How bad is Alamo child seat hire??

[Sunset_Princess]

I don't think I should be asking this as I am scared about the answers but here goes nothing!!!

We have had to hire a car seat from Alamo when we pick up our car as we cannot take our own out as my 21 month old will be sat on our lap on the plane. I have been doing some googling and it sounds terrible! People saying the seats are dirty and battered and that they wont help you fit them at all. This story was from 2008 so I am preying they have improved??

 

[dancin Disney style]

You can bring your own on the plane. It will have to be checked and you have the option to check it with the luggage at the counter or gate check it. Depending on your airline they may or may not charge you for checking the seat. Either way though, paying to check the seat will most likely cost you less than paying to rent one from Alamo.

What you have read on Google is pretty much the truth. The seat are often filthy and you won't have any safety info/background on them. It will also be your responsibility to install the seat. A seat that you are unfamiliar with could be difficult to install.

It will be a hassle to bring your own seat from home but in the end it's the best situation for your child.

ETA: I rented from Alamo at the CCC in March and there were car seats lined up against a wall. My 17yo pointed to them and said "those look gross".

 

[wdwfan1]

We rented two car seats last year. (Went on Disney cruise so we needed 2--one each way) The car seats were wrapped in plastic and were in great condition.

 

[skedssays]

I just rented from Alamo. No issues really, the first one I grabbed had a cut strap so I walked over and got another one. They were clean and wrapped in clear plastic bags.

 

[bumbershoot]

I would gate-check my own.

Best of luck with the lap baby situation. Worst 4 hours (times 2) ever, the two flights we took when DS was young enough that lap-baby was an option.

 

[ibob52]

I would *Bring* my own car seat and check it with the airline at the ticket counter.

Alamo rents car seats for .. $10.00 a day

 

[quagmire0]

I've seen enough horror stories to recommend you bring your own. As a PP mentioned, you can check it at the gate and then pick it up when you walk off the plane. Also, it saves you $$ and potential frustration.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

but remember that even gate checked seats can fall off belts going into plane which makes your seat same as being in car crash. plus haw does you little one like being held on your lap to watch a movie? you are not going to be able to use the lap tray and most trips you are not going to be able to walk up and down the aisle. look at price of renting carseat and the cost of plane ticket for little and putting child in carseat on plane

 

[NotUrsula]

Based on the use of the phrase "hire a carseat", it is probable that the OP is coming from the UK or Ireland.

US law requires airlines to accommodate carseats, but non-US carriers don't have to follow the same rules. UK carriers, in particular, tend to discourage the use of carseats on board aircraft; they encourage belly-band seat-belt loops instead (those are actually illegal on US carriers.) If a seat berth for the child was not purchased (quite a chunk of change on an international flight these days), the carseat cannot be gate-checked; it has to fly as checked baggage (though most of the time there is no charge to check it.) What we always did on overseas flights when we checked a seat was to use a carseat satchel when checking the bag, and added in our beach towels or jackets around it for padding.

IME, no US rental-car agency will help you install a carseat; they do not want their employees liable if it is done incorrectly and there is an accident resulting in injury. Alamo's standard rental toddler carseat is the Cosco Scenera; you can download the owner's manual here: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwiEirHm1_XMAhUDRlIKHcWaAhQQFggdMAA&url=https://coscokids.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/article_attachments/202118006/Instructions_-__Manufacture_Date_-_until_Present__-TRC.pdf&usg=AFQjCNFk32jaZwabM7f_9QQTFhCR-x7w4g&cad=rja

There have been times when the seats looked a bit grubby (though never truly soiled), so if it would make you feel better about that, you might want to bring a few disinfecting wipes in a ziploc to give it a once-over before installing it.