Flying with kids?

chelseymat

Can I gate check a double stroller? or would you say its more trouble than its worth? Also, do I have to pay if I check a carseat? And what is the booster seat that travels really well that everyone talks about? I wanna say its inflatable even or something like that (I realize I might be crazy)

penguingrrl

No idea about checking a double stroller

No you do not have to pay to check a carseat, but I would be very careful doing so. Carseats can get lost or really banged up, which can compromise their safety (which you wouldn't know until you've had an accident). If you must regular check, carseat techs recommend doing so in the original box it came in. Otherwise either use it on the plane (this is preferred as it is also optimal as far as your child's safety) or gate check as a gate checked seat goes through fewer sets of hands and has less likelihood of being lost or damaged.

The travel booster is the bubble bum, which I highly recommend. 

chelseymat

penguingrrl said:

No idea about checking a double stroller

No you do not have to pay to check a carseat, but I would be very careful doing so. Carseats can get lost or really banged up, which can compromise their safety (which you wouldn't know until you've had an accident). If you must regular check, carseat techs recommend doing so in the original box it came in. Otherwise either use it on the plane (this is preferred as it is also optimal as far as your child's safety) or gate check as a gate checked seat goes through fewer sets of hands and has less likelihood of being lost or damaged.

The travel booster is the bubble bum, which I highly recommend. 

But you wouldn't rent a carseat either right? Its just a lot to get 3 kids plus two seats plus carry ons through security and to the gate. Any suggestions on how to make this easier?

penguingrrl

chelseymat said:

penguingrrl said:

No idea about checking a double stroller

No you do not have to pay to check a carseat, but I would be very careful doing so. Carseats can get lost or really banged up, which can compromise their safety (which you wouldn't know until you've had an accident). If you must regular check, carseat techs recommend doing so in the original box it came in. Otherwise either use it on the plane (this is preferred as it is also optimal as far as your child's safety) or gate check as a gate checked seat goes through fewer sets of hands and has less likelihood of being lost or damaged.

The travel booster is the bubble bum, which I highly recommend. 

But you wouldn't rent a carseat either right? Its just a lot to get 3 kids plus two seats plus carry ons through security and to the gate. Any suggestions on how to make this easier?

No, I wouldn't rent one either. Unfortunately carseats and flying basically suck as a combination. Seriously. When I've done it I put the carseat in the stroller and had my toddler walk holding my hand. The carseat was fairly precarious (it was a convertible, not an infant seat) but I made it work. A lot of people use bungee cords to strap their carseats to their carry on luggage so it just rolls with the luggage. I've even seen people use bungees to strap carseats to strollers and put the kid in that. Not something I would do for anything longer than a schlepp through the airport, but might work for that.

chelseymat

Have either of you guys had trouble with the bumble bum leaking? It looks like thats the majority of the negative reviews. I would hate to get there and then have it leak…..

penguingrrl

I have not had an issue with my bubble bum at all. Ours is almost 3 years old (!!!) and has never leaked and it has been used fairly frequently. When you get yours (FYI, I have seen them in store at Target) just make sure to test it out. I have a few friends who have them and the only issue I've heard of was one friend's popped when her kid jumped on it (her kid is an absolute wild child, this wasn't typical kid jumping) and she called bubble bum and they shipped her a brand new one immediately.

chelseymat

Thanks for all the tips

penguingrrl

Have a great trip!

irishgrl317

Are you traveling alone with the kids or will your H be with you?

When we fly, we attach the kids' seats to our carry-ons. We bought a couple of steel rings at Home Depot and use the straps to connect multiple pieces of luggage together to connect a carseat to the luggage instead. We then strap the kids in and roll them through the airport. We have loads of people stop and ask us about it every time we travel. It is a pain to take apart and put back together at security, but carseats at security are a pain anyway. If you want more info about the setup, let me know.

Also, we do this because we don't check carseats. We always use them on the plane. This summer, we will bring a bubble bum for DS1, carry a radian on our back, and attach 2 carseats to luggage. It's not ideal, but it keeps carseats safe. We don't ever take strollers with us, either.

hokies94

You may want to check with your airline on whether you can check a double stroller.  Some airlines recently (w/in past few years) stopped gate checking strollers over a certain size.  It varies by airline so you really should check with whatever airline you're flying. 

AwaitingAAmiracle

Jet Blue was gate checking double strollers last week when we flew to VA.