Ask Little Gulliver – Little Gulliver

CARES harness in Qantas Business and Economy Class

Sent: Monday, 14 July 2014 9:47 PM
Name: Fiona
Message:

Please can you confirm if this can be used with Business Class seats & do you know if it is approved for use on Qantas flights. Many thanks – Fiona

**************************************************************

Hello Fiona,

Thank you for your CARES harness query.

Yes, we have customers using the CARES in both economy and business class with Qantas and most other local and international airlines daily. The type of seat restrictions we have seen in place are typically:

– CARES not to be used in Exit rows and
– no seats that have built in air bags.

The Qantas Child Safety Seat policy stating CARES is pre-approved for use onboard is located here:

http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/travelling-with-children-infants/global/en

If you have any concerns, we always recommend contacting the airline to confirm the seat configuration on your particular flight.

The key with business class seats is being able to access the rear of the seat to install the CARES main red anchor strap.

source:www.qantas.com.au

CARES harness on Emirates

Name = Megan
Sent: Wednesday, 20 November 2013 3:21 PM
Comments = Hi there We are flying to Europe in December on Emirates. I am not clear if the CARES harness is acceptable by them? Can you please advise?

***********************************************************

Hello Megan,

Thanks for your CARES harness query.

Yes, CARES is a suitable child restraint device (CRD) for use on Emirates. It is FAA approved and complies with the Emirates requirement:

“Child restraint devices (CRD) approved for use in aircraft only by any Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA), the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or Transport Canada may be used, if marked accordingly.”

The FAA approval is stitched onto the CARES unit and it also clearly states that the CARES is approved for use on aircraft. The diagram below shows where the FAA approval is stitched onto the main red anchor strap.

CARES Harness on Air Pacific?

Tanya asked; Friday, 22 April 2011 8:30 PM

Hi Ben

I am looking at purchasing a CARES restraint system for use on Air Pacific and would like to confirm that it has attached to it one of the labels below. I know that it does comply with the below but am hoping that it actually has the labels attached too.

Thanks for your help

The following is copied from Air Pacific website at Flying with Kids on Air Pacific;

“Approved Restraint systems

1. Seats that comply with Australian/New Zealand design standard AS/NZS 1745 for infant car seats which are secured in the aircraft in a manner consistent with the seat design criteria. As this standard requires a 3 point attachment, a top tether, in addition to the fastened lap belt, must be fitted.

2. Child restraint systems accepted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States of America with two labels attached to the child restraint system reading as follows:

    * “This Child restraint system conforms to all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards”.
    * “This restraint system is certified for use in motor vehicles and Aircraft”.?c). FAA approved harness type child restraint system with a label attached to the restraint system reading as follows:
    * FAA APPROVED IN ACCORDANCE WITH 14 CFR 21.305(d), APPROVED FOR AIRCRAFT USE ONLY

3. Child restraint system that meets the Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) 213 or 213.1. A statement of compliance label must be affixed to the restraint system indicating compliance with CMVSS 213 or 213.1.

4. Seats accepted by the Civil Aviation Authority of the United Kingdom, guidance on CAR-TYPE SAFETY SEATS and AIRCRAFT-TYPE SAFETY SEATS acceptable for use in aircraft can be found in the CAA Air Navigation Order 2005, General Exemption, No. 598, dated 29 September 2006.

5. Seats meeting European Community requirements of ECE Regulation 44.”

Ben replied; Saturday, 23 April 2011 4:13 PM

Hello Tanya,

Thanks for visiting Little Gulliver and your CARES query. The airlines can be quite bureaucratic so it’s always worthwhile asking! Yes, CARES has received both USA FAA approval (the FAA approval code for CARES is 14 CFR 21.305 (d)) and local Australian CASA acceptance. This satisfies Air Pacific’s requirements and so I’d expect you’d have no trouble.

The CARES unit has the FAA approval stitched onto it as shown in the diagram below:

Hope this helps. Have a great trip

Kind regards

Ben

Tanya replied; Tuesday, 26 April 2011 2:26 PM

Hi Ben

Sorry to be a pain but would you be able to confirm that the following text is actually contained on the label before I purchase the restraint? I have been talking to the airlines and they are extremely specific in what they require.

Two labels attached to the child restraint system reading as follows:

“This Child restraint system conforms to all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards”.
“This restraint system is certified for use in motor vehicles and Aircraft”.?c).

Or FAA approved harness type child restraint system with a label attached to the restraint system reading as follows:

FAA APPROVED IN ACCORDANCE WITH 14 CFR 21.305(d), APPROVED FOR AIRCRAFT USE ONLY

Many thanks again for your help,

Kind regards,

Tanya

Ben replied; Tuesday, 26 April 2011 5:43 PM

Hi Tanya, no problem at all. I’ve taken a closer photo of the approval stamp on the CARES unit (see below). I’ve also attached it if the email format is unclear.

You will see in the middle of the approval sticker are the words complying with the second part of the Air Pacific paragraph – “FAA approved harness type child restraint system with a label attached to the restraint system reading as follows: * FAA APPROVED IN ACCORDANCE WITH 14 CFR 21.305(d), APPROVED FOR AIRCRAFT USE ONLY”.

I’m a little confused by the Air Pacific policy paragraphs as they appear to have a formatting issue and mix up Car Seat labelling requirements with requirements for other child harnesses. Points 1 and 2 of the Air Pacific policy are related to using Car seats (and therefore require the two labels) whereas point c) I expect should be a separate paragraph and is related to harness systems such as CARES (the only one to carry this technical approval).

I hope this provides more specific info for your discussions with Air Pacific customer service. Happy to help with any further queries they may have.

Kind regards

Ben

Can you safely use a seat belt buckle lock, with CARES?

Andrew asks; Tue 13/11/2012 3:10 PM

Hi Donna.

We are travelling quite a bit with our son. We bought a CARE harness from you and it’s been great. However he is starting to become more restless in his seat and has started unclipping his seatbelt. Do you have (or know of) something that we can put over the seatbelt clip to prevent him from undoing his seatbelt?

Regards,
Andrew

Donna replied: Tue 13/11/2012 4:55 PM

Hi Andrew,

Glad to hear the CARES is going well for you and that you are getting out and about!

Someone else has asked the same question a while back. There are products that do this, but are manufactured for car seatbelts. One is to stop the seatbelt from coming undone in the car accidentally (and resulting in the car seat becoming untethered), it’s called the
Hurphy Durphy. And the other, the Houdini Stop, is to stop kids from wiggling out of restraints such as car seats and strollers.

However, given the strict regulations on-board aircraft, I don’t believe these would be approved for flying. The CARES harness itself needs to be quick and easy to unbuckle in an emergency situation, while any additional products could hinder this.

I hope this has been of some use to you, but I’m sorry I can’t be of more help.

Kind regards,

Donna

Car Travel for Kids in France

Ange said: April 17 2012 11:42 PM

Just wondering if you have any info regarding safe car seats in France? Is Britax the same company as safe n sound and do Australian car seats fit into French Peugeot cars? I think I know the answers to these questions but just don’t know how to go about organizing car seats for our French trip.

Also I am planning on getting the CARES harness for my 2.5 yr old but was wondering what the safest thing would be for my 6 week old?

Thanks

Ange

Donna @ Little Gulliver said: April 20 2011 2:16 PM

Hi Ange,

Hmmm, a trip to France sounds fantastic to me right now! I think you’re at the same place as me, when we first started travelling with our kids…we’re so geared up to keeping them safe at home and suddenly there is this black hole of information and the rules and regulations suddenly disappear (this is how Little Gulliver came about). It makes no sense to me and we’re fairly determined to make things easier and clearer for folks.
I’ve broken your query down into a few points, I hope you find it useful;

* any info regarding safe car seats in France?

I’m sure you’ve already read up on the basic car seat regulations in France, such as;

A child under 10 must sit in the back and “use restraint system appropriate to weight (between 9-15 kg child seat, over 15kg booster seat in conjunction with normal seat belts).” So I guess you’ll need either 2 car seats or a car seat and a booster. More about safe car seats in France later…

* is Britax the same company as safe n sound and do Australian car seats fit into French Peugeot cars

Yes, Britax is the umbrella company which manufactures the Safe n Sound range available here in Australia. But – do they fit in French cars? I wish this was so much easier for us travelling parents to navigate! I cannot say for sure, but my understanding is that while the Australian car seat would likely fit in the car, it wouldn’t be approved for use in Europe. One reason being the safety anchor bolt we use in our cars is not present in European cars. I’m also not aware if the Peugeot has the Isofix system, if it does you would need an Isofix car seat (not yet available in Australia).

Have you seen the Bubble Bum? If you are happy to use a backless booster for your older child and if they meet the requirements etc then it may be worth checking out… (we can’t sell it here because it isn’t approved for use in Australia, but it is approved in France)…

* Also I am planning on getting the CARES harness for my 2.5 yr old but was wondering what the safest thing would be for my 6 week old?

The CARES is perfect for your 2.5 yo. For your baby, there are a few options.

You could try to book an on board bassinet. You generally have to book ahead and may not be able to secure one. Also, some folks don’t like them as the seats in this area often don’t recline. If you know the make of aircraft, maybe check on Seat Guru and see if you can get any more info.

The airline (if it is Australian) will provide you with the “supplementary loop belt” you have probably used before with your toddler. There are other products available you may like to look at, such as the Baby B’Air and the Flye Baby. The Baby B’Air, while it looks like a great product, in my opinion, doesn’t provide a lot more protection than the supplementary loop belt provided here and cannot be used during take off and landing. I do agree that it is smart to have to the child restrained in case of unexpected turbulence. The Flye Baby certainly sounds popular and has recently been made available in Australia. Again, I’m iffy about this one too (again, just my opinion and this is why we don’t stock it at this stage). Note, this is not a safety device and again cannot be used during take off and landing and while the seat belt sign is lit. I can see that it may be handy if you are the only adult travelling with a number of children and a baby. I must stress here though, don’t be afraid to ask the crew for help or accept it when its offered (learnt this the hard way).
Of course, there is also the option of taking a car seat on board. This could be considered the safest option and CASA provide some good tips and info here. Again, look out for red tape and this has to be approved with your airline. If you have an Australian car seat and you are not travelling on an Australian airline, chances are your seat won’t be approved. There is no anchor point on the plane however, so the seat is attached using the seatbelt and again, you may not be able to use the seat in your vehicle in France. (Check out the Go Go Kidz TravelMate if you do consider taking your car seat with you).

I’d love to hear your thoughts and how the rest of your plans go. All the best for your planning and a great trip.

Kind regards,

Donna

Information Sources and Handy Links;

http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/ShowTopic-g196658-i2958-k742712-Child_carseat_laws_in_france-Beauvais_Oise_Picardy.html

http://www.survivefrance.com/group/franglaiskids/forum/topics/whats-the-law-on-car-seats-for

http://www.choice.com.au/reviews-and-tests/babies-and-kids/travel/transport/isofix-on-its-way.aspx

http://www.deliciousbaby.com/travel/france/paris/

CARES on a Cessna bench seat?

Melissa said: March 4 2012 6:16 PM

Hi there. We have a Cessna 172 with a bench seat in the back. We are currently using a car seat but wondering if this will fit around the double seat?

Ben @ Little Gulliver said: March 5 2011 10:26 AM

Hello Melissa,

Thank you for your CARES child aviation restraint query.

We do have CARES being used in many small aircraft but I’ve not had any feedback on it being used on the rear bench seat of a Cessna 172. Some quick google research suggests the distance from the left of the pilots seat to the right of the co-pilots seat in a typical Cessna is 96 cms.

The CARES stretches comfortably to fit a large padded seat back of 70cm width and may stretch a little more if the seat is not too thick. On these dimensions, the CARES may not stretch enough to allow the main red anchor strap to correctly install over the bench seat.

I hope this assists, please let me know if you have any further queries.

Kind regards

Ben

Best Toddler Bed for Travel

Julie-Anne said: March 2 2012 10:03 AM

Good morning,
I hope this email finds you well. I have a very tall 2 and half year boy and we often try and get away for weekends.I have searched everywhere and I am desperately need some advice on a bed that is off the ground but still has sides to stop them rolling off that I can buy in Australia or get shipped here. Can you please help direct me. Thank you

Donna @ Travel Toddler said: March 6 2011 11:03 AM

Hi Julie-Anne,

thank you for your email.

I’ve been thinking about your query and after some investigation cannot think of a bed which comes with the features you’ve mentioned ie – some are off the ground but have no bed rails and others have bed rails but are not off the ground. I guess this is what you have also found! At Little Gulliver, we’ve put together a range of the best travel bed options for different age groups, so you may like to take a look at our Resting category.

Here’s a couple of our options which may suit you;

Off the ground Have a look at our Regalo Child Bed. It doesn’t have sides but does sort of ‘hug’ the child a little. It folds up to be quite compact and is 18cm off the ground. The video I’ve included shows how easy it is to set up. (It was popular over Christmas, when so many of our customers were heading off camping and caravanning. We also had an excited Nana grab one for the grand-kids coming to visit)! See my extra info below, talking about bed rails for travel, which may be of interest also.

Sides to stop them rolling off The other thing to consider is the Ready Bed.

The 2+ (Winnie the Pooh) version has side bolsters to prevent the child from rolling out and also has a built-in headboard.

At 2 1/2 and tall, your son may be around a metre tall? So, size wise, this may be a good fit – the bed size is approx: 135cms L x 71cms W x 32cms H.

For other info I’ll include a post I did previously, in case you haven’t seen it; Bed Rails for Travel. It is looking at various options of bed rails which may be easy to use on the road. Don’t forget to scroll down for the comments on the post. I wonder whether the Magic Bumpers or Dream Tubes may be helpful if teamed with a Regalo?

I hope this information helps and please let me know what you decide. Travel beds and bedding is something we all wonder about, so we love to hear what works for different families!

Kind regards,

Donna

New Zealand to Ireland with 2 children

Jude said: December 6 2011 9:19 AM

Hi,

I just purchased a Cares harness for long haul flight from New Zealand to Ireland with 2 children on my own. I wanted to avoid lugging the bulky carseat around airports esp as I haven’t got the spare hands! Air NZ specify the cares harness but unsure of Aer lingus, where can I get a letter for crew if I come across any problems?

Many thanks.

Ben @ Travel Toddler said: December 6 2011 11:07 AM

Hello Jude,

Thanks for your CARES query and your order, the parcel will be shipped to you today.

The best approach with Aer Lingus seems to be the approach followed by a customer recently on the USA CARES facebook page. Back in Sept 2011 they said they emailed Aer Lingus saying they were using the CARES and received the following email:

New Aer Lingus statement:

AMSAFE CARES harnesses are permitted on board, but not as the primary restraint. The harness must be used in conjunction with the aircraft seat belt.

Harnesses by other manufacturers such as CRELLING require special Irish Aviation Authority authorisation. This authorisation requires some extra time to arrange, therefore passengers who require such a harness should contact Aer Lingus special assistance; specialassistance@aerlingus.com as soon as possible in advance of the flight. The make and model of the harness should be included along with details of any other particular requirements.

The CARES customer then received a further Aer Lingus email:

And my final follow up-Received an email this morning from aer lingus stating CARES is permitted and that cabin crew have now been made aware and given instruction on how to use it. This is from the Aer Lingus head office in Dublin.

It’s also worth noting that Aer Lingus are not very clear with their car seat approval process either and seem to leave it at the discretion of the staff on the day. This is from their website:

Please be advised that with the number and variety of infant car seats available on the market it is not possible for us to guarantee in advance that any particular seat is suitable for use. In the interests of safety, Aer Lingus reserves the right to refuse permission for the use of certain types of car seats on the aircraft or during take off and landing. In these circumstances the infant must be carried on the adult’s lap (under 2 years) or in a seat using the standard lap belt (2 years and over). Safety is always our first consideration.

We’d recommend taking a copy of our airline list (attached) that shows what our local airlines say on their website about the approved use of CARES. Also, try and have it noted on your booking that you intend to use the CARES harness. Also, show any curious airline staff the tag on the CARES unit that states FAA approval and “Approved for Aircraft Use”.

Hope this helps, have a great trip.

Kind regards

Ben

Bhutan with a 2 year old

Amanda said: September 5 2011 11:41 AM

Hi
We would like to travel to Bhutan for 10 days in 2012 with a 2 year old – are you able to recommend any tour companies for us to do an individual/personal tour with?

Thank you
Amanda

Donna @ Little Gulliver said: September 8 2011 2:06 PM

Hi Amanda,

our family would also love to go there! My husband recently saw a documentary on Bhutan and has been talking about it ever since (in fact he’s talking about it right now)!

I cannot personally recommend any tour companies, but have put a shout out on our Facebook page. I’ll let you know if any of our readers have any ideas. I’ve listed a few suggestions which you may like to look at, all of them profess to have a love for the country and a unique perspective to share;

http://www.bhutan.com.au/

http://www.mysecretbhutan.com.au/

I wondered if it may also be worthwhile contacting the Australian – Bhutan Friendship Association? They may be able to recommend someone or provide answers to any questions you might have during your planning. The website has some good information too, under “Bhutan facts”

Then there’s the Bhutan consulate in Sydney;

Consulate of Bhutan in Sydney, Australia

78 Louisa Road
Birchgrove
New South Wales 2041
Australia
Phone:
+61-2-9810-3909
Fax:
+61-2-9555-1254
Email:
bhutan@harrisfarm.com.au

A little about Bhutan

For those of us needing a refresher, here’s some general information about Bhutan – the last Shangri-La (source);

“Bhutan is one of the most isolated and least developed nations in the world. Kingdom of Bhutan is known for its culture, architecture and archery, but in many ways, it has remained a mystery until half a century ago.
The serene country, is cradled between its neighbours China to the north and India to the south. Its lands include subtropical savannah’s to forests, to the Himalayas guarding the country’s eastern border.

Its isolation, domestic policies and decision to limit tourism have helped to protect its culture and its natural beauty. These are among the reasons it is referred to as the Last Shangri-la and the crown jewel of the Himalayas.

On the other hand, the Bhutanese call their country Druk Yul, Land of the Thunder Dragon, because of the violent snow storms.”

Thanks for your question, it seems like a magical place. I would love to hear more about how your trip goes!

Regards,

Donna

Further information

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g293844-i10038-k2245316-l13911101-Travelling_with_a_toddler-Bhutan.html

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=483284

http://www.wwfblogs.org/travel/2010/10/11/10-interesting-facts-about-bhutan/

Taxi regulations for kids in Australia

Peter said: August 31 2011 5:18 PM

It seems that Australia has the toughest car seat law and requires car seats to be used even in taxis. We are planning to travel in Australia with our 4 years old during Xmas. We won’t be renting a car when we are in Sydney and Melbourne. After checking around, it seems that it was rather difficult to find a taxi with car seats and even if they provided car seats, they would start charging from their car seat depot until getting to the destination. As carrying a car seat would be quite a nuisance, I am wondering if the “RideSafer Travel Vest” (http://www.safetrafficsystem.com/newsite/find.php) can be used in Australia in lieu of a car seat or booster. Thanks.

Donna @ Litttle Gulliver said: September 7 2011 5:29 PM

Hi Peter,
yes, there are tough laws here and your query is one which many parents wonder about (even those that live here)! However, there are exemptions for children riding in taxi’s if a carseat is not available (therefore, legally your child would not have to ride in a car seat if you did not have one available). The exemptions include;

* a child under one is travelling in a taxi and a suitable restraint is not available, however the child must not travel in the front seat

* a child over one is travelling in a taxi, and there is no suitable restraint available and the child occupies their own seating position.

* a child is travelling in a police or emergency vehicle

* a child has a medical condition or physical disability that makes it impractical to use a child restraint, and the driver has a certificate from a doctor indicating this is the case.

Source; RACV

I have looked at the Ride Safer Vest before and think its sounds great. However, I cannot see that it is approved for use in Australia. Having said that, it may seem unlikely that a taxi driver would stop you from using it! (I have never used one and would be really interested to hear about it if you decide on getting one).

As you mentioned, a car seat would be a burden and bringing your own from overseas is unlikely to meet Australian regulations anyway. If you decided to consider a carseat you may choose to buy a cheaper car seat here and then donate it to a charity when leaving. Other alternatives could be to consider a “booster cushion” seat with a seat belt adjuster such as a Safe Fit. These would be a bit less bulky than a car seat and provide more protection than a seat belt alone. There are also reputable hiring companies, but again, when you aren’t hiring a car…

Also, have you seen the Trunki Boost A Pak? I love these (note; they aren’t approved or sold in Australia). The back pack style may suit you as they seem ideal for travel. This allows the child to be lifted up in the seat and move the seat belt away from the neck.

Since taxi’s in Australia is an area of interest to many, I’ll now include some general information below;

A note on Child restraints in Australia

All child restraints used in Australia must comply with current Australian standards – one of the main features of which is the use of a rear strap to an anchor point. Australian child restraint standards are some of the most stringent in the world and most overseas child restraints do not comply with these standards and cannot legally be used in Australia – this includes restraints from countries such as the UK and USA.

Travelling in taxis in Australia

Taxi drivers are not required to provide child restraints or booster seats.

All taxis should have the correct anchor point for fitting the restraint, but it is always advisable to call the taxi company in advance to check.

Taxi companies may be able to provide child restraints if they are given sufficient notice. A surcharge is the norm for the hire of the child seat and you will often have to pay for the taxi to collect the seat from a depot or taxi company’s headquarters. Your journey will be metered from the carseat collection point, to wherever you are picked up and then onto your final destination. Check all charges with your taxi company in advance and ensure that you book your vehicle well in advance (at least an hour).
taxi-238478__180 The rules for travelling in taxis with very young children do vary from state to state within Australia. It is advisable to check with taxi companies when booking and to order a child seat in advance. Customer service desks at airports (both within Australia and internationally) should be able to assist you with booking taxis with childseats if you are not able to pre-book a taxi prior to your arrival.

Finally, Peter and family – all the best for a fabulous holiday! Sydney and Melbourne have some great attractions for families. I hope some of these ideas are useful and would love to hear what you decide. Enjoy the rest of your planning and let us know if we can help further.

Regards,

Donna

Other relevant Little Gulliver Blog articles:

Child Restraints and Taxi’s

Transport in Bali and Cuba

Travelling on a Bus with a 20 month old

Other useful links:

Kidsafe

Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA)

Bub Hub

Vic Roads