Kid-Safe Flying

By Lisa McLaughlin

The airline practice of allowing young children to fly seated on an adult's lap was criticized last week when the National Transportation Safety Board recommended that kids under age 2 be restrained in their own seats while in the air. So far, the Federal Aviation Administration has declined to make that mandatory, citing a 1995 study that concluded the added cost of buying another ticket might force more families to drive--and risk roadway accidents. Still, the agency advises that children weighing less than 40 lbs. fly in a safety or car seat buckled into their own seat on the plane. If you decide to get your toddler a seat, ask the airline whether it gives discounts on tickets for children under 2; many offer up to half off. When flying internationally, parents should check with each airline, since the rules vary greatly. Icelandair and Lufthansa, for example, don't allow the use of safety seats during takeoff and landing, while Alitalia bans them altogether and charges an extra fee for lap riders. --By Lisa McLaughlin