TRAVEL GUIDE

Southwest Airlines

Baby On Board

Information You Should Know When Flying With Your Infant or Toddler

Traveling with precious cargo?

If you're traveling with an infant or small child, you should know that proper use of an approved child restraint device (CRD) enhances child safety on aircraft. For this reason, Southwest Airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) strongly recommend that infants and small children who weigh under 40 pounds be secured in an appropriate CRD when traveling by air.

Is your tot under two?

Southwest Airlines offers very affordable Infant Fares for children under two years of age that enable you to reserve a seat for your little traveler to fly along safely and comfortably in his or her approved CRD. We'll even board you early so you'll have plenty of time to buckle up your baby.

Southwest Airlines Infant Fares have no restrictions, are fully refundable, and are offered on every Southwest Airlines flight (although seats are limited). Not only will you have the security of knowing that your baby is flying safely at a very reasonable price, you'll also have a convenient way to bring along his or her CRD so it will be available for ground travel when you reach your destination.

Although not recommended, if your child is under age two and you would prefer to hold him or her on your lap when traveling, you may do so on Southwest Airlines without charge, and we'll be glad to check your CRD for use at your destination. FAA regulation requires any child who has reached his or her second birthday to occupy his or her own seat during takeoff and landing. Please keep in mind that Southwest personnel must ensure compliance with this regulation, so be sure to bring along a copy of your baby's birth certificate for age verification .

What is an appropriate CRD?

Many child safety seats that are designed for use in automobiles are also appropriate for use on aircraft. Appropriate CRDs should have hard sides and backs, include integrated shoulder straps, and secure to a passenger seat via channels through which the seatbelt is threaded and attached. Many of these carry the FMVSS.213 insignia and/or language indicating that they are "approved for use in motor vehicles and on aircraft."

Although one might think that any type of restraint device would provide at least some degree of flight safety enhancement, this is not the case. Some child restraints may do a good job of protecting children in automobiles or in other situations, but are not appropriate for aviation use. Recent testing and research have led the FAA to ban the use on aircraft of certain types of child restraints that may be harmful to a child in the event of an aviation emergency. These include booster seats, safety belt extensions (commonly referred to as "belly belts"), and vest or harness devices that attach to an adult or to the seatbelt of the child's own seat. Although some that were manufactured before the FAA's ban may carry an insignia and/or language indicating they are approved for aircraft use, please understand that they are no longer permitted.

Are infant carriers permitted?

Most infant carriers are designed simply to provide convenience in carrying babies. With the exception of a few recently manufactured automobile safety seats that convert to carriers, they do not provide sufficient protection to qualify as CRDs. While you may carry your baby on and off the aircraft in an infant carrier (provided it does not exceed the size limitations for carryon items), it must be properly stowed either underneath a seat or in an overhead bin for taxi, takeoff, and landing.

What type of CRD is best?

The FAA recommends that children under 20 pounds be restrained in an approved rear-facing child safety seat. Children weighing 20-40 pounds should use an approved forward-facing safety seat. Children over 40 pounds should use the standard seatbelt that is attached to all aircraft seats. It is important never to place a child in a CRD designed for a smaller child. Be sure that the shoulder straps come out of the CRD seat back above the child's shoulders.

Also be sure to check the width of your CRD. Although the width of aircraft seats varies, a safety seat wider than 16 inches is unlikely to fit, even if the armrests of the aircraft seats are moved out of the way. An ill-fitting safety seat will not provide adequate protection for your child.

How should a CRD be used?

Once onboard the aircraft, your CRD must be placed in a forward-facing seat that is not in an exit row. It is best to place the CRD in a window seat so it will not block access to the aircraft aisle. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for securing the CRD to the seat, fastening the aircraft seatbelt around the CRD as tightly as possible.

Want to know more?

For a list of FAA safety recommendations for air travel with children, call the agency's consumer information hotline at 1-800-322-7873 (1-800-FAA-SURE).

Checked Baggage

• Screening and Identification: Checked baggage will be screened and is subject to physical inspection as mandated by the TSA. Customers may be required to present identification. Regulations require name identification on the outside. We recommend placing identification on the inside of baggage, too. Name labels are available at Southwest Airlines ticket counters. Once you've checked your luggage, make sure you receive a separate claim check for each piece of baggage you've checked. Check to make sure that the city shown on the claim check(s) matches your final destination.
• Baggage Allowance: For each ticketed Customer, Southwest allows three (3) checked pieces with size limitations for each individual piece.
• Excess Baggage: Excess baggage will be charged at the rate of $50.00 for the first (1st) through the ninth (9th) extra bag and $110.00 for each piece checked thereafter.
• Weight and Size Allowance: Maximum weight is 50 pounds and maximum size is 62 inches (length + width + height) per checked piece of luggage. Effective March 1, 2005, overweight items from 51 to 70 pounds will be accepted for a charge of $25.00 per item. Items weighing from 71 to 100 pounds and oversized items in excess of 62 inches but not more than 80 inches (i.e., surfboards, bicycles, vaulting poles) will be accepted for a charge of $50.00 per item. Any item weighing more than 100 pounds must be shipped as Air Cargo. However, Customers cannot use SWA Cargo unless classified as a Known Shipper as defined by the FAA or FAA approved Indirect Air Carriers (IAC). For all Cargo inquires please call the Cargo Sales and Service Center at 1-800-533-1222.

Carryon Baggage

In keeping with new security directives from the TSA, strict limitations are being imposed on carryon items.

• Airline passengers may now carry only one bag plus one smaller, personal-type item onboard the airplane.
• Personal-type items include purses, briefcases, cameras, food containers, or laptops (case included).
• Southwest Airlines limits carryon bag dimensions to 10x16x24 inches.
• All Customers and Employees and their items are subject to a thorough, physical search.
• The following items are not considered carryon bags or personal-type items and are not counted against the "one-bag plus one personal-type item" limit:
  • A child restraint device for a child who has been ticketed, who has a seat reserved, or for which complimentary, available space exists.
  • Assistive/mobility devices for individuals with a disability. There is no limit to the number of assistive/mobility devices a Customer can bring onboard the aircraft.
  • Outer garments or other wearable articles of clothing.
  • Food for consumption during flight contained in disposable packaging.
  • Walking canes or umbrellas.

SOURCE: http://www.iflyswa.com

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Babies Travel Lite does not guarentee the accuracy of the information contained herein. Please visit iflyswa.com to verify that the information is still current.