Car Seat cover/bag?

[sapereaude]

We are going to rent a car at disney, so I'm bringing a car seat for my DS and a booster for DD, I don't want to bring them on the plane with me. I've gate checked carseats before and had them come back soaking wet. I'd like to get a cover or bag to hold them. Has anyone done this? where do you get them and do they accept that (or does it just look like another bag to them they want to charge me additional for?) I'm flying jetblue nonstop if it matters.

 

[texasmomoftwins]

We purchased our car seat cover/bags at Babies R Us. I'm not sure about JetBlue's baggage requirements, but with most airlines these days, it will be counted as one of your "checked bags". It was for us on American. Hope that helps.

 

[sapereaude]

Did you check it at the counter or gate check it though? I've gate checked strollers and car seats and not had them count toward my limit (also checked my max bags) but they weren't in a bag either.

 

[ilandrazdsw]

You could just double bag the carseats in big garbage bags and save the $$ of a bag...not sure how much they cost.

 

[sapereaude]

You could just double bag the carseats in big garbage bags and save the $$ of a bag...not sure how much they cost.

Good idea, and its less likely to be confused that way. Maybe I could find clear bags. Ooh, I could use the Ziploc big bags I have, they have handles and I already own them.

I found this on the jetblue site:

Courtesy-Checking Car Seats and Strollers

Infant car seats and child restraint systems are considered a Customer's special item (along with overcoats, jackets or umbrellas); each Customer may carry one special item on-board the aircraft. The special item is in addition to a carry-on item to go in the overhead compartment and a personal item to go under the seat in front of the Customer.

JetBlue will courtesy gate-check any of the following assistive devices: strollers, car seats, wheelchairs, walkers, canes, or crutches. There is no limit to the number of assistive devices a Customer may transport as carry-on or checked baggage.

Sounds like I have to gate-check though. I can call and ask. I hate to haul them through the airport if I don't have to.

 

[tanyaandallie]

Hauling them through the airport is a pain but it's the one way to guarentee that your seats will make it to your final destination. I personally would buy a carseat bag. We had one with wheels and it worked very well.

 

[*Seanaci*]

I'd buy something a little strudier than a garbage bag. With everything they put in cargo hold, those bags are liable to rip/tear and your carseats may still get wet or damaged.

We bought a gate check bag for our umbrella sized stroller. It's bright red and in big white bold letters says "GATE CHECK". Got it at Babies R Us. They have a great selection of travel bags for carseats and strollers.

 

[natnelliesmom]

Call the car rental place and ask them about rental carseats. We did this with Hertz and were told that they use brand new seats. They were basic 5-point harness seats from Graco. When we got there- sure enough they were brand new seats. In fact we had to take them out of the box and install them ourselves- which we would have wanted to do anyway.
It was an additional 9.00 a day and they gave us a break on the second seat.
We have done this both ways- bringing them with us and renting. I have to say it was a million times easier just to rent the seats.
-Sarah

 

[Minniemouse07]

I don't trust my car seats in the belly of the plane. I want to be sure that the seat(s) arrive w/ us at the same time AND aren't damaged during the trip.

We use the seats on the plane for our younger child and bring a low back booster on as a carry on for our older child.

The low back booster is small enough to "fit" as a carry on and since each person gets one carry on and a personal item...that works!

 

[sapereaude]

Call the car rental place and ask them about rental carseats. We did this with Hertz and were told that they use brand new seats. They were basic 5-point harness seats from Graco. When we got there- sure enough they were brand new seats. In fact we had to take them out of the box and install them ourselves- which we would have wanted to do anyway.
It was an additional 9.00 a day and they gave us a break on the second seat.
We have done this both ways- bringing them with us and renting. I have to say it was a million times easier just to rent the seats.
-Sarah

I'll have to consider the rental option. It's $100 for both seats from alamo ($10/day to $50 max). I hate to spend any money I don't have to but it is a huge hassle to deal with the car seats in the airport.

I can't carry it on because we already have 4 carryons planned. Also, my son will not be happy sitting in a car seat if his sister doesn't have to and he's a big kid the car seat has a tendency to squish him so that he ends up kicking the seat in front of him.

 

[Minniemouse07]

I can't carry it on because we already have 4 carryons planned. Also, my son will not be happy sitting in a car seat if his sister doesn't have to and he's a big kid the car seat has a tendency to squish him so that he ends up kicking the seat in front of him.

You can still do more carry ons..everyone is allowed one carry on and one personal item. For our family of four each of us has a backpack then we push the stroller through the airport w/ ds (he was 2yo at the time...but did the same w/ dd when she was that age or older) and pulled the car seat (Britax Advantage or Boulevard depending on the child) on a collapsible luggage cart (Samsonite Micromover...but they make better ones now just for car seats).

Dd (then 6.5yo) carried her own backpack and ds' went in the bottom of the stroller. Dh and I each carried our own.

We didn't take dd's low back booster on that trip because we were using DME....but almost did in case of an emergency. We ended up leaving it in the car at the last minute.

It is totally doable.

Oh...we also sat dh and dd in one row and ds and I in the one behind. That way ds could kick dd's seat until the cows came home!

 

[all4fun]

I'll have to consider the rental option. It's $100 for both seats from alamo ($10/day to $50 max). I hate to spend any money I don't have to but it is a huge hassle to deal with the car seats in the airport.

I can't carry it on because we already have 4 carryons planned. Also, my son will not be happy sitting in a car seat if his sister doesn't have to and he's a big kid the car seat has a tendency to squish him so that he ends up kicking the seat in front of him.

I wouldn't rent a car seat because I have heard too many horror stories like the one posted here: http://www.deliciousbaby.com/journal/2008/jul/27/danger-rent-car-rental-agency-puts-infant-risk/
If you are going to rent, then this same blogger has some great Safety Tips for Renting Car Seats.

Also, as you've already realized, it's expensive! Yikes, you could buy a brand new car seat for that much money. Personally, while I agree that hauling a car seat through the airport isn't my favorite thing to do I did it because I knew it was the safest thing for my ds. Also, when I searched the airline website for information about checking car seats, I found out that they do consider them "fragile" items that they will not replace if they are damaged. I also worried that the seat would be damaged in the cargo hold. I just put up with the hassle of carrying the seat through the airport, because I felt it was better safe than sorry. Know that my ds is bigger, I bought him a Ride Safer Travel Vest which is rated from 35-60lbs (the lg is rated 50-80) was about $100 however we also use it as a back up in MIL's car so it's not just used for travel. If you're wondering how safe it is, check out their website - they have the crash test videos posted there.
ETA: car seats are not considered carry ons if you're using them on board the plane. FYI.
Anyway, just some food for thought.

 

[MaleficentFan]

WalMart has some reasonably priced car seat and stroller bags made by JJ Childress. You can order one online... they're durable enough to take the beating inflicted by the airline bag handlers!

 

[Disneymom2kiddos]

We just flew Delta, and checked the carseat at the curb and there were no extra charges because they consider it a special item. We pushed the stroller through the airport and checked it at the gate. Here is the carseat bag we used from Target. It is really bright red so it is hard to miss! Good Luck! http://www.target.com/Gate-Check-Ca...ie=UTF8&index=target&rh=k:car seat bag&page=1