Traveling with kids can be tough, but there is one perk to flying with those that are under 2 years of age, they fly free, sitting in their parents laps. But recently some flight attendants have begun to speak out, telling the Washington Post why they think it’s a bad idea. Veuer’s Tony Spitz has the details.
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00:00Traveling with kids can be tough, but there is one perk to flying with those that are
00:03under two years of age.
00:05They fly free, sitting in their parents' laps.
00:07But recently some flight attendants have begun to speak out, telling the Washington Post
00:11why they think it's a bad idea.
00:13International President of the Association of Flight Attendants Sarah Nelson told the
00:17outlet that planes can go from cruising to turbulent in the blink of an eye, explaining
00:21quote, we've seen airplanes go through turbulence recently and drop 4,000 feet in a split second,
00:27adding that at those G-forces, there's really nothing any parent can do, even when expecting
00:30the drop, to hang on to their kids.
00:32And that's why their organization is now campaigning for new rules, requiring all passengers, no
00:37matter how small, to have their own seat.
00:39And the FAA seems to agree, recently writing on their website, quote, the safest place for
00:43your child under the age of two on a US airplane is in an approved child restraint system or
00:48device, not in your lap.
00:50Your arms aren't capable of holding your in-lap child securely, especially during unexpected
00:55turbulence, which is the number one cause of pediatric injuries on an airplane.
00:59And the potential for injury was on horrific display recently, after a flight traveling to
01:03Washington Dulles International Airport dropped thousands of feet.
01:07Anyone not buckled in likely hit the ceiling of the craft, with passengers reporting some
01:11seven people were hospitalized.