Renting car seat with car rental?

[beattyfamily]

I've read several reports of carseats being damaged when they were checked as luggage. I'd hate to land at the airport and realize my seat wasn't usable - that puts you in a really bad position!

I've brought mine and check them with our luggage on 7 WDW trip so far with no damage whatsoever. That's what we prefer to do. You do what you feel comfortable with. We like bringing our own and wouldn't rent them unless it was an absolute emergency. I'd rather take my chances having them checked and so far so good. I also would not bring my carseats on board because my girls are way too old to have booster seats on an airplane.

Worst comes to worst, I'll send hubby to Walmart and buy replacements.

 

[DisneyDotty]

Last year we bought booster seats for $12/each at WalMart and checked them (in their original box) on the plane. Used them for our trip (about three weeks) and then left them at the airport when we returned the car. This may seem wasteful, but we didn't want to deal with any more luggage upon our return. And the $24 was WAY less than the $10/day rental per seat the rental company was charging.

 

[luvmygrlz]

At 4 yrs., even if small, I would skip the carseat on the plane. I have done it both ways with my first daughter and by 4 yrs, she did fine in just a seat. At 7, she only weighs in at 42 lbs, so she is still quite small.
This Dec. we are flying with our 1 yr. old as well. We are checking her car seat as baggage. This makes it so much easier to make it through the airport. We have checked carseats numerous times and they have always come through great.
My only other thought is if you have an extremely long flight, then MAYBE use the carseat. Our dd usually ends up snuggling up next to one of us, but at 4yrs and going to WDW, your daughter may just be too excited to sleep on the plane.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

 

[liamsaunt]

I puchased a portable car seat for my Dniece for our upcoming trip. It is only 3 or 4 lbs. and folds very small. I will be able to bring it in my carry on bag. The cost is $30. You can see the car seat here:

http://www.onestepahead.com/jump.js...PRODUCT&iProductID=313766&change=118#readmore

For my Dnephew age 6, we are checking a booster seat. Both kids will sit without car seats on the plane.

 

[safetymom]

http://www.epinions.com/pr-Safety_1st_Tote_n_Go_DX_22_909_Car_Seat/display_~reviews

I suggest looking at these reviews.

 

[tlbwriter]

Yes, the Tote N Go is a fabulous idea, and if it worked properly it would really be an answer to many parents' prayers. But the implementation leaves a lot to be desired.

 

[jodifla]

I've read several reports of carseats being damaged when they were checked as luggage. I'd hate to land at the airport and realize my seat wasn't usable - that puts you in a really bad position!

So, if you don't check it as luggage, how do you take it with you? Gate check it?

 

[tlbwriter]

So, if you don't check it as luggage, how do you take it with you? Gate check it?

If I were taking it with me, I'd use it on the plane. If someone is determined not to use it on the plane for whatever reason, then yes, they should gate check it. You're still not guaranteed that it won't be lost or damaged, but there's a better chance it will arrive safe and sound.

 

[jodifla]

If I were taking it with me, I'd use it on the plane. If someone is determined not to use it on the plane for whatever reason, then yes, they should gate check it. You're still not guaranteed that it won't be lost or damaged, but there's a better chance it will arrive safe and sound.

To what age would you use a car seat on the plane?

 

[tlbwriter]

To what age would you use a car seat on the plane?

That's a good question, and I really don't have a definitive answer. There's more research on infants in airplanes (lap babies vs carseats) than there is on older kids. I guess as long as I felt she needed a harness in the car, I'd keep her harnessed on an airplane as well. I'd definitely keep her harnessed on an airplane (and in a car, of course) as long as she weighed less than 40 lb - that's an absolute minimum IMHO.

We didn't fly with my daughter until she was 5.5, and she had been using a booster seat in the car (rather than a harnessed seat) for a few months. We took her backless booster to use in the Mears van (this was before ME), but of course she couldn't use it on the airplane. So I guess that's my own personal standard - if she's tall enough and heavy enough to use a backless booster, she's big enough to use an airplane lapbelt.

 

[jodifla]

That's a good question, and I really don't have a definitive answer. There's more research on infants in airplanes (lap babies vs carseats) than there is on older kids. I guess as long as I felt she needed a harness in the car, I'd keep her harnessed on an airplane as well. I'd definitely keep her harnessed on an airplane (and in a car, of course) as long as she weighed less than 40 lb - that's an absolute minimum IMHO.

We didn't fly with my daughter until she was 5.5, and she had been using a booster seat in the car (rather than a harnessed seat) for a few months. We took her backless booster to use in the Mears van (this was before ME), but of course she couldn't use it on the airplane. So I guess that's my own personal standard - if she's tall enough and heavy enough to use a backless booster, she's big enough to use an airplane lapbelt.

I find it interesting that you are so adamant about advising parents on car seats in planes when you haven't had to experience it yourself.

 

[tlbwriter]

I find it interesting that you are so adamant about advising parents on car seats in planes when you haven't had to experience it yourself.

I don't understand your reasoning. I couldn't possibly know how important it is to use a carseat because I haven't done it? What does that have to do with anything? Are you saying that the mere act of installing a seat on an airplane gives you not only an engineering degree and enough experience to know whether it's useful, but also psychic powers, so you can tell whether this will be the trip where the seat saves your child from injury? Or were you aiming for the "You couldn't possibly know how hard it is!" argument? My only response to that one is "Yes, and...?" Yes, it can be inconvenient. Maybe even hard. But I've had to do lots of hard things as a parent. Using a carseat properly is just one of them.

Anyway, the information is out there. Most of the time your child will be perfectly fine without a carseat. But every once in a while, a carseat will save a child from death or injury. I just think it's important to make an informed decision based on facts, not "feelings." There's lots of misinformation out there. You, for example, did not know that most airplane crashes are survivable before you read it on this thread. Now you know, and now you can make a more informed decision about whether and to what extent you can protect your child in a crash. What you do with that information is up to you. But geez, anybody can do the research and read the statistics and determine that there are benefits to using a carseat on an airplane. You don't have actually live through it to understand that much.

 

[EthansMom]

On most airlines, your child won't be permitted to sit in his/her own seat without a carseat if he/she is under 2 years old. Above 2 years old, you are permitted to have the child sit in the seat without a carseat, but you may feel more comfortable taking a carseat up to 30 or 35 pounds. Certainly, when we took DS on the plane at 2 years old and forgot his carseat, I felt that the airplane seatbelt didn't buckle down as tightly as I would have liked. At 40 pounds, however, DS has gotten big enough that he is completely secured by the airplane seatbelt. Also, DS listens to and follows direction better at 4 than at 2.

 

[jodifla]

I don't understand your reasoning. I couldn't possibly know how important it is to use a carseat because I haven't done it? What does that have to do with anything? Are you saying that the mere act of installing a seat on an airplane gives you not only an engineering degree and enough experience to know whether it's useful, but also psychic powers, so you can tell whether this will be the trip where the seat saves your child from injury? Or were you aiming for the "You couldn't possibly know how hard it is!" argument? My only response to that one is "Yes, and...?" Yes, it can be inconvenient. Maybe even hard. But I've had to do lots of hard things as a parent. Using a carseat properly is just one of them.

Anyway, the information is out there. Most of the time your child will be perfectly fine without a carseat. But every once in a while, a carseat will save a child from death or injury. I just think it's important to make an informed decision based on facts, not "feelings." There's lots of misinformation out there. You, for example, did not know that most airplane crashes are survivable before you read it on this thread. Now you know, and now you can make a more informed decision about whether and to what extent you can protect your child in a crash. What you do with that information is up to you. But geez, anybody can do the research and read the statistics and determine that there are benefits to using a carseat on an airplane. You don't have actually live through it to understand that much.

Your advice comes with a holier than thou attitude at its core that I find objectionable. The single mom traveler hauling car seats for her infant, two year old and four year old might find it beyond "inconvenient" to haul three car seats on a plane.

And while I asked for statistics about survivable plane crashes, I don't think you offered any, unless I missed it.

My research shows me different conclusions.

 

[tlbwriter]

Your advice comes with a holier than thou attitude at its core that I find objectionable.

I'm sorry you feel that way. People sometimes take offense to posts that disagree with what they feel must be true, especially when it comes to parenting decisions.

The single mom traveler hauling car seats for her infant, two year old and four year old might find it beyond "inconvenient" to haul three car seats on a plane.

Nice straw man argument.

First, this has nothing to do with the fact that carseats can and do save lives. And since the OP didn't mention travelling alone with three kids four and under, we can assume that isn't an issue for her. All she wanted to know is whether it was a good idea to rent a carseat.

Second, your putative mom would also have a hell of a time at Disneyworld. Dealing with carseats on the airplane would be the least of her concerns. In fact, if I were dealing with such a situation, I'd make sure every one of my kids was strapped into a seat on the plane. I can't imagine handling them otherwise.

And third, yes, I said it might be hard. I'm sure it would be, for this mom. We all have to make our own decisions about what is "doable." And like I said in my previous post, I hope they can be informed decisions, rather than decisions based on myths like "If the plane crashes we're all going to die anyway, so why bother?"

And while I asked for statistics about survivable plane crashes, I don't think you offered any, unless I missed it.

My research shows me different conclusions.

I did, in post 15 of this thread. Are you willing to share your research? I've found nothing at all that says more people die on plane crashes than survive - at least not in the last decade (those of us who aren't doing time travel tend to care more about today's safety standards. ) If you do have some information, I'd love to take a look.

 

[jodifla]

I'm sorry you feel that way. People sometimes take offense to posts that disagree with what they feel must be true, especially when it comes to parenting decisions.


Nice straw man argument.

First, this has nothing to do with the fact that carseats can and do save lives. And since the OP didn't mention travelling alone with three kids four and under, we can assume that isn't an issue for her. All she wanted to know is whether it was a good idea to rent a carseat.

Second, your putative mom would also have a hell of a time at Disneyworld. Dealing with carseats on the airplane would be the least of her concerns. In fact, if I were dealing with such a situation, I'd make sure every one of my kids was strapped into a seat on the plane. I can't imagine handling them otherwise.

And third, yes, I said it might be hard. I'm sure it would be, for this mom. We all have to make our own decisions about what is "doable." And like I said in my previous post, I hope they can be informed decisions, rather than decisions based on myths like "If the plane crashes we're all going to die anyway, so why bother?"



I did, in post 15 of this thread. Are you willing to share your research? I've found nothing at all that says more people die on plane crashes than survive - at least not in the last decade (those of us who aren't doing time travel tend to care more about today's safety standards. ) If you do have some information, I'd love to take a look.

I had missed the earlier post, thanks for the link.

If I can hunt up my research, I'll post it.

 

[liamsaunt]

http://www.epinions.com/pr-Safety_1st_Tote_n_Go_DX_22_909_Car_Seat/display_~reviews

I suggest looking at these reviews.

Argh. Thanks for linking to this. My DH is coming on the trip also and offered to carry Caili's everyday seat to the gate check. I think that's what we will do.

 

[tjmw2727]

Argh. Thanks for linking to this. My DH is coming on the trip also and offered to carry Caili's everyday seat to the gate check. I think that's what we will do.

Sorry just catching up but I will say that I purchased the tote n go and promptly returned it. Despite every effort we made in both vehicles we could not get it tight. Dd was actually able to lay flat on her back on the seat of the car while in the tote n go!! I can't imagine installing it in a car that I wasn't familiar with or a in a taxi. I personally find the ads a bit misleading, but perhaps others were more successful.

FWIW - on another thread there was a recommendation of a fairly lightweight, fairly inexpensive traditional CRS with a 5 point maybe by Graco. Quite a few posters mentioned it was lighter to carry, and easy to install plus smaller so easier to use in the aircraft.

If your interested perhaps someone remembers the name or I am sure a quick search will get you the name of the seat. It may be a Graco?

TJ

 

[tjmw2727]

Once my dd's were in a booster we didn't use them on the aircraft and they went through checked luggage fine in a carseat bag.

My sil still uses hers on the airplane and just got a nice bag with luggage type wheels made for the CRS, she loves it. IIRC she got one at babies r us.

TJ