Airlines consider infants who sit in the lap of their parents "lap infants." Lap infants must be younger than two years of age and do not require their own airline ticket. Infants without tickets do not get their own seat; they must remain in the lap of a parent for the duration of the flight. The exception to this rule is international travel. Regardless of whether an infant is sitting in the lap of his parent on an international flight, a ticket must be purchased. Only one lap infant is allowed in the lap of a parent; additional infants must have their own tickets.
Parents are not required to spend their entire flight holding their infant--a ticket can purchased so the child has his own seat. If your infant cannot sit upright in the seatbelt of his seat, you must provide a car seat for him to sit in. Airlines do not provide car seats. All airlines require children over two years of age to have his or her own ticket.
Most airlines allow you to choose your seats while you are booking your tickets. If you are traveling with an infant, you are limited in your choice of seats. Infants in your lap or in their own seat may not be seated in exit rows. On certain planes, you and your infant may be asked to change seats due to a lack of oxygen masks in certain rows. Your flight attendant will make the necessary arrangements for new seats should this occur during your flight. Infants in car seats may not be seated in aisle seats.
