Car seats and airplanes?????

[bridgek]

We are leaving in 20 days (yea). My question is both my kids are in booster seats in the cars and they both have the highback ones and in the instructions they say they are not aircraft approved. I wanted to take them on the plane for the fact of I didn't want to check them because what if they get lost and then we get to Florida and get our car and have no carseat. Last time I traveled on a plane with them my daughter was an infant so I held her and my son had the carseat that converted into a booster seat so he was still in the 5-point harness. Will they let me take these seats on the plane?

 

[jodifla]

We are leaving in 20 days (yea). My question is both my kids are in booster seats in the cars and they both have the highback ones and in the instructions they say they are not aircraft approved. I wanted to take them on the plane for the fact of I didn't want to check them because what if they get lost and then we get to Florida and get our car and have no carseat. Last time I traveled on a plane with them my daughter was an infant so I held her and my son had the carseat that converted into a booster seat so he was still in the 5-point harness. Will they let me take these seats on the plane?

Unless they have harnesses, you can't use them on the plane. And unless they break into two halves, like the Graco Turbo Boosters, a whole one won't fit on a plane.

So, you can gate check your whole booster seats, or you could bring your low back booster seats on the plane; they will fit in the overhead.

What I do is put it iour low back seat in a duffle bag and then put all my son's clothes around it.

 

[Minniemouse07]

If your seats are Graco Turboboosters, the back comes off and it can be a low back booster. If you have these, I would take the low back booster portions on the plane as carry ons... and if you want to, put the high back portions in your suitcase(s) for use in Florida. This way, even if your suitcases are lost or delayed...you will still have something to use for your children.

If you don't have a Turbobooster, I would invest in two low back boosters for them (~$15-$20/ea) and take them on the plane w/ you as carry ons.

 

[thegrimdwarf]

Just FYI - I think all major car rental companies have car seats available for rent. So if you did check the car seat and it went missing, you wouldn't be completely out of luck.

 

[Minniemouse07]

Just FYI - I think all major car rental companies have car seats available for rent. So if you did check the car seat and it went missing, you wouldn't be completely out of luck.

Unfortunately, none of the car rental companies will guarantee you that a seat will be available. Generally, they also don't have every type that children need (rear facing, forward facing w/ harness, booster seat)..or may fit in (some kids are taller than others and not all seats fit them). Additionally, by most reports, seats from rental car companies are often missing parts and/or instructions. There is also no way to know if the seat was involved in a crash situation or not.

The majority of car seat experts do NOT recommend renting a car seat so I wouldn't depend on this as a back up.

 

[AuroraBeauty]

Unless the seat is FAA approved it should not be used on an airplane. I have seen people using seats that are clearly not FAA approved and the flight attendants don't say anything. Of course, if you try this it will be the one time something is said and you'll become discombobulated and it will be a bad start to what will be a great vacation.

Take your boosters and gate check them. Wal-Mart has a great bright orange 'GATE CHECK' bag for about $15 and if they are high back boosters they should both fit it (one would go upside down on the other).

DO NOT rely on the car rental company not only for the reasons OP stated but also b/c you have no guarantee that the seat has not been in an accident.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[bridgek]

Thank you for all your posts. I know my son's one booster has the 5-point harness I might use that for my daughter since she just got at the point of a booster so I might just use that for her. I have used that on the plane for him. Then the seat I just got my daughter is the evenflo one but it has where the back comes off. I am just worried because I was told now if you check at the gate they count that as carry ons also. We will have our stroller also. I am just so confused. I really didn't want to rent from the car rental places that is what I was trying to avoid. I know it will get hectic right before we leave so I am trying to figure that stuff out now so I can relax later and have to time to get everything. This is the first time my whole family has flown together. Thanks again for your help.

 

[Minniemouse07]

Thank you for all your posts. I know my son's one booster has the 5-point harness I might use that for my daughter since she just got at the point of a booster so I might just use that for her. I have used that on the plane for him. Then the seat I just got my daughter is the evenflo one but it has where the back comes off. I am just worried because I was told now if you check at the gate they count that as carry ons also. We will have our stroller also. I am just so confused. I really didn't want to rent from the car rental places that is what I was trying to avoid. I know it will get hectic right before we leave so I am trying to figure that stuff out now so I can relax later and have to time to get everything. This is the first time my whole family has flown together. Thanks again for your help.

Car seats don't count as carry-ons (generally). So if you use the harnessed booster seat for your dd (in harnessed mode) on the plane, you can easily bring the bottom portion of the Evenflo booster on as a carry-on and store it in the overhead compartment. This way you are assured that you will have a seat for each child when you arrive w/o fearing that they could be lost or damaged in the cargo hold (by checking or gate checking).