carseat & airplane??

When flying with DC on your lap, what do you do with the carseat? Check it with all the luggage or at the gate? I'd like to try to get a seat for her if there is one available (we seem to have luck with this) and use the carseat, so should I bring the giant carseat to the gate and if there is no seat, then check it there? It's so huge & heavy, how do you carry that through the airport?? I'm dreading this.

Re: carseat & airplane??

I would find out before you even leave for the gate if the flight is full. They will tell you right away if you even have a chance of getting an extra seat. Then if its full, you can check it right there with your luggage. If there is a shot, there are devices you can buy to help carry the seat. You will need it down the road after he turns two anyway.

We have had NO luck with this- it only happened once and the person moved his seat to avoid us.

Re: carseat & airplane??

If you don't want to carry it, you can just check it and then sit her in the seat and buckle her in (provided there is an empty one).

Re: carseat & airplane??

You can bring it to the gate and then they can check it at the gate. I would bring whatever seat you use in your car some of them are rated for air like the Britax.. I would buy the little harness if you are lapping it they sell it One step ahead catalog or the website. It locks into your seatbelt and goes over their head.. I flew last Dec when DD was 11 months I gave her a sleepy med and she slept pretty much the entire way but when she was up it was aliitle difficult I am going again in dec and bought a seat even though she will not be 2 yet..

Re: carseat & airplane??

silly question...when you check your carseat with baggage, does it count as a bag?

Re: carseat & airplane??

Re: carseat & airplane??

Re: carseat & airplane??

It DEFINATELY counts as a bag!!! Not a stupid question at all

Re: carseat & airplane??

Posted by kimmie

It DEFINATELY counts as a bag!!! Not a stupid question at all

Re: carseat & airplane??

We use the carseat on the plane, since it is so much safer than keeping them on a lap. Our last trip, last month, we had two car seats. I loosened the straps all the way, and wore one as a backpack. The other one I put upside down over a wheeled carry-on bag. If you do that, practice at home first. You have to take it off and put it back on a few times (getting out of the car, security, boarding the plane, de-planing, getting into the rental, etc). Once it's on, it's a piece of cake taking it through the airport, since it's on wheels that way. Even the backpack method isn't too bad.

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Message edited 7/23/2007 8:09:48 AM.

Re: carseat & airplane??

Thanks for the responses & advice.

I decided to buy a carseat bag that has a strap so that I can hold it. I got it from Target for $19.99. They also have one with wheels, but it was much more expensive.

wheeled car seat bag

Re: carseat & airplane??

We have always checked the carseat with our luggage because the flights have always been full and we had no chance of an empty seat. It has never counted toward our bag allowance.

We fly Northwest usually. Check with the airline you are flying for their rules.

Here's Northwest's rules:
Government-Approved Child Seat: Northwest accepts government-approved child seats in addition to normal carry-on or checked luggage provided approved space is available. When checking your child seat you can bring your car seat to the gate to be loaded there.