Information for dealing with the airline
We had numerous parents asking this, so here are the regulations for English speaking countries’ car seat regulations during air travel.
The rules that apply to an aircraft are those of its country of registry; this will normally be the country for the airline that owns the airplane. Note that on a code-share flight, the rules of the carrier operating the flight apply (that is, if you fly a United flight number but a Qantas airplane, it’s Australian rules, not US ones, that apply). It does not matter what country you are flying to/from on an international flight, the rules are those of the country of registry.
| Forward-facing carseat | Rear-facing carseat | Loop belt | Unsecured baby in lap | Carseats allowed | Location of carseat | |
| Australia | Permitted 6 months- 4 years as long as seat is used according to manufacturer’s instructions; up to the airline to decide whether or not to allow carseats at all. | Permitted from birth as long as seat is used according to manufacturer’s instructions; up to the airline to decide whether or not to allow carseats at all. | Permitted 0-24 months | Forbidden | (a) seats complying with Australian design standard AS/NZS 1754 for infant car seats which are secured in the aircraft in a manner consistent with the seats’ design criteria. As this standard requires a 3-point attachment, a top tether, in addition to the fastened lap belt, must be fitted. (b) seats accepted by the Federal Aviation Administration of the United States of America as meeting the Technical Standard Order TSO-C100b or seats which have two markings: “This Restraint is Certified for Use in Motor Vehicles and Aircraft” in red lettering and “This seat conforms to all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards”; (c) seats approved to Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) No. 213 entitled “Child Restraint Systems” or CMVSS No. 213.1 entitled “Infant Seating and Restraint Systems”; (d) seats accepted by the Civil Aviation Authority of the United Kingdom for which general guidance can be found in the CAA Official Record Series 4 General Exemption – Child Restraint (Public Transport); (The Type 2040-1 Carechair, manufactured by Aviation Furnishings International Limited has been accepted by the CAA(UK) as a child safety seat specifically designed for aircraft applications) (e) seats meeting European Safety Standard requirements of ECE Regulation 44. |
Not blocking any passenger’s access to the aisle (in a window seat or the middle seat of the middle section); not in an exit row, the row before, or the row after. |
| Canada | Permitted when used according to manufacturer’s instructions. Up to the airline to decide whether to allow. | Permitted when used according to manufacturer’s instructions. Up to the airline to decide whether to allow. | Forbidden | Permitted 0-24 months | (2) The Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) No. 213 of the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations entitled “Child Restraint Systems”,effective May 11, 1984;
(3) The Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) No. 213.1 of the Motor Vehicle Safety regulations entitled “Infant Seating and Restraint Systems”, effective September 1, 1982; or (4) The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard, (FMVSS) No. 213 (FMVSS 213), entitled ” Child Restraint Systems”, published by the Government of the United States, and complying as follows: (i) for Standard FMVSS No. 213 effective previous to amendment dated February 26, 1985 and manufactured after January 1, 1981; (However Vest and harness-type child restraints are not acceptable); (ii) for Standard FMVSS No. 213 amended effective February 26, 1985, and manufactured after that date, when approved for use in aircraft and carrying the label, printed in red lettering,”This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft; and (iii) child booster cushions, as authorized in standard FMVSS No. 213, are not permitted for use on aircraft in Canada. |
Not in an exit row, not blocking access to an aisle |
| New Zealand | Probably permitted up to 4 years– rules do not specify. Airlines are not required to allow carseats. | Permitted up to 4 years. Airlines are not required to allow carseats. | Permitted up to 4 years. | Forbidden | Not specified. | Not specified. |
| UK | Permitted 6 months to 24 months; up to the airline to decide whether or not to allow | Forbidden | Required 0-6 months; permitted 6-24 months | Forbidden | a) A car-type safety seat (“safety seat”) must have a well-defined shell and, where there is a separate shell and understructure they must be securely attached to each other. b) A safety seat must be of such a design that a child can easily and quickly be secured in or removed from the seat. c) A safety seat must have a single release type harness which at least secures a child’s lap, torso and shoulders. d) The single release device for the harness of a safety seat must be of such a design as to prevent unreasonably easy release by the child occupying the safety seat. e) The harness straps of a safety seat must be of a minimum width of 1″/25mm. f) Any lift-type adjusters on the harness straps of a safety seat must be of a type that require a positive angular lift to release. |
Not in an exit row, or the row before or after; in a window seat (note that the middle is not OK per regulations). Only one per row unless the children are in the same family. |
| US | Permitted until child is over 4 years and 40 pounds when meets manufacturers requirements (you may not use a carseat forward-facing if the manufacturer’s instructions say it must rearface at your baby’s age/weight). Airline must allow if you have purchased a seat. | Permitted when meets manufacturer’s requirements. Airline must allow if you have purchased a seat. | Forbidden | Permitted 0-24 months | The CRS should have a solid back and seat The CRS should have internal restraint straps installed to securely hold the child to the CRS The CRS should be labeled stating that it has been approved for aviation use, and The CRS should have instructions on the label which must be followed; (labels for approval from other countries are allowed and therefore may vary) |
Not in an exit row or the row before after; not blocking any passenger’s access to the aisle (in a window seat or the middle seat of the middle section). |
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