What to do with booster seats when flying?

[lauritagoddess]

I'm torn on this too. I just bought a backless booster for this trip and I really didn't want to check it and risk losing it. I don't want to gate check it either since I hate having to wait for it to brought up to the gate (whenever I used to gate check the stroller it never was there when we got off the plane) and then be late to the luggage carousel. If I do check I'm also not sure what to put it in. I had been planning on using a duffle bag and putting it in that, but then I had the forethought to actually try and fit the booster in the bag and realized it won't fit.

 

[brenda1966]

I think maybe you misunderstood-- the previous posters brought the seat up to the gate, at which point the attendants tagged it and stowed it in the plane storage, along w/ strollers, wheelchairs etc... They weren't brought into the cabin and stored with carry-ons.

No, I didn't misunderstand. Two replies suggested taking the car seat on the plane as a carry on! Not just gate checking.

I'm fine with gate checking. Carrying on a car seat that's not approved for airline use? I think that's a waste of carry on space and not necessary.


I wouldn't worry about them losing your car seat if you check it any more than I worry about lost luggage. (now how much I worry about them losing my luggage is another story LOL)

 

[amyamya]

I was trying to figure out how to skip the whole carseat thing if flying and I think the way to do it is to get the CARES harnesses for the kids on the planes (if between 22-44 pounds*) and to use transport that does not required a carseat, like Disneyland Express, and walk everywhere once there.


FAA rules of "4"- if the child is 4 years old, weighs more than 44 pounds and is taller than 40 inches they do not need a special restraint on the aircraft.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Airlines don't actually require any restraint (besides the seatbelt ) for children, they just highly recommend it. We've flown 3x to Disneyland where we wouldn't need the carseats on the other end, so we didn't bring them and my girls just sat in the seats with their seatbelts on. I do know it's safer to have them in carseats on the plane, but it's not required.

 

[RaeRae's Mommy]

Airlines don't actually require any restraint (besides the seatbelt ) for children, they just highly recommend it. We've flown 3x to Disneyland where we wouldn't need the carseats on the other end, so we didn't bring them and my girls just sat in the seats with their seatbelts on. I do know it's safer to have them in carseats on the plane, but it's not required.

This is what we are going to do for are sept trip for are all most 4 year old. There is no worries about the car seat getting there in one piece.