ArcaMax

Free is good, but it’s not always the best course. That’s especially true when you are flying with infants and toddlers.

Yes, children two and under can fly free on your lap, but the FAA says, “The safest place for your child under the age of two on a U.S. airplane is in an approved child restraint system (CRS) or device, not in your lap. Your arms aren't capable of holding your in-lap child securely, especially during unexpected turbulence, which is the number one cause of pediatric injuries on an airplane.” The FAA shouted out the message in a social media campaign during the past holiday season.

Older children up to 65 pounds are also safer in cases of turbulence in a safety seat, said Dr. Ben Hoffman, the president elect of the American Academy of Pediatrics and a professor of pediatrics at the Oregon Health & Science University. “At the end of the day, you are going to need it anyway when you get there,” he said.

Turbulence accounted for 37.6 percent of all accidents on larger commercial airlines between 2009 and 2018, according to a 2021 report from the National Transportation Safety Board. The Federal Aviation Administration released data last year showing 146 serious injuries resulted from turbulence from 2009 to 2021, the Associated Press reported.

Just recently a Lufthansa flight from Texas to Germany reported severe turbulence and was diverted to Virginia’s Washington Dulles International Airport. Seven people were taken to the hospital. Matthew McConaughey and his wife Camila Alves McConaughey were on the flight. “Everything was flying everywhere,” Alves McConaughey posted on social media. “The plane was chaos.”

Also this month, a woman flying on a private plane in New England was killed as a result of severe turbulence.

This, just as many families are heading off on spring break and flying with toddlers for the first time after COVID grounded everyone. According to the latest American Travel Sentiment Study, 26 percent of American travelers report they will be taking off in the next sixty days.

However, according to a 2021 report from the National Transportation Safety Board, airlines don’t necessarily make it clear that young children are far safer restrained in safety seats — even when parents are checking them to use in cars on arrival. The NTSB recommended the development of a program that would educate parents and caregivers about the importance of the use of safety seats and a study to see why parents don’t use safety seats.

And while young children are far safer restrained in FAA-approved safety seats on a plane, Dr. Hoffman noted that there is a far greater chance of getting in a car crash than experiencing severe air turbulence, should families opt to drive rather than pay for an extra plane ticket.

The US House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will develop a comprehensive aviation bill this year that will address FAA safety programs and policies related to consumers, a spokesman said. A hearing on consumer related issues will likely be held in the coming weeks. “I don’t know if the issue (of safety seats on planes) will come up but I think it’s possible,” the spokesman said.

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