Booster Seat: gate check or not?

[MNdisneymom]

Hi! I hope somebody can answer this question....My son uses a booster seat for riding in the car. It has a carrying case (like a duffle bag, with handles). I am wondering if I have to check that with my baggage or if I can gate check it? I would feel a lot better about gate-checking, because the bag is pretty thin, the straps are long, and I worry that it would get tossed around and damaged by the baggage handlers. I'm not sure if it makes any difference, but I won't be gate-checking anything else (no stroller this trip.)

TIA!

 

[sherabby]

For some reason I thought my son needed a booster seat on the airplane so we took it with us along with all of our carry ons. We actually had one extra due to the car seat. We could have checked it but had to pay $60 since we were maxed on our luggage! It is a backless booster and we put it in the overhead. I bought it at walmart for the trip and only paid $14 for it. It worked for us and he used it in the rental car instead of paying more to rent one from the car company.

 

[tlbwriter]

Is it a full booster or backless? We carried a backless booster as one of our carry-on pieces.

 

[all4fun]

You can do either. If you gate check it, then that probably reduces the risk of it getting sidetracked somewhere, so you'll be more likely to have it at your destination (I've had bags get mis-routed before & delivered the following day - not something I'd want to have to worry about w/a car seat since you really need it if you're leaving the airport via car). If it's a backless then as the pp pointed out its probably small enough to fit in the carry on bin (usually you can get measurements off the airline website or there is usually a display at the airport check in counter to help you determine if something is too big for carry on).

Another option, if it's a high back booster that comes apart, is to pack the back in one of your checked bags, and then carry on the backless booster part. Of course if you carry it on it will count against your carry on items. Usually checked (or gate-checked) car seats and booster seats do not count against your luggage total.

You also mentioned the bag is thin and has a long strap. I would suggest removing the strap if it's detachable if you're going to check the bag w/your luggage. I would be worried it would get caught on something in the conveyor system.

hth

 

[MNdisneymom]

Thanks for the replies...the seat has a back, so wouldn't fit in the overhead. And unfortunately, the strap doesn't detach.

I think I'll probably gate-check. (We're traveling with my mother--who doesn't quite get the concept, and thinks I will lose the seat if I don't check it as baggage.--that's why the questions.)