What are the rules and regulations for passengers travelling with young children and infants?

You can carry an infant under two years old on your lap. We'll give you a special seat belt extension. If you’re flying with a child over two years old, you'll need to buy a child's fare and they'll have their own seat.
If you're bringing your own child safety belt or seat (known as a child restraint device or CRD), it must have a label to show that it's approved for use in an aircraft by:

• any Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA)
• the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
• Transport Canada

Using baby car seats on the plane

You can use an infant car seat on the flight, however, you'll need to book a separate seat and pay a child's fare.

Safety regulations

If you bring a baby car seat on your flight, the check in staff will check that it carries a label showing that it's approved for use on an aircraft, along with the instructions for use. We'll accept car seats that meet one of the following safety standards:

• Seats accepted by United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and Regulations (FMVSS) No. 213. They must be manufactured to those standards on or after 26 February 1985. Your seat must show these labels in red lettering:
• This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft.
• This child restraint system conforms to all applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards.
• Seats approved to Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) No. 213, 'Child Restraint Systems', or CMVSS No. 213.1, 'Infant seating and restraint systems'.
• Seats that meet the ECE R44 European safety standards. These seats must bear the orange label marked ECE R44-03 or later amendments.
• Seats approved for use in aircraft according to the German regulation 'Qualification Procedure for Child Restraint Systems for Use in Aircraft'(TÜV Doc.TÜV/958-01/2001).
• Seats that meet the AS/NZS 1754 Australian/New Zealand standards.

If your car seat doesn't meet one of these safety standards, you can check it in to the hold with your other baggage.

Infants weighing under 10 kg can travel in either a forward facing or rear facing car seat, however if your infant weighs more than 10 kg, their car seat must be forward facing.

Fitting your baby car seat on board

Our cabin crew will help you to fit your car seat according to the instructions on the label. It must face the appropriate direction, and it must be secured using the lap seat belt. Unfortunately we can't accept car seats that need to be secured by a three-point seat belt or shoulder harness.

Restraint Harnesses / Devices for Infants, Children and Adults

Effective 1 May 2019, in addition to Child Aviation Restraint Systems (CARES), the following restraint harnesses/devices are accepted on board Emirates flights:

• Special CARES
• Crelling/Houdini Model 27
• Meru TravelChair
• Leckey Firefly GoTo Seat  

We do not provide these devices. You must contact your nearest Emirates Contact Centre at least 48 hours before travel as these devices can only be used on approved seat locations and in certain cabins.

If you require any additional support or assistance for your travel, you will need to complete the Medical Information form (MEDIF) our team can then assist you.

CARES/SPECIAL CARES Limitations:

• A responsible adult must be seated next to the passenger using the restraint harness/device.
• The adult is responsible for fitting the restraint harness/device and for ensuring that the occupant is seated and secured correctly in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions.
• The passenger’s seat lap belt must be fastened securely while the restraint harness/device is also in use.
• We will only accept restraint harnesses/devices at the airport if all conditions have been met and we confirm that it is one of the accepted harnesses/devices from the above list.
• When other airlines or code share airlines are involved in an itinerary, the regulations of the carrying airline are applicable. Please check with the carrier about their policies regarding restraint harnesses/devices before your flight.
• If your CARES is over the maximum weight and height recommended for FAA certification, or if you are using CARES to connect to another airline, codeshare partner or US airline at an Emirates US gateway airport (including Athens International Airport and Milan Malpensa Airport), you will need to request an exemption for onward travel to or from the US from the FAA prior to your flight.
• Being a foreign carrier, FAA certification is not applicable for use on Emirates flights. FAA regulations regarding child harness restraints do not directly apply to Emirates or our passengers. However, these limitations are covered in our GCAA approved internal risk assessment.

Baby bassinets

Our bassinets are approximately 75 x 33 x 22 cm (29.5 x 13 x 8.8 inches) in size and can hold babies weighing up to 11 kg (24.2 lb). Whilst our bassinets are designed for babies up to two years old, we won’t be able to provide one if your baby doesn’t fit safely. Please note bassinets are limited in number and subject to availability. Remember that you can't request a bassinet if you have booked a normal seat on child's fare rates.

Using children’s ride-on suitcases and/or leg rests

Please note that many children’s ride on suitcases or leg rest devices aren’t certified by the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority, and therefore aren’t permitted on board our flights. This includes – but isn’t limited to – devices by Bedbox, Fly Legs-up and FLY-Tot. You can get in touch with us for more information.

Using a baby car seat on board

If you are taking an infant car seat on board your flight, you must take full responsibility for fitting the device to the aircraft chair in accordance with the manufacturer instructions and aircraft policy:

• A forward facing car seat, must be installed in a forward-facing direction.
• A rear facing car seat is restricted to infants whose age is falling between 7 days and 6 months old:
  • If rear facing, it must be installed in a bulk head seat.
  • If a bulk head seat is not available, then it must be installed in a forward facing direction.

The seat belt must be easily accessible, though it must not be used to attach the infant into the car seat.
The aircraft seat back must be left in an upright position, in addition, the car seat table attachments (if any) shall be removed during take-off and landing.

Our cabin crew can assist by raising the armrests, so that you can secure the aircraft seat belt to the car seat. They will also brief you on any safety requirements, and have the right to prohibit the use of car seats which do not meet policy standards.

Unfortunately we can't accept car seats that need to be secured by a three-point seat belt or shoulder harness.

Leg rests, seat extensions, ride-on suitcases, and sleepers.

Leg rests and extensions

The use of leg rests, or any form of seat-extension device, is not permitted to be used on board. These items are not certified by the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), and pose a safety risk as loose cabin items. They include but are not limited to the below:

• Bedbox
• Fly Legs-up
• FLY-Tot
• Plane Pal
• Sky Rest

Ride-on suitcases