We usually fly Southwest with our kids, so I totally forgot we booked this flight with United.
I always bring 3 car seats on the plane for my 3 toddlers because:
– its the safest place for kids to sit on an airplane
– it is more comfortable and familiar to them
– it keeps them comfortable and restrained
But it can be tricky! Flying 3 kids and 3 car seats but only 2 adults is logistically challenging. Airline policies vary for car seats and placement, so it gets complicated.
The FAA states that window seats are preferred for car seats, aisle seats and emergency rows are NOT allowed, and egress to the aisle cannot be blocked by the car seat. However, the FAA doesn’t address middle seats for car seats, leaving it up to each airline.
Southwest is one of the only airlines with a clear policy online for middle seat car seats. They also address 2 car seats in the same row.
But even then I still have had trouble with flight crews being unsure of the rules.
Now enter United. This is where I messed up.
I did not double check their policy before boarding, and their website policy is simple: car seats SHOULD sit in a window seat.
‘Should’ is a tricky word, but generally, this means there is no way for me to have all 3 of my kids in car seats unless one of them sits in a completely different row from our family OR the flight crew approves a different configuration.
No one noticed until everything was installed and all the kids were buckled in.
The flight attendant came over and said, “We can’t allow this.”
I apologized and explained – I really wanted them in their car seats because it is the safest option. I even showed them how the car seats don’t block aisle egress.
He was hesitant, but he allowed it. Later he came back with an update.
He said United allows middle seat car seats IF everyone in the row is in the same party, but there was no clear policy on two car seats in the same row.
So now I am heading into another United flight assuming it will be a game time decision up to the flight crew. What would you do? Have you flown United with kids and car seats?