Checking the carseat --need cover?

[Mainebound]

Hi,

We are bringing our carseats on this trip, as we are renting a car. One is a short booster which I can put inside a suitcase. The other is a big old high backed carseat. I would like to check it with our luggage, as I do not feel the need to put our 3 year old in it on the plane.

My question is: should I buy a cover for it? If so, which is best and where do I get it?

thanks!

 

[nucpharm29]

I would definitely buy a cover. We always check our carseat and use a carseat bag to cover it. With the damage the bag has gotten, I can't imagine what our seat would've looked like without it. That being said, we ordered ours of of Babycenter.com. It is made by Graco and costs less than $20. About $25 with shipping. That model is probably the cheapest, it has a nice strap for carrying. It is not the most high quality, so it won't last for lots of trips. We are actually on our second. But for the price, we figured it was worth it, and we travel quite a bit. There are more expensive models, probably stronger fabric and some with wheels. But whatever you decide, I highly recommend a cover. Have fun on your trip!

 

[toystorymom]

I know I'm in the minority but I always check my carseats and boosters and have never bought a cover. When we flew SW they gave us plastic bags to put them in. Most recently with Jet Blue we just tagged them and checked them. It was funny, because while we were doing this, there was another couple next to us who was wrapping their carseat in bubble wrap, packing tape, and then putting it into one of the carrying bags.

For under $25, the cover nucpharm29 recommended sounds like a good deal. Just wanted to let you know that I've never had any problems without one though.

 

[NotUrsula]

Carseat satchels are most useful for actually maneuvering through the terminal to your gate, b/c they have backpack straps. I personally always gate-check our carseats; I don't want to run the risk that they might be mis-routed and delay our departure from the arrival airport. Also, when they go through the bag room the handling can be a bit rough, and there is every possibility that they may end up stowed underneath what may literally be tons of baggage in the aircraft hold. The satchels are also useful for stowing coats for winter travel; we tend to stuff ours in w/ the carseats when we gate-check the carseat satchel. Or satchel is from Prince Lionheart; ~ $28 from BRUS. It has well over 200K airmiles on it by this point; still going strong.

That said, all US domestic airlines will provide a large clear plastic bag for checking carseats; you just need to ask. The checkin counter will have them, but the skycaps and gate agents may not always have them available, so if you want to check at the curb or at the gate, you may not get one unless you get it from the counter.

Personally, I would not check a carseat without some sort of cover; if it is raining when the bags are loaded, the upholstery might get soaked, and the hold of an aircraft tends to be a greasy place.

 

[robinb]

Southwest airlines ate our carseat cover and I didn't buy one for our last trip because I thought my booster seat would be OK. ATA had a plastic bag for it from MSN-MCO, but did not have any bags at MCO for the return trip. Car seat capitol of the world, and they didn't have protection for the car seat. I forgot that the arm rest covers were removable and they were both lost in transit.

 

[matdamom]

We used a car seat cover and it fit both our booster and high-back car seat - I think the one I got was from toysrus.com and it was about $20. It was Eddie Bauer and seems to be of good quality. We also used it to stash winter coats. We checked out car seats both ways and I didn't see too much wear and tear, this time. It is nice to have when hauling your car seats from the gate and/or baggage claim to your rental car.

 

[Mainebound]

We used a car seat cover and it fit both our booster and high-back car seat - I think the one I got was from toysrus.com and it was about $20. It was Eddie Bauer and seems to be of good quality. We also used it to stash winter coats. We checked out car seats both ways and I didn't see too much wear and tear, this time. It is nice to have when hauling your car seats from the gate and/or baggage claim to your rental car.

this is a great idea -- to put the booster and their winter coats in it. I think I will go ahead and buy a cheap cover. thank you for all of your replies, everyone!

 

[summerrluvv]

I would never check a carseat without a bag with some type of cushioning. I see how they throw bags around, I wouldn't want them throwing around my carseat like that. Afterall, the carseat is to protect your little ones and the car seat manf. recommends throwing out a carseat that has been in any kind of accident, even a small fender bender so with thousands of pounds of luggage on it, or it being thrown around, well I would gather to say that checking it alone probably isn't the best option. We've always gate checked them in the past and even with DS's booster seat (backless) I carry it on.

 

[Asil65]

Just curious about Florida ca seat rules.What are the restrictions? I have a 5 and 7 year old.