Toddlers: 24 Months+
soontobecapek
member
more traveling questions...
soontobecapek
member
maybe i'm more worried about this than I need to be... but when flying what did you do for/with...
1. your stroller (we're flying in rather large airports)
2.your carseat- both how you got it and if the airline allowed you to gate check
3. when you get 1 carryon and 1 personal, does baby get them too or not? like can I bring my purse and his diaper bag or would those both count as my stuff?
any other tips would be great, I haven't flown in 4 years, and back then I didnt have to pay for checked luggage and obviously didn't have a kid.
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Re: more traveling questions...
I always take my Maclaren Quest. I gate check it. I've never had any damage or problems with it in the two and a half years and about a dozen trips. I do not put it in a bag. I collapse it and leave it with the rest of the gate check luggage.
I flew with my P&T Vibe last time I flew to Atlanta with Jack alone and it's a bit harder to maneuver than the super tiny and light Quest. It is doable though. I wanted to try it out since it will be our travel stroller when #2 arrives.
2. I have the JL Childress Ultimate Carseat backpack bag. I love this. It's easy to work with and it has tons of extra room for a bag of toys (I buy those mesh bags in the laundry department of Walgreens (3pk)) and books besides my Britax Marathon. I also throw my window shades in the bag as well. I do not gate check my carseat. I check it with my suitcases. Be firm with any airline who tries to charge you for the carseat. They cannot do this. It does not count as a piece of luggage. Ask for a manager if someone gives you a hard time. I have never had this problem but I did read somewhere on these boards that one woman did. You can also use the bag to gate check if you prefer. I wouldn't though as it's big. I would buy one of those orange nylon bags that say GATE CHECK on it in white letters. I think they are about $15 online. Google them if you insist on gate checking your carseat. It's so much less of a pita to just check it with your luggage.
3. Most airlines allow one personal bag whether it's a purse OR a diaper bag. Not both. Unless you buy your child a ticket. Jack has had a ticketed seat since he was about 10m old. It's just easier for us this way and much much more comfortable.
Bring a DVD player, flash cards, a favorite book, a new book, maybe a couple new small toys (Jack loves picking out a new airplane (about four inches long) in the gift shop on each trip, a lovey or favorite snuggly animal, stickers, a couple snacks like raisins, cheddar bunny crackers, and a couple lollypops. It's hard to scream and cry if there is a lollypop in your mouth. This tends to keep Jack occupied.
The emergency pullout in the seat back is also great. You can make up many many stories for the pictures. Such as 'look at the pilot sliding down the slide off the airplane. Wouldn't that be cool?'
Your best bet is to check the website of the airline you are flying. ?Each seems to be a little different in what they allow, count as baggage. etc. ?We usually fly JetBlue and they allow us to gate check a stroller and car seat and I am able to carry-on a diaper bag in addition to the regular carry-on limits. ?(I haven't bought Eva her own seat yet when we fly).
For entertainment, Eva has done well with a magnadoodle, stickers (she covered an airsickness bag during one flight), and books. ?
We're flying to Cozumel in a week and I have been a bit worried about the travel as well. The only other time we flew with DS was when he was 5 months old.?
?
1. Stroller- we're bringing our Maclaren and gate checking it.
2. Car seat- DS has his own seat on the plane, so we are bringing the car seat on the plane with us. We bought one of those car seat travel carriers to use while at the airport so we can wheel it around instead of carrying it.
3. If DS does NOT have his own seat, you can either bring a purse OR a diaper bag, not both. If he does have his own seat, you each get one piece of personal luggage.
?
I have made up a travel bag for DS for the plane ride to Cozumel and one home from Cozumel. In each bag, I have snacks, Crayola Color Wonders markers and coloring books, an Aqua Doodle color book (Sesame Street characters on it), I have a small puzzle, I have a small can of play-doh which will keep him amused for a long time, and I have stickers. We're also bringing our portable DVD player.
?
Best of luck!?
- We bring our Maclaren with us and gate check it.
- We just check our carseat with our regular luggage. They put it in a giant plastic bag and thus far we have had no problems with it. IMO it is much easier to just check it then to lug it through the aiport with all your stuff.
- If you your DC has thier own seat they are alloted the same amount of luggage/carryons as you. I say streamline as MUCH as possible though. I have a little backpack for DS that he carries and has all his toys and snacks for the plane ride (easiest to keep it all in one central location) then just bring my purse with a few diapers and wipes.
Musts for us when we travel are: DVD player (or I-phone, laptop., etc), TONS of snacks, a few new, small toys, magnadoodle, crayons, silly putty, sticker books, etc.
Look at your airline's website or call them.
I flew 2x when DD was under 2yo and did not buy her a ticket. On both airlines we flew, I was allowed my purse, a carryon, PLUS the diaper bag for free.
I gate checked the stroller and car seat. I would only consider checking the carseat with the regular luggage for a non-stop flight because I seem to get "lucky" with lost/delayed luggage and it's not like you can go anywhere without the carseat.
After the first leg of my first trip, I did not take the carseat on the plane. (On almost every flight I've been given a free empty seat) It took up a good chunk of my shoulder space and made me very uncomfortable. Plus, it would only fit FFing... not a big deal except that the sides of the carseat made it impossible for DD to see me and this is not acceptable in her world. So I ended up with her in my lap anyway. She sat with the regular seatbelt on very nicely though.
Magnadoodle was a great toy, just get one where the stylus is attached with a string and there are no loose magnets. I took a couple books, a soft toy and a car and that was it. She spent most of the time unpacking and packing the containers from her lunchbox.
To get the carseat to the gate, I plopped it on top of the stroller and just used the stroller as a carrying cart. I had DD in a mei tai. First trip, it was just DD and me, so I know I looked like a pack mule pushing my stroller piled high with the carseat, diaper bag and purse underneath, baby strapped to me and dragging my rolling bag behind me!
The second time I flew DH and SS were with us, so there were a lot more helping hands... though DD got sick and puked all down my back. I had all her clothes in the carryon, but had not packed a change of clothes for myself. I am now the proud owner of a $20 touristy tshirt from my own city - not a lot of clothing choices at the airport at 5am.