[sak9645]

1. You MUST buy a seat on the plane for a child age two or over, and you're not likely to get it at a cheaper rate than an adult seat. Whether you use a car seat on that seat is up to you; however, if you do, it must be FAA approved. Your choice of seating on the plane will be somewhat restricted, as you cannot use a car seat in an exit row or, I believe, on an aisle seat.

2. If you wish, you may buy a seat on the plane for a child under age two. This will give you more room to spread out, but at considerable cost. There is unlikely to be a reduced rate if you buy a seat, even if your child is 18 months old. Again, you may choose to use an FAA approved car seat in that seat, if you wish, but you are not required to do so..

3. Your other option for a child under age two is to buy a "lap ticket," which is about 10% of the cost of a regular adult ticket. A lap ticket does not give the child his/her own seat. Thus, you cannot guarantee that you will be able to use a car seat. You will have to hold the child at all times, unless there just happen to be some empty seats on the plane and the flight attendants are willing to move you next to one of the empty seats. I have seen people put a blanket on the floor when sitting in an exit row or bulkhead row and let their child sleep there, but it may not be allowed by the flight attendants.

4. Whether or not you buy a seat for a child under two, you may request a bassinet, if you sit in a bulkhead row. A bassinet, which is free, screws into the wall of the bulkhead. The advantage of a bassinet is that it lets the child lie down and sleep. There's usually a Velcro strap over the top that will help protect the child from falling out. There are several drawbacks to bassinets, the most obvious being that they don't work if a child is over about 20 lb. I used one for my daughter, who was 18 months old when I adopted her, but she was tiny -- only 17 lb. Another drawback is that you cannot use bassinets on takeoff and landing or during periods of turbulence. A third drawback is that flights can have only a few of them, so you need to order them early and reconfirm once in the foreign country. A fourth drawback is that you probably won't have them on the domestic portions of your flights. And, finally, if you use one, you will have less legroom and may be unable to recline your seat.

5. Traveling with an approved car seat makes sense from a safety perspective. It is the ONLY way to protect a child from the risk of severe turbulence. HOWEVER, it is a royal pain for most families, since it must be carried with you on your trip. On an adoption trip, you may be bringing a lot of gear for your new children, and a car seat is just one more darn thing to haul and keep track of when you are tired and dealing with a cranky child. You also have to understand that you are unlikely to be able to use it in automobiles, taxis, and tour buses/vans at your destination. Many cars used overseas won't have seatbelts, so there will be no place to install them.

6. Some people like the Baby B'Air safety vest for traveling with infants and toddlers. You can learn about this safety vest online. However, my understanding is that you cannot use it during takeoffs and landings, or during periods of turbulence.

Sharon