omega flight

Has anyone flown their child in a Cosco Alpha omega elite car seat?

I am flying to San Francisco in about 2 weeks and want to see if there are any tips parents have in order to fly seamlessly with this seat and with my 16 month old. The carseat is FAA certified and my daughter has no trouble sitting in it in the car, but I worry about her level of comfort on the flight. Any advice?

She’ll be just fine – even moreso b/c she’s already used to her seat in the car. Kudos to you for buying her her own seat and taking her seat on the plane!! You and everyone else will have a safer, happier flight that way.

When you get to the gate, ask if you can board early to get her seat installed, many will let you. That seat is notoriously difficult installing rear facing, so take your time if you can.

Which, by the way, means she hopefully is still rear facing. Since you sound like a safety conscious parent, she very well might be, but in case not, wanted to add the important info about how much safer rear facing is, even on the plane.

The old 20lbs/1 year rule is just that. OLD. It came about in the 1980’s when our seats were only capable of rear facing to 20lbs and we didn’t know any better. Now we definitely know better and all current convertible seats rear face to at least 30lbs, but its hard getting people to realize this.
Turning kids forward at 20lbs/1year is an outdated practice that could cost you your child’s life!
1)A forward-facing child under 2 years old is 5 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a crash than a rear-facing child of the same age.
2)A child’s vertabrae do not fully fuse until 3-6 years old, before then, she is at great risk for internal decapitation. The spinal column can stretch up to 2 inches in a crash BUT the spinal cord can only stretch up to 1/4 inch before it snaps and baby is gone.
3)Current research suggests that children under the age of two years are 75 percent less likely to die or be seriously injured when they are riding rear facing.
4)In a recent article from Injury Prevention, it was found that the odds of severe injury to forward facing children age 12-23 months old was 5.32 times higher than a rear facing child. (Car Safety Seats For Children: Rear Facing For Best Protection; Injury Prevention 2007; 13:398-402.)

It works this way: when you get in an accident and run into something, the car stop suddently, but everything and everyone in the car keeps moving in the direction the car was moving when it stopped, in most accidents, this is forward. So in an accident with a child in a forward facing seat, his head, the heaviest part of the body on babies and toddlers, flies forward very forcefully and easily snaps. If that same child is in a rear facing seat, his head tries to fly forward but is supported by the back of the rear facing seat, so there is no stress put on the child’s neck and spine.

Check out this photo album exclusively of rear facing kids, many of them much older than 12 months: http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum.aspx There isn’t a single documented case of a child breaking their legs b/c they were rear facing in an accident. There are, however, lots of cases where children have been killed and seriously injured where a rear facing seat would have protected them better. And most kids actually prefer to be rear facing b/c they can rest their feet on the vehicle seat back. When they are forward facing, their legs don’t receive enough support and will frequently fall asleep.

Comparing Flight Prices: Alpha to Omega

Before you go on holiday or away for a business trip, compare flight prices to make sure you are getting the best deal for your money. By comparing airline prices over time and for a variety of carriers, you are far more likely to get a deal on flight reservations. The wide differences in airline ticket prices can be attributed to a number of factors.

Some of these differences have to do with flight density, but others have to do with departure and arrival locations, time of flight, and even which airline carrier you choose. Before you book a flight, compare flight prices. You will be glad that you were a savvy consumer and did your research before you made such a major purchase.

Below is a short list of some of the most common causes for differentiation between airline ticket prices. If you compare flight prices, these factors are likely to have an impact on the prices you will find. Consider what you are looking for in a flight, and then use these tactics to select the airline tickets that most meet your needs.

Location: The location of your departure and final destination can impact the prices of your flight tickets. You will find that more common locations may be more affordable than destinations to which fewer flights are headed. This may be because addition legs must be added after reaching a major city, thus lengthening your flight and adding more transfers in order that your flight is completed.

However, you may also find location working in your favor if you choose a less direct flight to reach one major metropolitan area from another. When you compare flight prices, you will likely find that flying from one city to another is more affordable if you do not do so directly. Direct flights are in high demand, and so can be charged more for. But if instead you are willing to have one or two layovers at more medium sized cities, you will likely be able to reach your destination at a lower price. To compare flight prices, look around to assess your options and find a flight that will be acceptable to you.

Time of day: Often, flights cost more if they depart in the middle of the day. Peak hour flights, you will find when you compare flight prices, can cost a moderate amount more than off-hour flights. Flying very early in the morning or late at night can be more affordable, and earlier flights sometimes stand a smaller chance of being delayed since the day’s flight schedule is just beginning.

When it comes down to it, there is no right or wrong answer as to how to compare flight prices. Consider the factors you are looking for, and weigh them in relation to one another. Do you want the flight with the lowest price? Would you prefer a flight that is the most direct, or takes the shortest amount of time?

Or would you prefer a flight that is on a smaller or larger plane, or with a certain airline? Take all these factors together when you compare flight prices, and this will help you make the airline reservation that best meets your needs.

The Omega Flight Hit Squad:Tales End Credits