Traveling with Carseat.

myrall

We're taking a vacay soon and this is the first trip where Geneva will have her own seat. So that means we're hauling along her Britax Marathon. I've seen a few options for lugging and tugging this thing:

1. Backpack-style
2. Attach to your rolling carry-on
3. Attach carseat to it's own set of wheels (Gogo Kidz)

I'm inclined to go for option #3 because it looks the simplest. What are you guys' experiences?

Also, if she won't be using the stroller, can we still gate check it? Or do we need to check it at check-in? I know you don't get charged for pack-n-plays, but do you get charged for strollers?

 

K&P414

I'm not a lot of help but I do know that we gate checked Tess's carseat and stroller and weren't charged for it.  Gate check is where you take it all the way to the plane, right?

myrall

K&P414:

I'm not a lot of help but I do know that we gate checked Tess's carseat and stroller and weren't charged for it.  Gate check is where you take it all the way to the plane, right?

Yep - gate check is where you take it all the way to the gate. We did this when we held G. on our lap for the flight. Now, she'll get to ride in her carseat in her own plane seat.

K&P414

I don't know about the trip you're taking but if it was me I would get that rolly thing that hooks to the carseat.  Then, (and I assume you're husb is going) one of you can push G in the stoller and 1 of you can roll the carseat.

tracigator

I haven't flown with B since he's been in his Marathon so I'm no help but I agree, #3 would be the option I would choose. 

And yes, I would think they would gate-check the stroller.  They wouldn't know that you didn't use it for the airport!  

If you check-it for "real", they shouldn't charge you for it.  I don't think they charge for any baby items.  I checked his infant seat last summer and wasn't charged for it plus I used the car-seat travel bag and umm...added some stuff in there too and they didn't check it.  :-)

Happy travels!

myrall

Geneva would ride in the rolly thing if we got it. You attach the car seat and strap her in.

Maclaren was running a deal on the kickass stroller bag, so we got it. I won't feel so bad checking that if they'll take it. Plus, since G. is an actual ticketed passenger, she'll be able to have checked luggage.

andrea922

Actually I believe they do count a PNP as an item, but they don't charge for strollers or carseats to be checked, at least on delta. And you will have to pay for checked baggage regardless, $15 first bag per passenger for Delta, $35 for the second. If you are flying another airline all this could be moot I would check the stroller if you won't be using it!

kep

Take them to the gate. ) We just carried our carseat (or lugged it on top of a rolling suitcase and rolled it along) to the gate and hoped we could use it on the plane (we have not ever bought Kate a ticket, but she just turned 2 ... so those days are gone). She got her own seat about 50% of the time, and we could use the carseat on the plane. The other times, we just checked it at the gate with our stroller, and it was fine. No bag, nothing. One airport guy even complimented us on how clean our Marathon was. ha!

kep

P.S. Have always checked our stroller at the gate with no problem. We definitely NEED the stroller in the airport and at the gate. I cannot imagine traveling through the airport without it. Whew.

NewBlue

I read lots of reviews and option 3 sounded like a pain to get through security.  You have to unscrew the seat from the frame.  We bought option 2 but haven't used it yet.  On our last trip we used a carseat bag with wheels and lugged it through the airport to gate check it.  Not super bad but did have to take carseat out of the bag to go through the xray.