Flying with kids

[jmccreery]

My dh & I will be flying with our 2 1/2,6 & 9 year olds. We will need a car seat for 2 days out of the week we are there. Suggestions on whether to take ours on the plane or rent one from down there somewhere?? It does make me a bit nervous to rent one & I know it would keep her settled on the flight...but I hate to take up room in the hotel & have to haul it through airports!

 

[zoemurr]

My dh & I will be flying with our 2 1/2,6 & 9 year olds. We will need a car seat for 2 days out of the week we are there. Suggestions on whether to take ours on the plane or rent one from down there somewhere?? It does make me a bit nervous to rent one & I know it would keep her settled on the flight...but I hate to take up room in the hotel & have to haul it through airports!

You won't know anything about the history of a rental, and on the flight she can sit and relax much better than just being in an unfamiliar seat. She probably won't ask to get up since she can't ever get out when she's buckled in. Obviously she'll also be safer. You can get large car seat carry bags, but yes, it is a pain.

Not sure if you have picked your seats yet but I would consider getting two rows and having the toddler sit behind one of you. When DD was 2.5 in a seat her feet were about 2" from the seat in front of her. No matter how hard we tried to keep her still it was no use. I know the man sitting there was not happy.

 

[jmccreery]

Hadn't thought of that but ironically I kinda planned on splitting our rows anyway as my boys 6&9 have never flown so hoped to get them each a window seat!!

Thanks for the tip!

 

[MinnieLovesMickey]

Hadn't thought of that but ironically I kinda planned on splitting our rows anyway as my boys 6&9 have never flown so hoped to get them each a window seat!!

Thanks for the tip!

Just an FYI, if the 2 1/2in year old will be using the car seat on the plane, she will need to be by the window for safety reasons.

 

[jmccreery]

Hadn't thought of that either.....I'll have to figure something out.

 

[lillykat]

The taller they are the easier to kick the seat in front. My 2 almost 3 yr old did fine without her seat (we tried CARES but didn't like it). I agree with the above poster about getting the window seat in front bc their legs will be touching the seat in front. Also if you put your kid in front then they won't be reclining. I used seats when they were under 2. It was hard if the person in front put their seat back. They were still tiny though so it wasn't a problem. DH said they were a pain to install and get out afterwards. We were lucky as they let DH preboard bc it took a while to install.

You have another alternative...you can gate check your seat. We have friends who travel a lot and always gate check their seat. They just get a car seat bag with a back pack type strap and wheel or carry it. Then you can check it with your stroller. Check your carrier to see their rules but I think maost allow you to check one stroller and one car seat.

I personally would not rent. They do not guarantee to have a proper seat for you when you arrive. Friends rented once and said they had to go buy a seat as they only had boosters left and their child was only 13 months. Also they do not give you instructions for installation and do not install them for you. You do not know if the seat was in an accident before, if the child before was sick in it, basically if it is a safe seat. Not worth it IMO.

 

[bean24]

They also sell a cat seat carrier that the car seat clips on to and becomes like a stroller, makes it easy to take through the airport.