Car Seats and Airplanes

Editorial from Safe Ride News - Importance of Car Seats on Airplanes

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Federal Aviation Administration - Flying with Children

• This resource goes over many topics: About Car Seats, Installing on Airplanes, CARES Airplane Harness (and installation), Tips for Parents, Children with Special Needs.

 

CARES Vest Use for Special Needs Flyers (outside of weight/height requirement) - CARES for Special Needs Travelers - AmSafe 

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CEU Webinar Exploring Airplanes and CPS - Child Passenger Safety Learning Portal

 

Harmonized Statement from MACPS: Child Restraints Gate-Checked or Checked as Luggage (August 2012, reaffirmed January 2025)  

“MACPS encourages all caregivers to secure children in their own child restraints correctly installed and used on their own airline seat. Caregivers have the option to check with a gate agent to see if there are any adjacent vacant seats to secure a child restraint in the case where an airline seat has not been pre-purchased for the child. To check for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Certification, please locate the label that has the verbiage: “This Restraint is Certified for Use in Motor Vehicles and Aircraft.” Child restraints are designed to withstand most motor vehicle crash forces. In general, the MACPS does not consider a gate- checked child restraint or a child restraint that is checked as luggage to be one that has experienced forces equivalent to a motor vehicle crash. Once the destination is reached, it is recommended to inspect the child restraint to make sure no visual damage has occurred and all aspects of the child restraint function properly.”