Car seat check in @MCO question.

[joe-aka-papabear]

O.K. we are a week away.

We are renting a car at MCO and will use RAC for our luggage so when we return to the airport we will not have luggage to check ....BUT we still need the car seat for our 2.5 year old going back to MCO.

What are my options at MCO?? Is there anyway I can check just the car seat w/o standing in line forever? We did early bird check in thru SW so we can print boarding passes from the Kiosks w/o standing in line.Just trying to avoid the check in line.

I'm sure someone has dealt with this before, hopefully they can give me some insight on what to do.

 

[tms295psu]

Gate Check it!!! If your not using it on the airplane its the next best option... The car seat will not be "handled" as much... (including be tossed and smashed by other luggage).

Carry it through the airport with you, and ask the gate agent for a "gate check tag"... carry it down the walkway when you board the plane and leave it just outside the airplane door. I'm sure you will see a pile of car seats and strollers there! Good luck!

You can even bungee strap it to a rolling carry-on to make it easier on yourself. And there is NO CHARGE to gate check a car seat!

 

[MrsNick]

My suggestion is to use the carseat on the plane. That way your carseat won't sustain damage from baggage handling, being in the cargo hold, etc.

 

[joe-aka-papabear]

My suggestion is to use the carseat on the plane. That way your carseat won't sustain damage from baggage handling, being in the cargo hold, etc.

Can we use the car seat on the plane??? I thought I heard they had to be specially approved seats.

 

[bumbershoot]

Check the stickers on the carseat; there's something that says something about airlines; if you have that sticker, you can use it.

If you get to the gate and it turns out it's not approved, then gate-check it. It's still being handled by the luggage people, but only to get it onto and off of the airplane. As the other poster said, it's not handled *as much* as if it goes through the airport, and it's going to be a LOT safer than checking it regularly.

When you get to the gate, take it up to the gate people and ask for a gate-check ticket if you won't be using it on the plane. Apart from carrying it through the airport, it simply could not be easier, IMO. (and while the carseat is generally heavy, I don't find carrying heavy things to be a hardship, so I typically considered the whole thing to be a breeze)

 

[joe-aka-papabear]

Check the stickers on the carseat; there's something that says something about airlines; if you have that sticker, you can use it.

If you get to the gate and it turns out it's not approved, then gate-check it. It's still being handled by the luggage people, but only to get it onto and off of the airplane. As the other poster said, it's not handled *as much* as if it goes through the airport, and it's going to be a LOT safer than checking it regularly.

When you get to the gate, take it up to the gate people and ask for a gate-check ticket if you won't be using it on the plane. Apart from carrying it through the airport, it simply could not be easier, IMO. (and while the carseat is generally heavy, I don't find carrying heavy things to be a hardship, so I typically considered the whole thing to be a breeze)

Stupid question but,
Can we gate check a stroller and a car seat??
Thanx

 

[tms295psu]

Stupid question but,
Can we gate check a stroller and a car seat??
Thanx

Yes, both free of charge!

If you have a connecting flight, you can have them bring the stroller back to you... to use in the connecting airport. Or you can have them tag it so they will move it directly to your connecting flight.

 

[MrsNick]

Can we use the car seat on the plane??? I thought I heard they had to be specially approved seats.

As long as your carseat is marked FAA approved, you will be able to use the carseat on the plane. Generally, there is a sticker somewhere on the carseat. You may need to check your owner's manual to locate it, as the sticker could be on the back of the carseat or obscured by the cover/padding.

Generally, nearly all newer carseats sold in the USA are FAA approved, so this isn't really a super difficult requirement to meet. Additionally, as long as the carseat has that sticker and your child has a seat, the flight crew may not refuse its use.

You can google and check around for further details about this. Good starting point might be the FAA's website FAA.gov.

Although safety is my #1 priority for my DD, I have to admit I like that she sits in the carseat on the plane because she is comfortable in it, she is used to it and she will relax in it. Makes for a better ride for everyone, lol.

If you are concerned about hauling the carseat through the airport, you could either prop it on your stroller or get a small luggage cart. And to answer your question, most American carriers will allow you to gate check both the stroller and carseat. Policies do vary from airline to airline, so you should go ahead and check on your airline's website what their gate checking policies are.

Have a good vacation.