car seat for hire car

[catrinuk]

ok in yet another dilemma - we have booked a hire hire with alamo through the brits guide discount - great price. now then do i book a car seat for our DD just under 3 - but tall and currently in a first stage booster seat. the cost is $70. some people we have met at WDW have taken a car seat and not been charged by the airline (this was in addition to a stroller). what is your experience, do you take your own and if so have you had to pay for this? or do you go with the hire company and if so are the booster seats good? thanks Catrin

 

[Sapper383]

I always take a booster and have never been charged.

 

[orangetiggs]

i'm taking two car seats in oct and not being charged as well as our twin stroller

 

[disneyholic family]

some people like to use the seats on the plane, though we never did...

it's probably safer for them to be in their car seat on the plane, but it's probably a lot more comfortable for them on the plane without the seat...
which is what we did....we sent the seat with the luggage....

 

[wayneg]

i'm taking two car seats in oct and not being charged as well as our twin stroller

Have you had confirmation you will not be charged? I sent Virgin an email a while back and they said I will be charged. I know many have escaped charges in the past but here is Virgin's response below.

"Thank you for your email regarding baggage and apologies for the delayed response.

As you may be aware, children occupying a seat are entitled to 1 piece of checked baggage weighing no more than 23kg and with dimensions of 35.5 x 29.5 x 16 ins.

In addition to the above, one of the following may be checked or carried on:
a) A fully collapsible stroller/pushchair
b) An infant's carrying basket
c) An infant's car seat.

If you exceed this allowance, I'm afraid that you will be charged extra. For details of excess baggage charges, please check our website on the following link:

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/passengerinformation/baggage/allowances.jsp

As you wish to carry both the car seat and a buggy, any one of them needs to be within your checked-in baggage allowance. You can carry the other seat in addition to the 23kg baggage.

Should you have any other queries, please feel free to contact us. We look forward to welcome all of you onboard.

Kind Regards

Anita Mendonsa
Contact Centre Customer Service Team"

 

[LloydyLUFC]

We came back last week and checked in 2 booster seats for 2 children with no issues (no strollers though). In 2008 we checked in 1 booster seat for 1 child, again with no stroller. Both these were with Virgin. In 2007 we flew with Thomson (i think) and checked in both a stroller and a car seat. We have never been charged or questioned. Hope this helps

 

[Helen B]

I don't know if it's suitable but I was looking at the Trunki stuff online the other week and found this:
http://www.trunki.co.uk/products/boostapak_9/boostapak_21

More info here:
http://www.boostapak.com/home.html

It's a backpack that doubles as a booster seat. Might be useful for flights, where you want to take your booster and a pushchair.

 

[CAROLINE4]

we had a bad experience of this in 2009 what with planning the wedding and having three children and my dh to organise i totally forgot the car seat for my 2 year old (at the time) it cost us about £140 to hire one with the car, next time i will be taking mine wrapped in a see through bag and put it in with the luggage as i saw many other more organised people doing!!!!

 

[fitnessmouse]

I don't know if it's suitable but I was looking at the Trunki stuff online the other week and found this:
http://www.trunki.co.uk/products/boostapak_9/boostapak_21

More info here:
http://www.boostapak.com/home.html

It's a backpack that doubles as a booster seat. Might be useful for flights, where you want to take your booster and a pushchair.

This is what we used on our recent trip to the US. When used as a backpack they are quite heavy though

 

[orangetiggs]

I called virgin again and as my girls don't have seats I can take both car seats and the stroller but if I want them to have a suitcase we need to pay 32, to be honest I think we are going to pay this anyway as it's cheaper than renting two cars seats for two weeks

 

[Elise79]

I called virgin again and as my girls don't have seats I can take both car seats and the stroller but if I want them to have a suitcase we need to pay 32, to be honest I think we are going to pay this anyway as it's cheaper than renting two cars seats for two weeks

Surely, you have 2 girls so they would both get their car seat carried free then one can have the stroller instead of a suitcase and the other a suitcase - meaning you wouldn't need to pay unless you wanted to take a forth case?

TBH they never seem to check when they are tagging strollers at the gates - so I am not sure if you would have to pay anyway.