Car seat

[Flowery]

We are travelling with Virgin Atlantic in Jan. We have 3 year old and would really rather take her own car seat than pay the rental rates for a seat that may have not been looked after and may have dubious history. Did you have to pay, how did you pack it, any problems?
Thanks
Sarah x

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

No you don't have to pay.
We put ours in a Slazenger cricket bag and it goes in the hold without any problems.

 

[buzz182]

We have one of these.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Travel-Bag-...-5858051?ie=UTF8&s=baby&qid=1193903941&sr=8-1

When we checked in they told us to take it to oversized baggage which was near the check in desks at Gatwick.

Karina

 

[Flowery]

Thankyou for your replies. Great to know it didn't cost anything but I am a bit concerned about it getting bashed about (I've had cases worse for wear after going through baggage handling!). Did you wrap it in anything protective before you put it in the cricket bag OR does that carseat bag have any padding?
Thanks
Sarah

 

[buzz182]

No, the car seat bag doesn't have any padding, it's made from a thick waterproof material. All I do with ours is wrap a thick beach towel round it then put it in the bag. I'll be doing the same in a couple of weeks
It has always been fine, as have the rest of our luggage.

If you are worried about it getting damaged, you could get a couple of "FRAGILE" labels from the post office or even at check in. As they put some on all our wedding attire when we got married at Disney and as I had a V expensive dress I was in a right state thinking it would get ruined in some way.

I know what you mean though about luggage getting thrown around, you would expect baggage handlers to have a bit of respect for other peoples property. Probably some of them do, but really there's nothing you can do about it.

Don't worry, just wrap it up well and it will be fine

Hope that helps,

Karina

 

[aaronandterri]

we always take one , infact i bought one out there last year as needed new one, they just put them in large see through plastic bag, ive never had any trouble or damage, most of them are pretty buly and sturdy x

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

We use the Slazenger cricket bag as its designed to be thrown around.
No problems in five years

 

[babystar]

We have taken ours and it was put in several clear bags and covered in Fragile labels! We were also told to take it to the oversized baggage belt. Our car seat was absolutly fine and I would definatly recommend this rather than hiring one when you arrive.

 

[tttessa]

It is interesting to see how many people would put their child's car seat through the stresses and strains of being chucked about by baggage handlers, the stresses of temperature differences in a baggage hold, but not trust one which has been sat in a car in the country it will be used in?

Collisions between suitcases and your car seat can surely cause the minute fractures that they warn against?? (it is not always the damage you can see that counts!!) Or as I saw on the flight my mum took, baggage being strewn across the loading area when the cart overturned - then being thrown back in without a thought to "fragile" stickers.

If safety is the issue I don't see the logic. Car seats do not cost a lot over there, another option must be to use the hire one when you arrive and then buy one for use over there?

Cheers,
Tessa

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

tttessa,
I don't really see your reasoning.
The luggage is packed into containers on the aircraft, not strewn aboutb the cargo hold.
car seats, soft luggage(bags) are all kept seperate from suitcases when loaded into the containers.
The temperatures within that hold are within the operating parameters of the car seat.
they are all regardless of which country they are used in, produced at the same factory or to the same material make up, at least with your own, you know the histroy of the car seat, the use its had, the weight of persons using it/playing around in fun in the car etc.. something you have no understanding of with rental ones.
The major problem with car seats is the great stress they are put under when subjected to the energy absorbtion at the time of a car crash, going from 60mph to 0 in seconds, puts strain on the attachment areas, not the small bumps you will get in day to day use.
Secondly, why pay for a seat which may not suit your child, unlike their own one, easier for them to adjust to especially after a hard flight/day.

 

[tttessa]

Now I am puzzled as I have personally seen the way these things are handled by the baggage guys, and I would say that, (I don't know if you are playing devils advocate, but) you are being quite "idealistic" in the separate container thing - depends where on the truck it is!! If it's near the end and there is only space in the hard baggage containers - it goes in!!!
They take little care of the soft baggage anyhow -I had a bag with tyre tracks on it!!!

Personally I will not take the risk for what I perceive to be safety reasons, others can make their own mind up.

Tessa

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

I can only tell you what I iknow tttessa.

You have to make your own mind up of which is best for safety reasons, your own seat with the history or a rental cars unknown history and safety record.

 

[PhilReid]

Last year we booked a car from Dollar, and wanted to get a car seat for our 3yr old. Lugging our car seat with us didn't enter my mind, there's enough to carry !

At the Dollar desk, I was advised that hiring a 7 seat minivan was the same price as renting the car seat for 2 weeks.

The minivan has a childs seat built in ( 3 point harness ), it was the best decision I made.

There was loads more room in the minivan which made driving around much more pleasant.