The CARES harness is an ingenious little contraption that attaches on to the seatbelt and seat to transform an aeroplane seatbelt into a four point harness similar to a car seat.
It is fully adjustable and can be used from age 1 to approximately 4-5 years. The CARES harness means you don’t have to take a bulky car seat on the plane with you to ensure your child will be safe and secure.
I’m liking
I took a very wiggly little 2 year old on a very long flight and was worried that I wouldn’t be able to keep him in his seat – those airplane buckles are so easy to undo! This product was great as it was similar to his carseat straps, so he didn’t even try to get out of it.
The chest straps helped keep him upright in the seat, so he didn’t slump over uncomfortably.
The CARES harness is specifically mentioned in the Air NZ website for taking on the plane, so you know there will be no problems using it on board.
It is designed so in an accident you can still release them just by undoing the main belt buckle – I recommend tucking a blanket over it so they don’t realise that!
It packs up really small so you can pop it into your carry on bag while you a wrangling your children around the airport.
Things that made me go hmmmm
Depending on the shape of the plane seats, the way the belt attaches around the seat may push your child’s head forward a bit.
Because they still need to be able to get out easily, it doesn’t have a crotch buckle. This means that your child may slide down a bit, especially if they go to sleep. You can prevent this by popping a rolled blanket or towel under their knees, or by taking a square of anti skid material to put under them.
The conclusion
I think these are a great idea! If you have a toddler or preschooler with their own seat on a plane, they are the perfect solution if you can’t or don’t want to take a bulky car seat with you.
