Checking carseats - packing advice needed

[jenjersnap]

We're carrying two car seats and a booster on our next trip so thought we'd check the two carseats for the two oldest. I have never checked carseats before.

How do you prepare them to be shipped? We have a carseat bag which we have always taken to the gate with us. I s'pose we could use that for the checked seats (we know from experience that the booster fits nicely in the bag with the bigger car seat) but I am not sure it will make the journey since it doesn't seem *that* durable. I have seen other people carrying car seats wrapped in infinite layers of plastic and tape. Is that something you do yourself at home? Is that a recommended way to ship? Will the airlines wrap them for us? We're flying SW for the first time. How about a cardboard box? Any other suggestions? Thanks!

 

[NotUrsula]

Personally I'd gate-check them if at all possible, to reduce the possibility of damage going through the bag room.

On occasions when I had to check carseats I padded them with lots of cloth inside the carseat satchel. Winter coats, beach towels, blankies, clothes, spare packs of diapers, etc.

 

[jenjersnap]

Personally I'd gate-check them if at all possible, to reduce the possibility of damage going through the bag room.

On occasions when I had to check carseats I padded them with lots of cloth inside the carseat satchel. Winter coats, beach towels, blankies, clothes, spare packs of diapers, etc.

Gate checking is a possibility? I didn't know - thanks. If they decided we couldn't gate check, would they pack up the carseats? I'd hate to go asuming all would be well only to have to depend on someone else's packing, KWIM?

 

[NotUrsula]

No, the airline won't pack them for you, you would have to do that yourself. However, gate-checking greatly lessens the opportunity for damage because the seats don't have to go through the bag room machinery, and they end up on TOP of the cargo hold rather than possibly on the bottom. Therefore, careful packing isn't nearly as important for a gate-check. The satchel alone, maybe with a few beach towels, ought to be enough.

What you would do is take the carseats through security as though you were planning to use them on board the aircraft; TSA doesn't worry about whether or not the seat is approved, just that it fits through the scanner. Then when you get to the gate pack them up and ask the gate agent for a gate-check tag. SWA is pretty mellow about gate-checking carseats; they understand being worried about making sure the seat is on the same flight that you are.

 

[KarenP99]

We bought a graco bag for the carseat. We fit two in there, and we've checked them for 4 flights thus far & everything has held up great.

 

[DJNOWICK]

I gate-check my DDs' carseats every time we fly - never ever had a problem on any airline (SWA, United, US Air, American, Air Tran, and Delta)

Jackie

 

[Ella's Mom]

Definitely gate check your car seats. My friend checked her car seat with her other luggage and the car seat didn't arrive on their flight. Someone in the family had to leave the airport and go buy a carseat and then come back. Major inconvenience. I will only gate check a carseat from now on.

 

[dougsmom98]

We have checked our carseats and we have also brought them to the gate to have them checked. We don't wrap our carseats at all when we check them. We just tag them and let them go. It makes getting through the airport so much easier than lugging them to the gate. On our last trip, we had bought small low-back booster seats for our kids ($13 at Wal Mart). They were so convenient. The were small enough so that the kids 5, 5 and 7 could carry their own. They are not approved for flight so we just gate checked them. We did check the baby's car seat, and as I said before we just tagged it and let it go.

 

[Hi Ho To Disney We Go]

Most airlines have bags they will put the carseat in. If they damage or lose it they will give you a loaner upon your arrival at your destination. Car seats are one item, at least on SWA, that you don't have to sign for conditional acceptance. So, Check it at the curb or Ticket Counter. Let me know if you have any other questions. Liz