
On many airlines a 2 year old or 3 year old is permitted to sit in an airplane seat without any additional restraint beyond the airplane seatbelt, though a few airlines require a car seat or CARES harness. Does my 2 year old need a harness to fly?

Children under the age of 2 may ride on a parent’s lap without purchasing a ticket, but the airline will require identification, such as a birth certificate, to prove the child’s date of birth.Ī child safety seat, sometimes called a infant safety seat, child restraint system, child seat, baby seat, car seat, or a booster seat, is a seat designed specifically to protect children from injury or death during vehicle collisions. What are the rules for flying with a child?Īirlines do not typically require identification from passengers under the age of 18, but there are exceptions. The only harness-type device approved by the FAA for takeoff, flight, and landing is the Child Aviation Restraint System, or CARES, suitable for children at least 1 year old who weigh between 22 and 44 pounds. Yes - but only one and it’s not for babies under age 1. 1 However, both the FAA and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) strongly encourage the use of a car seat or other child restraint system when flying with babies or young children. Are child safety seats required on airplanes?Ĭhild safety seats are not required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).


Harness straps should be flat and snug on the child harness system should not be used past the seat’s weight limit convertible seat needs to be secured tightly to the automobile with the safety belt or LATCH restraint system.
