Transportation Safety Board recommends child restraints on commercial planes

WATCH ABOVE: The Transportation Safety Board is recommending safety restraints for children on commercial flights. The move could cost you more to fly but it’s a safer alternative to holding your child during takeoff and landing. Peter Kim reports.

TORONTO — Commercial airlines currently allow adults to hold infants in their arms during flights, but that could soon change as a result of safety recommendations by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.

The TSB is recommending child safety restraints on all commercial flights in Canada.

“The biggest thing is that you have to pay for another seat. I don’t think the airline is going to want to give away another seat,” said Jock Williams, a retired pilot who agrees with the proposed safety measures.

READ MORE: Transportation Safety Board recommends kid aircraft seatbelts

The federal government currently suggests bringing a car seat onto the plane and Canadian aviation regulations state that a single person can only be responsible for one child under the age of two.

The TSB recommendations come after an investigation into a deadly plane crash from Winnipeg to Nunavut in 2012.

“There were two crew and six adult passengers on board. They got away with minor to serious injuries. But there was a six-month-old infant that was on board who was only being held in his mother’s arms, and she was unable to restrain him with the impact, so he was killed on impact,” said Kathy Fox, chair of the TSB.

Safety experts say the move is common sense and should have been implemented long ago.

“In those situations of significant turbulence or wind shear it’s like being in a car crash,” said Brian Patterson of the Ontario Safety League.

“You don’t want to be the person trying to hold onto a baby in that situation.”

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Most parents seem receptive the idea of increased safety, even if it means paying more to fly.

“I think kids are a challenge at the best of times even if you’re traveling with them to the park. When you’re traveling internationally it always puts a bit of added stress on,” said parent Patrick Casey.