No more 'lap babies' on planes. Will policy and politics clash?

It would be a game-changer for parents traveling with infants and young children. 

Following an investigation into a plane crash that killed a six-month old boy, the Transportation Safety Board called for the "development and mandatory use of child-restraint systems so that infants and young children travelling on commercial aircraft will receive the same level of safety as adults."​ That would mean young infants and children would require their own seat.

"The child isn't of an age to consent to a reduced level of safety," the Chair of the TSB Kathy Fox told The House. 

She acknowledges forcing parents to pay for an extra seat may not be a popular move and "there are certain issues that will have to be addressed" before the recommendation can actually be implemented. "This problem cannot be resolved overnight," Fox said.

In the meantime, the chair of the TSB encourages airline carriers and parents to be proactive and to do everything they can to provide a safe travelling environment for infants and young children. 

The Minister of Transport has 90 days to respond to the report.