I wonder if this unfortunate incident would had a happier ending if folks in the airline industry catered a little bit more to the needs of single mom with 2 kids, and 2 car seats( ?) in the first place. Like who heck assigns seating like this in the first place with woman in circumstances???
Hi
I have been a pilot for 20 years. I have flown a lot of different types of aircraft. Right now I am on the 767. My wife is a former Flight attendant. We have 4 kids and travel frequently.
I can assure you no air transport category aircraft has exploding airbags or seat belts. Much less anything inside the cabin that is combustible or explodes. The closest thing to an airbag would be an emergency slide, which is located either in the door or in the fuselage below the door or on of the life vest.
She was probably moved out of the bulk head, because it was also an emergency exit row. Most airlines prefer kids in the bulk head. Some planes like the 747-400 have a cot that attaches to the bulk head that was designed for infants.
Wow – I had no idea these airbags existed! I get so frustrated when told to remove baby from Bjorn or Ergo baby carriers. I haven’t tried out a CARES yet as it’s pretty pricey in HK and haven’t heard any reviews yet
We were on Air Berlin. And it was only on the outbound trip, not the return. It’s frustrating this this is just another one of those things that’s not consistent in air travel.
I didn’t know some airlines have airbags, either. Travel is so difficult at times, anyway – they should have helped her more (and at the beginning, when she first started the seating!).
I had the lovely experience of having to wake my sleeping baby up and removing them from the Baby Bjorne I was wearing. Apparently Bjornes are not allowed during takeoff and landing. They require the lap child to be on your lap. Really!?
Annoyed – It’s true that the FAA does not permit parents to “wear” their babies in Baby Bjorns or slings while being in their seats, but that is based on the risks of impact on a crash landing (baby is stuck in the “crush zone”). Unfortunately, US parents are given the message babies are safer riding completely untethered on their laps during the cruise portion–which is when there is the greatest risk of turbulence. To my knowledge there is no rule against wearing them in a sling or frontpack carrier while walking around the plane during cruising segments of a flight, which I think is wise so your hands can be free if you hit a sudden bump–or need to use the lavatory! 😉
Wow it is good to hear about this. I knew about the woman being kicked off, but no all of the details. Even so, I don’t agree. My kids are older now, but I would have had a fit. Who knew there were airbags? So only those passengers have safety features and the rest just get to crash?
I guess so! 😉 Although, since you’re supposed to lean forward and brace yourself, I’m not sure your seat belt blowing up in your face is such a great thing. However, there’s a big part of me that is still trying to process the recent crash at our own airport. WHEW!
I’ve refused to read the article because the subject bothers me so much, but wow! Not what I was expecting. How frustrating for the mother to do everything right and have to deal with that. I’ve never heard of kids not being able to sit in the bulkhead seats. We’ve never been relocated. I don’t actually like the bulkhead because, on the planes we’ve been on, people congregate there and my kids can’t sleep. We were once told when we bought a seat for our 3 month old, that it’s safer to hold him than it is to keep him in the car seat.
I’m always warning parents to think twice before booking bulkhead seats with babies & kids who may have trouble sleeping (or breastfeeding) with the extra people and noise that might be around – that is SO crazy they told you it was safer to hold your 3-month-old on your lap?! Do you remember which airline that was? If it was Alitalia, I’m remembering a friend being told the same thing as the reason they didn’t used to allow babies to have actual seats on the plane!
14 comments
I wonder if this unfortunate incident would had a happier ending if folks in the airline industry catered a little bit more to the needs of single mom with 2 kids, and 2 car seats( ?) in the first place. Like who heck assigns seating like this in the first place with woman in circumstances???
Hi
I have been a pilot for 20 years. I have flown a lot of different types of aircraft. Right now I am on the 767. My wife is a former Flight attendant. We have 4 kids and travel frequently.
I can assure you no air transport category aircraft has exploding airbags or seat belts. Much less anything inside the cabin that is combustible or explodes. The closest thing to an airbag would be an emergency slide, which is located either in the door or in the fuselage below the door or on of the life vest.
She was probably moved out of the bulk head, because it was also an emergency exit row. Most airlines prefer kids in the bulk head. Some planes like the 747-400 have a cot that attaches to the bulk head that was designed for infants.
Wow – I had no idea these airbags existed! I get so frustrated when told to remove baby from Bjorn or Ergo baby carriers. I haven’t tried out a CARES yet as it’s pretty pricey in HK and haven’t heard any reviews yet
We were on Air Berlin. And it was only on the outbound trip, not the return. It’s frustrating this this is just another one of those things that’s not consistent in air travel.
This is where I am glad my daughter is older and we don’t have to worry about certain things…..ughh…some things in life should be easier.
Ah, one more thing to worry about…
I didn’t know some airlines have airbags, either. Travel is so difficult at times, anyway – they should have helped her more (and at the beginning, when she first started the seating!).
I didn’t even know that some airlines have airbags.
I dont bring the car seat anymore on the plane. I find my 3 year old is better in his own seat.
I had the lovely experience of having to wake my sleeping baby up and removing them from the Baby Bjorne I was wearing. Apparently Bjornes are not allowed during takeoff and landing. They require the lap child to be on your lap. Really!?
Annoyed – It’s true that the FAA does not permit parents to “wear” their babies in Baby Bjorns or slings while being in their seats, but that is based on the risks of impact on a crash landing (baby is stuck in the “crush zone”). Unfortunately, US parents are given the message babies are safer riding completely untethered on their laps during the cruise portion–which is when there is the greatest risk of turbulence. To my knowledge there is no rule against wearing them in a sling or frontpack carrier while walking around the plane during cruising segments of a flight, which I think is wise so your hands can be free if you hit a sudden bump–or need to use the lavatory! 😉
Wow it is good to hear about this. I knew about the woman being kicked off, but no all of the details. Even so, I don’t agree. My kids are older now, but I would have had a fit. Who knew there were airbags? So only those passengers have safety features and the rest just get to crash?
I guess so! 😉 Although, since you’re supposed to lean forward and brace yourself, I’m not sure your seat belt blowing up in your face is such a great thing. However, there’s a big part of me that is still trying to process the recent crash at our own airport. WHEW!
I’ve refused to read the article because the subject bothers me so much, but wow! Not what I was expecting. How frustrating for the mother to do everything right and have to deal with that. I’ve never heard of kids not being able to sit in the bulkhead seats. We’ve never been relocated. I don’t actually like the bulkhead because, on the planes we’ve been on, people congregate there and my kids can’t sleep. We were once told when we bought a seat for our 3 month old, that it’s safer to hold him than it is to keep him in the car seat.
I’m always warning parents to think twice before booking bulkhead seats with babies & kids who may have trouble sleeping (or breastfeeding) with the extra people and noise that might be around – that is SO crazy they told you it was safer to hold your 3-month-old on your lap?! Do you remember which airline that was? If it was Alitalia, I’m remembering a friend being told the same thing as the reason they didn’t used to allow babies to have actual seats on the plane!