car seats on airplanes

You'll find Air Canada's rules on child restraint devices here: http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelinfo/before/youngtravellers/infant-child.html

Joni: I'm a learner, not one of the experts, but I have learned this lesson (probably a few times): get it in writing. Airlines will chat with you and send a transcript, your your daughter can communicate via email. I have had to take, in recent years, really gross stuff internationally. I got the answer I wanted, printed it, and taped it to the box. I had the email available on my smartphone. In your case, carseat. I'm assuming that your daughter wants a carseat where she is going to be. Well-intentioned people seem to interpret things so very differently these days, but something coming from 'corporate' (even though it's really a third world person) gives the staff the direction they seek.

The policy is right on the website. That is all the writing you need. The person who said a cars eat is not allowed must have been referring to first class, or to lap babies without a paid seat. If the baby has a paid seat, she needs a cars eat for takeoff and landing, and when the seatbelt sign is lit.

If the infant (under age 2) has a purchased seat, she shoulduse the carseat on the plane. (If the baby were a "lap infant" who did not have a seat, then obviously, the car seat could not be used.) We have flown at least 2 dozen different airlines, incl. AirCanada, and I have NEVER encountered a situation in which a car seat for a baby was not allowed. I would be shocked if they didn't allow her to use it. A couple of "make sures:
The car seat should be of recent manufacture. Delta (and perhaps others) are obsessed with making sure the carseat is approved for use in aircraft. All modern carseats are, but making sure the sticker on the carseat says so will make life easier if anyone asks. If it doesn't have a sticker, see if you can find the manual online and print out the airline approval statement. The car seat must be attached to the plane seat with the airplane seatbelt. It can be a bit tricky to get it tight enough for safety. If at all possible, have one adult board early (without baby) and get the seat strapped in so you aren't blocking the aisle with kiddo and all the gear while wrestling with the seatbelts. Often, reclining the seat as far as it will go gives you room to get your hands underneath to buckle, then you can tip the seat back up to its regular position. Finally, it is important to get baby out of the seat now and then so they don't go bananas during the flight, but please be sure to strap in whenever the seatbelt light is on or baby is sleeping. I watched a lap infant go airborne over the Atlantic one time. Dad was holding on tight, but he couldn't keep ahold when the plane dropped, and that tiny baby almost hit the ceiling. My heart stopped, but the baby was ok.

Thanks for the feedback. We will make sure to have a copy of the website rules about using the seat. The tips for getting it attached are very useful.