a CARES harness;
http://www.kidsflysafe.com/
Here it is on the FAA's website;
http://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/crs/
It's easy to carry and safer than using an adult seat belt alone, which don't fit toddlers very well. People who have used it, really liked it. So far, I've never heard anyone complain...
The other plus is that it is now approved by a number of different national air authorities. This is still an issue with car seats.
http://www.kidsflysafe.com/in-flight-documents.php
One niggly complaint is that the child's legs stick out when using this. Other parents have countered that their children were very comfortable and simply sat cross-legged on the seat (I suggest bringing slippers anyway). Yes, children can sleep comfortably in it.
The biggest minus is the price. It's $75 for something that can ONLY be used for the flight. It's not approved for use in a car. Meanwhile, there are very light, easy to carry car seats for as little as $40-50, good seats that car seat techs like. It's a myth that seats have to big, bulky and expensive to be safe (although Britax does make some nice seats...)
If you search with "CARES harness Ebay" or "Craigslist", you'll see that some people have started renting these gizmos out. I can't tell you much more. I would actually suggest buying one and then selling it on once it's outgrown by your last child.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but if you need a car seat at your destination, it's really risky to check them. They are considered "delicate items" and the airlines wont take responsiblity for any loss or damage.
I'm making this point because on my last long-haul flight, three of our four bags didn't make it. I saw at least two car seats while I was looking for my bags but I had no worries. We had our car seat with us and my daughter was safe for the 2 hour drive home. The bags were brought to us two days later.
A CARES harness seems a good deal if you are leaving somewhere that you don't need a car seat, like visiting a big city where you'll be taking mostly public transportation. Or, many grandparents keep car seats for their visiting children and grandchildren. Never rent a car seat with a rental car company. They are infamous for being old, dirty, expired and you don't know the seat's "history" (like if it's been in an accident). I had a bad experience and I'm not alone. Don't risk your childs' safety this way!
Just to clear up some of what you mentioned, if you are in the U.S. and you have a seat for your child and bring a FAA approved car seat for that child, IT CANNOT BE REFUSED. Your right to use that seat is protected by LAW. This is not the case elsewhere in the world. I have had my American car seat removed by Lufthansa (German), Iberia (Spain) and Ryan Air (Irish but doesn't allow any car seats in any form anyway).
If you are flying a non-U.S. company, search with the name of the airline followed by "children" to get to the page with information on what they require in car seats. Sometimes too, I have "gotten away" with my American car seat on Lufthansa and once on Air France.
Since your child is 2 years old, they cannot sit in your lap. Almost all airlines have this rule, although some are flexible with round trip tickets. The FAA is strict about it. Someone mentioned double seat belts. Some foreign airlines still use these but they are dangerous and banned by the FAA in the U.S.
As far as getting a car seat through the airport, I manage it flying alone with three children since each was 4 months old. There are contraptions like this to get car seats through airports;
http://www.gogobabyz.com/products/gogo_kids.html
Some complain that it's hard to get on and off the cart. I saw one on my last flight and it does roll nicely and the child can ride in it.
Another product makes the car seat into a backpack and some parents get creative with bungee cording their seat to the stroller.
I simply use a small metal luggage cart and an extra bungee cord to secure it. My 3 year old could actually ride in this and it saved me major money and I check the stroller (she hardly needs it anyway anymore unless she's tired).
Honestly, it doesn't have to be too horrible taking the car seat with you but weigh up the facts and make an informed decision based on your specific circumstances, budget and needs.
About eight years ago, I wrote an article on flying with children for a local newsletter. I kept it on line, adding to it over the years and then put it on a blog to help other parents (and my flying partners). It's based on both my professional and practical experience as flying with my children. People have written in from all over the world and contributed. It's totally non-commercial, my little personal mitvah so feel free to visit;
http://flyingwithchildren.blogspot.com
My contact information is at the end.
Do what works for you and have a good flight!
I'm looking into getting a new car, any opinions on an Audi?
tom_carla
I'm planning on buying a car within the next 6 months. I really like Audis a lot but I've heard good and bad things about them. I like the A4, but if they're too much of a hassle I'll look at something else.
Answer
I'm assuming you like the Audis because of their looks, performance, interiors, etc. Yes, they are quite excellent in these aspects (especially the interiors, which are really attractive).
As far as reliability, maintenance, service - there's good and bad news. The A4 in recent years has become a more relia ble model, probably more so than the A6, its bigger brother. I think Consumer Reports has rated them to be at least average or better than average - which is based on ownership surveys. Are you buying new or used? If you can get new, or at least a certified pre-owned, you will have some things covered.
Whatever model you get, in any case, you will really need to pay strict attention to maintenance schedules. Audis aren't cars that you can just forget about in terms of regular maintenance - they are German luxury/performance cars. They are not cheap to maintain or fix. You can save quite a bit on service costs if you go to an independent garage as opposed to a dealer service center, but it will never be like getting a Honda or Ford serviced in terms of cost.
I would suggest you get in contact with local Audi clubs who can advise you about their experiences with ownership and where to find good service facilities. Good luck!
I'm assuming you like the Audis because of their looks, performance, interiors, etc. Yes, they are quite excellent in these aspects (especially the interiors, which are really attractive).
As far as reliability, maintenance, service - there's good and bad news. The A4 in recent years has become a more relia ble model, probably more so than the A6, its bigger brother. I think Consumer Reports has rated them to be at least average or better than average - which is based on ownership surveys. Are you buying new or used? If you can get new, or at least a certified pre-owned, you will have some things covered.
Whatever model you get, in any case, you will really need to pay strict attention to maintenance schedules. Audis aren't cars that you can just forget about in terms of regular maintenance - they are German luxury/performance cars. They are not cheap to maintain or fix. You can save quite a bit on service costs if you go to an independent garage as opposed to a dealer service center, but it will never be like getting a Honda or Ford serviced in terms of cost.
I would suggest you get in contact with local Audi clubs who can advise you about their experiences with ownership and where to find good service facilities. Good luck!
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