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Allow babywearing carriers on planes

202 points · 277 comments · surprisetalk

  1. areoform · · focus · HN ↗
    There is a deeper issue, in a crash, a poorly secured rigid baby carrier seat becomes a potentially lethal projectile. Worst comes to worst, today, the projectile is an infant. An infant is substantially softer and less massive than a rigid seat containing an infant.

    For soft babywearing carriers, the outlook is also grim. The kinematics of the baby, adult, carrier and airplane seat lead to crush injuries that are worse than the poorly restrained arm hold version.

    Could there be a solution here that straps around a seat to give babies a safe seat?

    Yes, but it wouldn't necessarily be easy to use or consumer friendly. The ideal solution would have the baby with their back facing front, and the attached carrier facing inwards towards the seat. It would have to be carefully specced and tested so no unverified, third-party seats... Logically extrapolated, in this scenario, the airline becomes responsible for the baby's wellbeing. And I don't think that's a good place for the airlines to be?

    1. moralestapia · · focus · HN ↗
      >a poorly secured rigid baby carrier seat becomes a potentially lethal projectile

      Too smaht for me to understand.

      Can you explain your reasoning why is that the case with carrier seats but not with <literally_every_other_hard_object> including human bodies and their skulls which are way sturdier than plastic moldings?

      1. robotresearcher · · focus · HN ↗
        Humans are restrained by seatbelts, which are checked by cabin crew.
        1. houseofzeus · · focus · HN ↗
          What do you think people are attaching the already approved rigid car seats to the aircraft with?
          1. robotresearcher · · focus · HN ↗
            The argument, quoted by the GP, is about improperly restrained seats. They are only talking about those.
            1. houseofzeus · · focus · HN ↗
              The GP also seems to think that having rigid car seats on plane would be a net new thing. They are already allowed and flight crew already check that it has the right certification and is attached correctly - this is much easier on a plane because the only way to attach them is the seat belt versus most seats have at least 3 different ways to attach in a car.
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