If you’ve purchased a seat for your infant or young child, you can bring an approved car seat for them to sit in. A car seat doesn’t count towards your carry-on baggage allowance.
- You must contact us by phone to add a car seat to your booking, as a limited number can be fitted on each flight.
- The car seat must meet regulatory requirements – see below
- If your child weighs more than 18kg they can’t fly in an Australian-designed car seat. You need to purchase them an allocated seat.
- Unapproved car seats are carried as checked baggage for free, regardless of fare and in addition to any checked-baggage allowance.
- Car seats must be fitted onto window seats and can’t be used in exit rows (including extra legroom seats).
- Car seats can’t be used on any Jetstar Japan (GK) flights.
At the airport
If you’ve booked a car seat for your infant or young child to sit in, take it to the Jetstar check-in area. A Jetstar team member will check that your car seat meets the requirements listed below.
When it’s been approved:
- Take your car seat through security and get to the boarding gate with plenty of time to spare.
- Boarding gates open 25 minutes before domestic flights depart, and 40 minutes before international flights. For details and exceptions, check When do I need to get to the airport?
- Let the team at the gate know that you have booked a car seat.
- You’ll be one of the first onboard, so you can fit the car seat to the aircraft seat before the rest of the passengers begin boarding. Most car seats can be easily fitted using the seatbelt.
- The crew will check that you have fitted the car seat correctly and attach an extra strap if it is needed.
To check your car seat in as checked baggage free of charge, go to the airport check-in desk, or ask a team member for help.
Car seat requirements
Australian designed car seats must:
- Have Australian Standard Sticker AS1754 attached
- Fit on an airline seat
- Allow the seat in front to recline
- Be in good condition, showing no signs of damage
Jetstar Asia cannot accept Australian-designed car seats on board the aircraft. They may accept car seats that meet the criteria below. All Australian-designed car seats must be carried as checked baggage on Jetstar Asia (3K) flights.
US-designed car seats must:
- Comply with the US Standard FMVSS213
- Have a FAA (Federal Aviation Association) sticker that reads ‘Certified for motor vehicles and aircraft’
- Be in good condition, showing no signs of damage
Car seats designed in other countries will be assessed on their design and condition. They must:
- Have a well-defined shell that is connected securely to any under-structure
- Have a single release harness that secures your child’s lap belt, and torso and shoulder straps. It can’t be unreasonably easy for your child to undo
- Have straps that are at least 2.5cm wide
- Have strap adjusters that need upward lift to release
- Be in good condition, showing no signs of damage
- Be quick and easy to secure or remove your child
- Conform to NZ Standard 5411 (for New Zealand designed seats)
- Conform to European Standard ECE4L (for European seats)
Rear facing car seats
We don’t give our approval for rear-facing car seats as they usually inhibit the seat in front from reclining. Australian designed rear-facing seats also have top restraint points that are often too far for the straps to reach.
However, we can approve your rear-facing car seat if the straps are acceptable and a family member or friend sits in the seat in front and is happy for their seat to remain upright.
Booster seats
Booster seats can’t be used during our flights. It isn’t safe for infants and small children to sit on booster seats or cushions during take-off and landing. The rapid shifts in speed can cause these items to slip out from under them and make the seatbelts ineffective.
They can be carried free of charge as checked baggage.
CARES (Child Aviation Restraint System) restraint
Jetstar accepts the use of Child Aviation Restraint System (CARES) restraints on flights operated in Australia. The product has been endorsed by the US FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and the NTSB (National Transport Safety Bureau) for carriage on aircraft and is the only commercial restraint device to be certified by the FAA as an alternative to a car seat.
We cannot assist with fitting the restraint in-flight. We’ll ask you to ensure the restraint is used in line with its original operating manual. We also ask that the restraint remains in its original manufactured condition, including all labels.
CARES is designed specifically for aviation use for children age one and older who weigh between 10kg (22 pounds) and 20kg (44 pounds). It is a belt-and-buckle device that works in conjunction with regular aircraft seat belts without interfering with the tray table behind.
CASA does not approve or endorse the CARES restraint but rather accepts the FAA approval under CASR 21.305(d) and 21.502.
For more information see the family travel page.