Car Seat in Airport

[jujubeesmom]

We are going to be taking our first plane trip in a few months. Any suggestions on how to drag our huge Britax car seat through the airport? Our DD has her own seat so we will be using the car seat in the plane. Thanks!

[oregonpachey]

Do you have another seat you can use? When I traveled when DS was 15 months old, I borrowed MIL's smaller carseat. It was way easier to lug around the airport.

Also, I had a strap I looped around it so I could attach it to my stroller or over my shoulder.

[vegas]

I think they make these wheelie things for them, but we didn't need it. Are you bringing a stroller to the gate? You could wheel the stroller with the car seat on it and carry or walk with LO. DH usally carries the big carseat through the airport and he says that it's heavy but doable.

[Deleted]

www.amazon.com/Britax-Seat-Travel-Cart-Black/dp/B005CNEQK0
they are always on craigslist cheap!

[ijack]

I don't bring the seat on the plane because it's a total PITA.

[Deleted]

Jun 27, 2012 16:48:43 GMT -5 ijack said:

I don't bring the seat on the plane because it's a total PITA.

Ditto. How old is your LO? I would spend some money on the CARES harness and just check in the carseat instead. We also have a rolling travel bag for our carseat since it is easier to lug everything.

[definitelyO]

I've done it by putting it in a wheeled bag and I've also done it and carried it like a backpack with baby and diaper bag and stroller. that was a mess!

[jujubeesmom]

She will be 20 months old at the time. I'm worried about her not sitting still in the seat in the airplane, which was why I was going to bring the car seat. At least with the car seat she will be strapped in, although probably not happy about it. We weren't planning on bringing our stroller but maybe we will to help carry everything. I'll have to look on craigslist for one of the wheelie things. I hate to spend that much for just one or two plane trips...

Thanks everyone!!

[dcrunnergirl]

I'd use the wheelie thing. Last time we flew with the LOs, around 15 months, we brought the stroller and the carseat (each kid had their own seat), we brought the seats and stroller and luggage through the airport, and it was a huge PITA.

[jujubeesmom]

Just looked up the CARES restrant and that may be the way to go. Sure would be a lot less to lug through the airport... Although we would need to rent a car seat when we get there though.

And we don't have another seat to use but maybe I can find a cheapy that is smaller than our massive one.

[vegas]

If you are worried about her not sitting in the seat, I would worry about the CARES system. I have it and my son didn't like it at all. We are going to give it another try on our next trip and hope for the best because like others, I think the car seat is a pain in the butt. The part that made the car seat the worst for traveling was that it positioned my son perfectly to kick the seat in front of him. He was 20 months at the time of our last trip, FWIW.

[frlcb]

Totally get the CARES. At 20 months she will spend the whole flight in her car seat kicking the seat in front of her. It is a nightmare.

[hannamarin]

Jun 27, 2012 17:34:39 GMT -5 jujubeesmom said:

Just looked up the CARES restrant and that may be the way to go. Sure would be a lot less to lug through the airport... Although we would need to rent a car seat when we get there though.

And we don't have another seat to use but maybe I can find a cheapy that is smaller than our massive one.

Check the carseat.

[rootbeerfloat]

We check our carseats. They have never been damaged, though of course it is always a possibility. (On the other hand, our stroller was damaged, and it was gate-checked.)

We didn't have much luck with the CARES harness either. 20 months is a sucky age to travel, but we do our best.

[slug*bug]

I haven't read all of the responses, but we check ours now b/c at 15 mos. old, DS sat in his for a grand total of 30 minutes. And spent the other 7 1/2 hours of our transatlantic flight in perfect position to kick the seat in front of him. It was horrible.

The bonus to checking them? We use the black zip up wheelie bags (we got ours from One Step Ahead) to check them, assuming we'd have to pay checked bag fees for each piece. So we went ahead and packed extra stuff in the bags up to the 50 lb. limit thinking we should at least get our moneys worth out of the fee...and then Delta let us check them for free b/c they were 'baby items'. Score!

[caramia17]

We have a backpack carrier for the car seat. I ordered it from Amazon. It has been very handy.

[katiecj]

I honestly just carried it while pushing the stroller.
I was flying overseas overnight and it was well worth the hassle.
I had someone with me until the security gate, and then I just pushed the stroller one handed and carried the carseat until I reached the gate.

[frlcb]

Jun 27, 2012 20:23:58 GMT -5 @fivedogs said:

Jun 27, 2012 17:36:55 GMT -5 vegas said:

If you are worried about her not sitting in the seat, I would worry about the CARES system. I have it and my son didn't like it at all. We are going to give it another try on our next trip and hope for the best because like others, I think the car seat is a pain in the butt. The part that made the car seat the worst for traveling was that it positioned my son perfectly to kick the seat in front of him. He was 20 months at the time of our last trip, FWIW.

I just install the carseat RFing and she can only kick her own seat.

And then the person in front gets annoyed because they can't recline. After a certain age car seats on the plane aren't worth the hassle.

[beer]

When I flew with my 18 mo old, he just sat in his seat with the regular seat belt. It was fine. We checked the car seat with regular luggage.

[dcrunnergirl]

Jun 28, 2012 8:25:08 GMT -5 @fivedogs said:

Jun 28, 2012 6:48:55 GMT -5 frlcb said:

And then the person in front gets annoyed because they can't recline. After a certain age car seats on the plane aren't worth the hassle.

I'm betting that the people sitting in front of our are happier that they aren't listening to my kid run up and down the aisles and yell and scream about getting down than annoyed that they can't recline. DD is contained, entertained, and quiet for the whole trip, and the people around us probably appreciate it.

I'm sure carseats are a hassle for you, but they are pretty easy to deal with for some people - I think OP was looking for advice on how to make it easy to travel with one. Perhaps she doesn't want her seat damaged when checking it or she wants her kid contained and safe. Either way, I think she got some very helpful advice and links in this thread from everyone.

It's also much safer for your kid to be in the carseat than in your lap or running up and down the aisles. So maybe not worth the hassle to you, but worth the safety for me.

[frlcb]

Jun 28, 2012 8:32:58 GMT -5 dcrunnergirl said:

Jun 28, 2012 8:25:08 GMT -5 @fivedogs said:

I'm betting that the people sitting in front of our are happier that they aren't listening to my kid run up and down the aisles and yell and scream about getting down than annoyed that they can't recline. DD is contained, entertained, and quiet for the whole trip, and the people around us probably appreciate it.

I'm sure carseats are a hassle for you, but they are pretty easy to deal with for some people - I think OP was looking for advice on how to make it easy to travel with one. Perhaps she doesn't want her seat damaged when checking it or she wants her kid contained and safe. Either way, I think she got some very helpful advice and links in this thread from everyone.

It's also much safer for your kid to be in the carseat than in your lap or running up and down the aisles. So maybe not worth the hassle to you, but worth the safety for me.

And a CARES harness, when used in place of a carseat, is just as safe as a carseat, doesn't put your kids in a position for kicking and allows the seat in front of you to recline. It is a viable, safe option, and one that I gave, along with others in this thread. I travel often with my kids, often overseas, and my experience has been that having a carseat on board is not worth the hassle, particularly when there is another option.

I have had a carseat damaged once, when it was gate checked. When I check it with luggage, in a padded carseat bag, it has never been damaged.

[dcrunnergirl]

Jun 28, 2012 8:47:37 GMT -5 frlcb said:

Jun 28, 2012 8:32:58 GMT -5 dcrunnergirl said:

It's also much safer for your kid to be in the carseat than in your lap or running up and down the aisles. So maybe not worth the hassle to you, but worth the safety for me.

And a CARES harness, when used in place of a carseat, is just as safe as a carseat, doesn't put your kids in a position for kicking and allows the seat in front of you to recline. It is a viable, safe option, and one that I gave, along with others in this thread. I travel often with my kids, often overseas, and my experience has been that having a carseat on board is not worth the hassle, particularly when there is another option.

I have had a carseat damaged once, when it was gate checked. When I check it with luggage, in a padded carseat bag, it has never been damaged.

Reading fail on my part. I thought she was saying that having the kid sit in your lap or running up and down the aisles, with no seat or CARES harness, was a better option than a carseat.