Update!!! (Nov 21, 2015) Our 2.5 year old has now flown on six round trip flights. This original post is a few years old, but I am adding more info to the bottom that concerns flying with young children. So I thought I would provide a summary of our experiences with each of the following airlines: Southwest, United, American, and JetBlue. These are our own unique experiences and don't necessarily represent what you might encounter. We could have been very lucky and very unlucky in certain situations.
Southwest Airlines
Son's Age: 3 months
Car Seat: Peg Perego Primo Viaggio 30/30
Family Pre-Boarding: Yes. Families can board after group A.
Helpful Flight Attendants: Yes. Friendly, offered a seatbelt extender
Flight Time: 6:30am and 1:30pm
Flight Length: Fort Lauderdale to Houston, 2 hours; Houston to Dallas, 45 minutes.
Important to Note: The Flight attendants were very friendly and responsive to our needs. They offered a lap belt extender right away. The infant carrier car seat fit without disrupting the person in front of us. There were extra seats on our flight to Dallas, but none on our flight home. So we strapped the carseat in on our way out and had a lap infant on the way home. Lap infant are not considered safe, however we were not fully aware of the dangers when we flew then.
Son's Age: 3 months
Car Seat: Peg Perego Primo Viaggio 30/30
Family Pre-Boarding: Yes. Families can board after group A.
Helpful Flight Attendants: Yes. Friendly, offered a seatbelt extender
Flight Time: 6:30am and 1:30pm
Flight Length: Fort Lauderdale to Houston, 2 hours; Houston to Dallas, 45 minutes.
Important to Note: The Flight attendants were very friendly and responsive to our needs. They offered a lap belt extender right away. The infant carrier car seat fit without disrupting the person in front of us. There were extra seats on our flight to Dallas, but none on our flight home. So we strapped the carseat in on our way out and had a lap infant on the way home. Lap infant are not considered safe, however we were not fully aware of the dangers when we flew then.
United Airlines
Son's Age: 5.5 months.
Car Seat: Peg Perego Primo Viaggio 30/30
Family Pre-Boarding: No. Families board with the rest of the passengers based on boarding zone. Window seats, center seats, then aisle seats.
Helpful Flight Attendants/Gate Attendants: Yes and no.
Flight Time: 6am, both directions.
Flight Length: approx. 3 hours direct to and from Chicago.
Important to Note: On the flight to Chicago the gate attendant very nicely moved our seats upon request because there was an open seat in the back row. This allowed us to bring the car seat on the plane and keep it next to us. We made the mistake of not purchasing a ticket for my son and had to make the switcheroo. The flight home there were no empty seats and I held a crying baby for 3 hours :(
Son's Age: 5.5 months.
Car Seat: Peg Perego Primo Viaggio 30/30
Family Pre-Boarding: No. Families board with the rest of the passengers based on boarding zone. Window seats, center seats, then aisle seats.
Helpful Flight Attendants/Gate Attendants: Yes and no.
Flight Time: 6am, both directions.
Flight Length: approx. 3 hours direct to and from Chicago.
Important to Note: On the flight to Chicago the gate attendant very nicely moved our seats upon request because there was an open seat in the back row. This allowed us to bring the car seat on the plane and keep it next to us. We made the mistake of not purchasing a ticket for my son and had to make the switcheroo. The flight home there were no empty seats and I held a crying baby for 3 hours :(
American Airlines
Son's Age: 12 months/ 1 year
Car Seat: Britax Marathon.
Family Pre-Boarding: No. Board with the group you are assigned.
Helpful Flight Attendants/ Gate Attendants: No and no!
Flight Time: 6am and 2:30pm (flight home was delayed significantly)
Flight Length: approx 3 hours direct to and from Dallas.
Important to Note: Encountered flight attendants and gate attendants that did not want to help, i.e. give me the lap belt extender when pilot told flight attendants to buckle up, attitude when asking for water for my son's bottle, sarcastic remarks about families being allowed to board early, etc. I used the Travelmate Gogo Kidz to wheel him, in his carseat, around the airport.
Son's Age: 12 months/ 1 year
Car Seat: Britax Marathon.
Family Pre-Boarding: No. Board with the group you are assigned.
Helpful Flight Attendants/ Gate Attendants: No and no!
Flight Time: 6am and 2:30pm (flight home was delayed significantly)
Flight Length: approx 3 hours direct to and from Dallas.
Important to Note: Encountered flight attendants and gate attendants that did not want to help, i.e. give me the lap belt extender when pilot told flight attendants to buckle up, attitude when asking for water for my son's bottle, sarcastic remarks about families being allowed to board early, etc. I used the Travelmate Gogo Kidz to wheel him, in his carseat, around the airport.
JetBlue
Son's Age: 19 months.
Car Seat: Eddie Bauer XRS 65 (same as Safety First Guide 65)
Family Pre-Boarding: Yes, after the people who are part of the loyalty club and those who paid for extra services. Still boarded before majority of the people on the flight both times.
Helpful Flight Attendants: Very helpful.
Flight Time: 8am and 10:30am
Flight Length: approx. 3 hours to and from Boston.
Important to Note: We bought an inexpensive carseat to use for travel from now on. Very lightweight and easy to fit on planes. We purchased our son a seat for both legs of the flight. On the flight to Boston he was rear facing and he slept for a little bit. He did wake up and have some ornery moments before we landed, though. On the flight home we got to the airport early and were able to get on a standby flight three hours earlier than originally planned. We were placed in the last row. We decided to forward face him on this flight because it was not his nap time and we thought the TV would keep him occupied. He fell asleep anyway, but the TV was helpful during his waking moments. I used the Travelmate Gogo Kidz to wheel him, in his carseat, around the airport.
Son's Age: 19 months.
Car Seat: Eddie Bauer XRS 65 (same as Safety First Guide 65)
Family Pre-Boarding: Yes, after the people who are part of the loyalty club and those who paid for extra services. Still boarded before majority of the people on the flight both times.
Helpful Flight Attendants: Very helpful.
Flight Time: 8am and 10:30am
Flight Length: approx. 3 hours to and from Boston.
Important to Note: We bought an inexpensive carseat to use for travel from now on. Very lightweight and easy to fit on planes. We purchased our son a seat for both legs of the flight. On the flight to Boston he was rear facing and he slept for a little bit. He did wake up and have some ornery moments before we landed, though. On the flight home we got to the airport early and were able to get on a standby flight three hours earlier than originally planned. We were placed in the last row. We decided to forward face him on this flight because it was not his nap time and we thought the TV would keep him occupied. He fell asleep anyway, but the TV was helpful during his waking moments. I used the Travelmate Gogo Kidz to wheel him, in his carseat, around the airport.
JetBlue
Son's Age: almost 2.5 years old.
Car Seat: Eddie Bauer XRS 65 (same as Safety First Guide 65)
Family Pre-Boarding: Yes, after the people who are part of the loyalty club and those who paid for Extra Space seats. Still boarded before majority of the people on the flight both times.
Helpful Flight Attendants: Very nice on the way there and less than stellar on the way home.
Flight Time: 8pm and 10pm (1 Red-Eye)
Flight Length: approx. 5 hours to and from Las Vegas
Important to Note: Our flight out there was at dinner hour, so we brought food on the plane. We allowed our on to forward face for this flight because we knew he wouldn't sleep. We bought special kid-safe headphones and I downloaded many Elmo & Curious George episodes to occupy some time. The flight there went smoothly. The flight home we encountered a poorly informed flight attendant who told me that my son could not rear face in his car seat. She threatened to have security take me off the plane if I did not turn the carseat forward. 1) FAA guidelines allow a parent to rearface the carseat as long as the child fits the parameters for rearfacing in the seat. 2) This was a red eye flight and I wanted my son to SLEEP! The moment I got home I wrote customer service and it was confirmed that I was in fact correct.
Son's Age: almost 2.5 years old.
Car Seat: Eddie Bauer XRS 65 (same as Safety First Guide 65)
Family Pre-Boarding: Yes, after the people who are part of the loyalty club and those who paid for Extra Space seats. Still boarded before majority of the people on the flight both times.
Helpful Flight Attendants: Very nice on the way there and less than stellar on the way home.
Flight Time: 8pm and 10pm (1 Red-Eye)
Flight Length: approx. 5 hours to and from Las Vegas
Important to Note: Our flight out there was at dinner hour, so we brought food on the plane. We allowed our on to forward face for this flight because we knew he wouldn't sleep. We bought special kid-safe headphones and I downloaded many Elmo & Curious George episodes to occupy some time. The flight there went smoothly. The flight home we encountered a poorly informed flight attendant who told me that my son could not rear face in his car seat. She threatened to have security take me off the plane if I did not turn the carseat forward. 1) FAA guidelines allow a parent to rearface the carseat as long as the child fits the parameters for rearfacing in the seat. 2) This was a red eye flight and I wanted my son to SLEEP! The moment I got home I wrote customer service and it was confirmed that I was in fact correct.
JetBlue
Son's Age: A little more than 2.5 years old.
Car Seat: Eddie Bauer XRS 65 (same as Safety First Guide 65)
Family Pre-Boarding: Yes, after the people who are part of the loyalty club and those who paid for Extra Space seats. Still boarded before majority of the people on the flight both times.
Helpful Flight Attendants: Very helpful.
Flight Time: 11am and 11pm (flight delayed and left around 12:30am)
Flight Length: approx. 5 hours to Los Angeles
Important to Note: We purchased Extra Space seats for this trip. I highly recommend them, especially with a car seat that you want to rear face. There are no worries about the seat fitting and you get ample room to stretch out. Oh yeah and your child can't kick the seat in front of him/her!!
Son's Age: A little more than 2.5 years old.
Car Seat: Eddie Bauer XRS 65 (same as Safety First Guide 65)
Family Pre-Boarding: Yes, after the people who are part of the loyalty club and those who paid for Extra Space seats. Still boarded before majority of the people on the flight both times.
Helpful Flight Attendants: Very helpful.
Flight Time: 11am and 11pm (flight delayed and left around 12:30am)
Flight Length: approx. 5 hours to Los Angeles
Important to Note: We purchased Extra Space seats for this trip. I highly recommend them, especially with a car seat that you want to rear face. There are no worries about the seat fitting and you get ample room to stretch out. Oh yeah and your child can't kick the seat in front of him/her!!
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