How do you pack up your carseat to check it on the plane?

[PEANUT1]

I will have 2 carseats for our upcoming trip. My 1 year old will have one and I will have a booster for my 3 1/2 yr old. I am not bringing them on the plane and I want to check them. I am guessing I should wrap them in something so they don't get dirty. We always rent a car so I need the carseats. Anyone have an good ideas. Thanks.

 

[LadyShea]

We bought a car seat travel bag at Target, I think. It fits over the whole thing then zips closed. We were even able to put some extra clothes and non-breakable things in the car seat as the bag was quite roomy.

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

My 5 year old has a backless booster - I bought a 3 pack of those really big, sturdy Ziplocks. It fit the seat great and the luggage tag went through the handle nicely.

 

[all4fun]

I would not recommend a backless booster for a 3yr old though. Actually the minimum recommended age for moving up to a booster w/adult seatbelt is 4yrs and 40lbs. Even though the boxes say they start at 30# it's really not recommended unless they are much older, like around 5-6yrs. Sorry I know thats not what the thread was about but just wanted to mention it as sometimes people just don't realize what the actual safety recs are. If you want more info google "importance of a 5 point harness" and I'm sure you find lots of info. stepping off soap box now.

 

[D L and K's Mom]

In the past we don't check them with the luggage, We take them down with us to the gate and check them there. Make sure you have a tag on them with you info. This way we know we have them with us and there is no chance (well a slight chance) that they will be lost or delayed. The only problem is if you have a connection you have to carry them through the airport. On a trip to visit my family our seat never made it to the connection and we were without a seat and had to rent one $$$$$$ now we just check it under with the stroller.

 

[teresajoy]

Why aren't you using the carseat (not the booster, I know you can't use those on the plane) on the plane?

Next time we fly, we will have to check my dd9's carseat. It's a Britax Regent (not approved for use on aircraft). I'm a little worried about checking it, but as long as she still fits in it next year, I am not going to let her use a booster. So, I am also interested in the suggestions.

I also wanted to add: Your daughters are ADORABLE!!!

 

[D L and K's Mom]

I love it but it is huge and heavy!!!! When DD was 3 we took another car seat one that was airline approved. It was horrible, the carseat got stuck on the plane for a few minutes. The seatbelt sort of went uner the seat and we could not detach it. We had to wait for everyone to deplane and the flight attendant had to come and help us. She said it happens all the time and that next time we should request an extender for the seat belt. Who knew Also when DD sat in the seat she had no leg room and kicked the seat in front of her sometimes on purpose and sometimes by accident. We just decided it was not worth it and checked it the next leg of the trip and used the seatbelt and she was fine. We just did it nice and tight.

 

[design_mom]

We have one of the car seat bags that were mentioned earlier in the post. If you still have the box the car seat came in, that would work well, too. Technically the box is larger than the maximum allowable luggage dimensions, but we've never had anyone charge us extra or say we couldn't take it.

 

[thepeach80]

While I don't agree w/ having your 3yo in a booster, you can't use it on the plane so you have no choice but to pack it elsewhere. I'd personally put it in a bag and count it as a carryon. For the baby though, if there are open seats or she has her own ticket, it's much safer to have her in her seat and you will all probably enjoy the trip more. If you can't get it on the plane, I'd gate check it. It reduces the times it's handled and reduces the chances of it being lost. All 3 of my kids are still harnessed and all 3 of their seats will be on the plane, though we may just put AJ's in the storage bins.

 

[utahtraveller]

We have always just showed up with the car seat at the check in counter and they have big plastic bags they will wrap the car seat in and tape it up. Have done this on multiple airlines. Never have had any problems with damage. Works well and saves alot of time and effort caring it on the plane.

 

[myweefeet]

We will check ours at the counter and ask that they be put in big plastic bags that the airlines use. We have done this in the past and it works well.
Unless we have enough arms to carry them to the gate and check them there.

I was in the airport last weekend and saw a man, he had loosened the straps to the seat as far as they came out and turned the seat head down. He wore it on his back like a backpack. It looked like it worked well.

How do you know if your seat is approved for airline use?

 

[all4fun]

We will check ours at the counter and ask that they be put in big plastic bags that the airlines use. We have done this in the past and it works well.
Unless we have enough arms to carry them to the gate and check them there.

I was in the airport last weekend and saw a man, he had loosened the straps to the seat as far as they came out and turned the seat head down. He wore it on his back like a backpack. It looked like it worked well.

How do you know if your seat is approved for airline use?

It's not recommended to hold the car seat by its straps because it can stretch them out so they don't perform as intended in a crash. There are a number of bags that come w/backpack straps and a device that turns the seat into a back pack called the Pac Back here.

Most seats that have a 5pt harness are airline approved. Looke for a white sticker that says "This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft" usually in red print. Here's a link to the FAA site: http://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/crs/

hth!

 

[teresajoy]

I love it but it is huge and heavy!!!! When DD was 3 we took another car seat one that was airline approved. It was horrible, the carseat got stuck on the plane for a few minutes. The seatbelt sort of went uner the seat and we could not detach it. We had to wait for everyone to deplane and the flight attendant had to come and help us. She said it happens all the time and that next time we should request an extender for the seat belt. Who knew Also when DD sat in the seat she had no leg room and kicked the seat in front of her sometimes on purpose and sometimes by accident. We just decided it was not worth it and checked it the next leg of the trip and used the seatbelt and she was fine. We just did it nice and tight.

In May, we flew with our Britax Marathon and Cosco Alpha Omega(as a carseat, not booster). We really didn't have any trouble at all with the Britax. I wheeled both of them around in our umbrella stroller (Britax first, alpha omega on top) I even careied them both onto the plane. We sat behind my husband and son, so any kicking wasn't a problem. Hehe, although, she didn't seem to do it much, because my husband would have certainly told her to stop it if she had. It was a little tricky getting the seats unhooked, so thanks for the tip about the seat belt extender! I think I'll request one next time.

Lydia (4year old) outgrew the Alpha Omega right after our trip, so she uses the Marathon now. Next time, Arminda (she'll be 10 then) will have to go with the just the seatbelt in the plane. Although, as I said earlier, we will bring her Regent to use when we get there.

 

[teresajoy]

We have always just showed up with the car seat at the check in counter and they have big plastic bags they will wrap the car seat in and tape it up. Have done this on multiple airlines. Never have had any problems with damage. Works well and saves alot of time and effort caring it on the plane.

I was just wondering if they count this as a carryon when you do that, or do they treat it like they do the strollers?

 

[TwinsinCA]

Don't count on the airlines providing bags at the counter. Last time we went to Orlando we flew American. I called first to ask the best way to check the 2 booster seats and was told they'd provide bags at the counter. At the counter in Ontario (California) they happily provided bags and tape for the trip. On the way back out of Orlando they quite snippily informed me they will NOT be providing a bag. Not wanting the boosters to get filthy, we ended up taking them on the plane with us. It was a major hassle.

So be warned -- flying out of Orlando the folks at American are stingy with the bags!

 

[KPtoys]

Contractor bags... that is where ours are going. We did that last year and it all worked out perfectly. I will be doing that to my DSs Marathon in the same bag with DD's booster. I will have the baby in his infant seat so I will gate check that.

 

[esk]

Try www.onestepahead.com. We got our car seat bag from there and although it cost something like $60, it held up through several transatlantic crossings. We can get 2 car seats inthere and some beach towels. It had a nice strap that let DH sling it on his back when needed.

I have also carried one through the terminal but I was stretching the belts...did not know that was bad, oops!

I think we also got on from Babies R Us when ours died the first time after too many trips. We're on the second or third car seat bag in 6 years. We found it in the car seat section, near the neck roll things.

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

I would not recommend a backless booster for a 3yr old though. Actually the minimum recommended age for moving up to a booster w/adult seatbelt is 4yrs and 40lbs. Even though the boxes say they start at 30# it's really not recommended unless they are much older, like around 5-6yrs. Sorry I know thats not what the thread was about but just wanted to mention it as sometimes people just don't realize what the actual safety recs are. If you want more info google "importance of a 5 point harness" and I'm sure you find lots of info. stepping off soap box now.

Didn't even look at the ages of the kids! My own 3.5 year old is still in a regular car seat that we check at the gate, it is my 65lb 6 year old who uses the backless booster ... Maybe my tip will help someone else with big kids who pack backless boosters.

 

[Princess Roo]

We got one of the bags that lets you carry it like a backpack and we LOVE it. There is extra space in it after our seat (Britax Marathon) goes in and it would fit a backless booster in it, too, I think.

If you check it, it counts as a piece of luggage, but if you carry it through the airport, it doesn't count as your carryon.

 

[KTMB]

We have 2 Britax Marathons and 2 car seat bags w/straps (to use as a backpack). We take the 2 carseats out of DH car and pack them in the bags and take my SUV to the airport (we both have 2 Marathons in our vehicles). We usually pack extra diapers, wipes, or other baby stuff in with them and curb-side check them with our luggage. We held DS (now 16m) for the last 2trips. DD (3yo) uses the lap belt and is very secure.

We're going again in October and DH booked 3 seats, so it looks like DS is sitting on HIS lap this time. Thank goodness it's only a 2 hour flight for us. I'd rather he sit in his carseat though...

I can't remember where we got the car seat bags, but I think the brand is DEX.