Plane Advice with little ones

[Trina7020]

My original plan was just to drag the car seats for the plane for my 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 year old.... (We would only need them for the plane since we are staying on property with no rental car)

But with the stroller rental price increase we have decided to bring our own double. I am not sure how do-able it is going to be getting our stroller, 2 car seats, and our carry ons through the airport and of course on the plane. I don't have a stroller bag so I need to gate check the stroller I guess. I am just really worried about the logistics of this...

Also.. storing the car seats in our itty bitty Pop room. Would you skip the car seats? Will having so much stuff work ok?


I have only flown once with them when they were 9 months and 23 months... that time I was alone and had both carseats (we needed them when we got there so it wasn't an option) and it was a NIGHTMARE. I am really worried and a bit scared!

 

[MickeyMomTo2]

My daughter was almost 3 last year. We did not take a car seat on the plane because we didn't need one for the buses.

 

[juliana_sd]

You're right, that is a lot of stuff!!! At those ages we did not use carseats on the plane. I felt comfortable having him in just the seatbelt (I put a blanket over it so he wouldn't be tempted to unbuckle). If you don't think either of your children will stay in their seats, then you should bring a carseat for them. There is also a flight harness thing, CARES I think it's called. Not cheap though.

If you do bring them though, get some bungee cords and rig the carseats up on the stroller and push them through the airport that way. It's a pain at security but you gotta do what you gotta do. Good luck!

 

[Mom2JPL]

We didn't use car seats last year and it worked out great. Kids (4 and 2 1/2 at the time) sat in their seat buckled in the whole time. They knew they weren't allowed out. They each carried their own backpack with a spare set of clothes and a coloring book, stickers, small pack of crayons, a few snacks, and a few little toys I picked up from the dollar store. My son didn't even touch his toys...he just "ate his way from here to FL", lol! My dh put the tray table down for him and he snacked his way to Disney (he loved the plane peanuts and cookies!).

I know I obsessed about taking my 3 kids to on the plane last year (12 month old was a lap ticket, so she took turns on dh and I's laps), but it worked out so much easier that I could have imagined. My kids know to stay in their seats in the car, and did the same on the plane.

Have fun planning!

 

[james'mommy]

No car seats. Have never found to need it for DS. I would bring a portable dvd player if you have one. Always really good for the airplane and in the airport when you are waiting. Usually if we have the dvd player going in the airport we have a cluster of kids who end up plopping down next to DS.

 

[bzzymom]

I have only brought a car seat when we were renting a car and I checked it in with the luggage. DD was 2.5 when we used magic express so we didn't take her seat. She was fine. We took sticker books and crayons and portable DVD player and snacks.

 

[PJR]

My son is almost 3... I'm bringing snacks, "new" actvities (stickers, coloring sheets, a small toy or two), a DVD player, and no carseat. These are essentially the same items we brought when we flew with him about a year ago, and it all worked out great. This time, I may wrap a new little something and ask the flight attendant to give it to him. He'd get a thrill out of that.

 

[MegandNatesMommy]

If possible I would say, skip the carseats.
But if you feel that the kids won't stay put in the seat on the plane and you need to bring them they make these car seat cases that they sell at Babies R US. They have a strap or sometimes 2 straps on them so they can be carried on your back. They are about $20 each. This way you and your DH could each carry one seat to the plane.

 

[troynkasey]

A couple things... When renting a car, obviously you'll need a car seat. We're using ME this year, so we purchased the harness from CARES and will use it on the plane. I was not comfortable with just the lap belt. 2 1/2 year old children need more than a lapbelt to restrain...I mean protect them!

We talked to our doctor when we first flew with our daughter (7 monthes old) and he suggested putting a pacifier in her mouth. When she was old enough, he said Benadryl would help open up her nasal passages and hopefully her ears wouldn't pop. It also could make her sleepy and help her get a nice little nap.

I'd say make sure you have snacks and a drink and dont' forget something to do on the plane. We plan on making homemade "flash-cards" to take on the plane for her to look at and talk about. I'm going to print pictures, laminate and hole punch and then connect so she has something to look at. It should also get her excited...if she's not already.

 

[MegandNatesMommy]

We talked to our doctor when we first flew with our daughter (7 monthes old) and he suggested putting a pacifier in her mouth. When she was old enough, he said Benadryl would help open up her nasal passages and hopefully her ears wouldn't pop. It also could make her sleepy and help her get a nice little nap.
.

Benadryl- This was my plan as well- My son is 1 and I havn't given it to him yet but I am planning on giving him some anyways to be sure he doesn't have the same reaction as DD (who got crazy from it one time instead of sleepy) I go to my Ped a few days before we leave so Im going to check with her first.
This is a GREAT Idea, I was wondering how I was going to stop the ear popping...I was thinking of giving him a bottle just so he'll be sucking.(he won't take a paci)

A few weeks ago on The View they were talking about controlling kids on a plane and how some ppl spank or grab the kids whatever and Joy was like "This is why they make Benadryl!!" My mom was with me ( a nurse for 42yrs.) Said this is what she did to me when we went to Disney when I was a child!

 

[TDISFAMILY]

I would also say skip the car seat DS 2 1/2 did fine on his 1st plane ride w/o one. I think it also helped him know he needed to be a "big boy" on the plane. His Dr also recommended Benadryl when I called and asked for advice on how to help his ears. I brought it but didn't need it, gummie snacks, gum, and the peanuts is what kept him amused, the whole bag of toys and colors didn't even get used.

 

[kettlemeetpot]

Bring plenty of new things to keep them entertained, I also found when my kids were younger it was fun and helpful to pretend to fly and get our bags at home in the weeks before we left. Ya know,, the takeoff, etc. It's not bad!

 

[Ninnygunk]

So glad to see this - I'm worried about not having my son's car seat on the plane but I don't think I can'handle him, carry on's, stroller & car seat through the airport. It's more of a safety issue for me - I'm just a worry-wart!

 

[anicholson75]

I rented my CARES harness from ebay. She'll send it to arrive a few days before we leave, and then I have a week to mail it back. It was only $15 to rent.