Checking booster seats on airline?

[kellia]

I have twins, so we have 2 backless booster seats that we need to bring with us to Florida. How do you check those on the airplane? Put them in a box together? If so, any tips on carrying the box through the airport easily? Do they count as a checked bag? We are flying on Airtran.

Sorry, as you can tell, we don't fly much! LOL!!

 

[brymolmom]

I bought a carseat travel bag at Babies R Us a couple years ago (it was the cheaper one at the time - $20) and it was a great investment. We have used it a few times and loaned it to a couple friends. We can put our dd's backed-booster and ds's backless into it together. It has a strap that is easy to put around your shoulder to carry to check-in - much easier than carrying each separate - and saves hands to hold kids' hands. Also - there's much more room in the carrier too - so I always throw a couple pairs of shoes, etc. in there to free up some weight from our other suitcases.

 

[kittycatalina65]

We put ours in an Extra Large Ziploc bag with handles. American Airlines did not charge for checking "mobility devices" (carseats, strollers, etc), but you should check with your carrier.

 

[SeptDisney]

I think you can also "gate check" (check it in as you are boarding the plane) a booster seat. If you choose to do this, I would make sure to put it in a water proof bag - I remember flying into Orlando one time & the luggage handlers put the car seats down on the tarmac in the middle of a rainstorm! We felt so bad for who ever was going to have to use those seats!

 

[3boymthr]

Call the airline and check but you may not have to check the booster seats at all. When we flew to Texas my son sat in his car seat. We just strapped it into the airline seat. It's actually recommended by many of the safety experts.

 

[vegasnative]

I have twins, so we have 2 backless booster seats that we need to bring with us to Florida. How do you check those on the airplane? Put them in a box together? If so, any tips on carrying the box through the airport easily? Do they count as a checked bag? We are flying on Airtran.

Sorry, as you can tell, we don't fly much! LOL!!

We also have twins, and another that is only 2-years younger than them. We have flown with all 3 of their car seats a lot. Every time we have checked their seats, the airlines puts them into a huge bag at check in. We have also learned that most airlines do NOT count these items as a checked item, it's like a freebie. Which is good now with most only allowing 1 free bag.

 

[AuroraBeauty]

Call the airline and check but you may not have to check the booster seats at all. When we flew to Texas my son sat in his car seat. We just strapped it into the airline seat. It's actually recommended by many of the safety experts.

Backless booster seats are not FAA approved and can not be used for air travel. Only FAA approved child restraint systems can be used.

Most backless boosters fit in the overhead and are not counted as carry on luggage. As PPs have stated, you can gate check them by putting them in a waterproof bag of some sort with your information on it -- it's just like gate checking a stroller.

Contact Airtran and find out what their policy is for your travel, and if they can email or fax you that policy it would be good to have. There are a number of bad experience emails floating around the internet about child seats.

Planning ahead is always good.

Best wishes to you.

 

[tammy1210]

We also used a carseat carrier on our last trip for dd's carseat, but ds's backless turbo booster - we packed in our suitcase! I put it on the bottom and packed clothes right on top - it really didn't take up that much room.

 

[lisadr]

Backless booster seats are not FAA approved and can not be used for air travel. Only FAA approved child restraint systems can be used.

Most backless boosters fit in the overhead and are not counted as carry on luggage. As PPs have stated, you can gate check them by putting them in a waterproof bag of some sort with your information on it -- it's just like gate checking a stroller.

Contact Airtran and find out what their policy is for your travel, and if they can email or fax you that policy it would be good to have. There are a number of bad experience emails floating around the internet about child seats.

Planning ahead is always good.

Best wishes to you.

I agree with this poster. We were on Airtran and watched a fight between the flight crew and these people who wanted to use their childs car seat. I guess it wasn't approved for flight??? The strange thing was the flight crew said that the mom had to put the baby on her lap-what's crazy is the mom had paid for the hild to have his own seat-so they took her $$ and then didn't notify her that she would need a special seat. At least that's what she was yelling about. Plus how can it be safer for a child to be unbuckled on his moms lap during take-off and landing as opposed to being buckled into the seat??

Of course there are always 3 sides to any story-but it all seemed strange to me

 

[tlbwriter]

I agree with this poster. We were on Airtran and watched a fight between the flight crew and these people who wanted to use their childs car seat. I guess it wasn't approved for flight??? The strange thing was the flight crew said that the mom had to put the baby on her lap-what's crazy is the mom had paid for the hild to have his own seat-so they took her $$ and then didn't notify her that she would need a special seat. At least that's what she was yelling about. Plus how can it be safer for a child to be unbuckled on his moms lap during take-off and landing as opposed to being buckled into the seat??

Of course there are always 3 sides to any story-but it all seemed strange to me

Like the previous poster said, backless boosters cannot be used on airplanes. Harnessed seats can, and yes, they do provide extra safety and comfort. The woman on your flight might have brought a booster seat or other unapproved seat rather than a harnessed seat, or she might have been the victim of an ignorant flight crew - it happens!

Anyway, when we brought DD's backless booster, we just carried it alone as one of our carry-ons.

 

[nikkers]

We also have twins, and another that is only 2-years younger than them. We have flown with all 3 of their car seats a lot. Every time we have checked their seats, the airlines puts them into a huge bag at check in. We have also learned that most airlines do NOT count these items as a checked item, it's like a freebie. Which is good now with most only allowing 1 free bag.

We fly several times a year. We travel with 2 carseats. My DS is old enough that he doesn't need it on the plane. We have done both gate checking and checking at the ticket counter. The airline always wraps it in a heavy plastic bag.

 

[lisadr]

Like the previous poster said, backless boosters cannot be used on airplanes. Harnessed seats can, and yes, they do provide extra safety and comfort. The woman on your flight might have brought a booster seat or other unapproved seat rather than a harnessed seat, or she might have been the victim of an ignorant flight crew - it happens!

Anyway, when we brought DD's backless booster, we just carried it alone as one of our carry-ons.

I think that's why she was fighting with them-it was a seat with a back and she had flown down on Airtran with it and no problems. I think with Airtran calling them is probably the best bet. I think the fact she paid for the extra seat instead of doing the lap thing also had her really annoyed because any time the seat belt light came on she had to put the child in her lap-I don't thinh she felt it was safe