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NTSB Safety Alert SA-015 - Child Passenger Safety on Aircraft
Reproduced for study. Always verify against the official GACAR at gaca.gov.sa.
Child Passenger Safety on Aircraft
Parents urged to use child restraint systems when
traveling with children
The problem
Unlike when they are riding in a car, children under age 2 on an airplane are permitted to
be held in an adult’s lap and are not required to be in an appropriately secured child
restraint in their own seat.
However, adults may not be able to maintain a secure hold on a lap-held child during
turbulen ce and survivable accidents. Preventable deaths and injuries have occurred in
children under age 2 who were u nrestrained.
The Federal Aviation Administration ’s (FAA) official guidance emphasizes that the safest
place for young child ren in turbulence or an emergency is in an approved child restraint
system or device, not on an adult’s lap.
The NTSB has investigated aircraft accidents involving unrestrained children and has
issued saf ety recommendations since 1979 asking the FAA to require that children under
age 2 be in an appropriately secured child restraint in their own seat .
What can you do to make traveling in an aircraft safer for your child ?
Purchase a ticket for all children younger than 2 years and restrain them in a child
restraint system certified for use on aircraft.
Ensure that infants and small children are restrained in a c hild restraint appropriate to
their size.
Ensure that all children are properly restrained during takeoff, landing, and turbulent
conditions or when the seat belt sign is illuminated.
SA-015 April 2010 , revised December 2015 Need more information?
A brief description of this issue and the N TSB’s first recommendation to require child
restraint systems on aircraft :
http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety -recs/recletters/A90_78_79.pdf
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
o AAP Policy on Restraint Use on Aircraft:
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/108/5/1218
FAA
o Child safety on airplanes: www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/crs/
o Childproof your flight: www.faa.gov/passengers/media/childsafety.pdf
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