The Jarvii If you’ve ever flown before, you know how rough landings can be. Sometimes a gust of wind can make you jerk ever which way, not to mention just trying to prevent yourself from going into the seat in front of you when the pilot slams the brakes. A little old lap belt doesn’t help you too much in these situations for adults, but can you imagine how rough landings are on toddlers who now have their own seats?
Many parents lug on their FAA approved convertible car seats onto the plane and install it in the seat. This is a great alternative than just relying on that lap belt. And if you need the car seat at your destination it works out. But the problem with a convertible car seat is that they are heavy and cumbersome. You are already carrying a huge diaper bag and now you have to worry about lugging a car seat around the airport. Enter the CARES Airplane Safety Harness.
We love love love the CARES Airplane Safety Harness. It is FAA approved, light, easy to install, and gives me piece of mind just because of a simple chest buckle.
The harness comes in a bag and weighs a whopping 1 pound! Yes, you read that correctly–1 pound! Compare that to a convertible car seat that weight around 20ish pounds. We simply stick this in the baby bag and we’re off. You don’t have to worry about wheels or a bag to carry around a car seat in the airport. It’s so small it will fit into my purse!
When you pull it out of the box, it looks a bit complicated, but it is so incredibly simple to install. You put down the tray table down behind your child’s seat. Slip the red belt around the seat and tighten it. Stow the tray table. Slip the lap belt through the loops. And then adjust the height of the shoulder belts with the very easy buckles. Lock your kid in, and voila you’re ready to fly! It does require you to talk to your neighbor that sits directly behind your child since you have to put down their tray table for a minute. But I have not experienced anyone saying no or being mean about it. They are actually really impressed by the device and often times either wish they had one for themselves or take note about the name so they can buy it for their own children or suggest it to friends/family.
Flight attendants are also familiar with the product, so we haven’t encountered someone telling us we aren’t allowed to install it. The opposite actually happens–they are relieved that we have it because they too think it’s a great safety product. I can’t tell you how many conversations I’ve had with flight attendants about how they much prefer the CARES harness because it’s just easier and faster to install than a car seat. One flight attendant wishes that their airline handed them out to toddler guests for flights because he has seen families relying on just the lap belt.
My one qualm with the CARES Safety System is that my son slips out through the bottom. There are a lot of times I have to physically lift him up to get him to sit up straight in his seat. Unlike a car seat, there isn’t something at his crotch that keeps him from slipping through. I also don’t know if it’s a function of the seat or just gravity, but it’s really inevitable that he slips through no matter the age. I wish the system would do something to solve this problem.
If you know you are going to fly often with your tot and don’t want to deal with a heavy convertible car seat, consider buying the CARES Airplane Safety Harness. We really do love it, and I always suggest it to my friends who are going to take flight. Such a great alternative.
