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Toddlers: 12 - 24 Months
RunningMamaH
member
Ok, now a questions about airport security w/kids + gear
RunningMamaH
member
Thanks Ladies for putting up with me today 
It is just getting close and I like to know what is in store for me LOL!
Will they put the carseat through the x-ray? It is a Britax Marathon, will it fit?
And what do they do with the stroller? Just have you push it through the metal detector?
I am assuming they will want DS to walk through by himself..... not sure how that will go.
And I am going by myself so I was going to have the carseat in the stroller while wearing DS in the Ergo (on the front) with our backpack on and then take DS out when we got to security, unload and then put it all back when we get through.
I am planning on bringing snacks and leaving his water bottle empty until we get through.
Any tips?
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Ok, now a questions about airport security w/kids + gear
We never bring a stroller so I don't KNOW about that but I'm guessing they'll have you fold it and put it through. They do put carseats through but I'm not sure about the exact size stuff. We always check our carseat when we check our bags since our son won't sit in it anyway and we don't pay for a seat for him so they often have to gate check it if we do bring it through, but when we have they do scan it.
They don't make our son walk through, they let me carry him through. I do have to take off the Ergo though (and his shoes which is weird).
Also, you don't have to leave his water bottle empty, they can just take it and test it. I usually empty it but I've forgotten before and they're happy to test it instead, no big deal.
We just got back last week and flew with 18 month old DS....he is how it worked for us.
On the way out, they did put the car seat through the detector (some it fits, some it doesnt) on the way back they just hand checked it bc it did not fit through. I had to close up the stroller and put it through the xray. They let me hold DS as we went through, i did have to take off his shoes and such but they did let me hold him, which helped a bit......
you dont have to have his water bottle empty if you dont want. You can bring water, milk, juice for a child...they will make you open the cup and they put a strip over it ot make sure its nothing explosive, that was nice so i didnt have to pay for bottled water for DS. Getting through security was the most stressful part of the trip honestly.....I would thnk they will make you take the ergo off and put it through as well....
let me know if you have more questions, it is quite fresh in my mind:-)
good luck!!
Carseat won't fit, they'll use a wand.
They pull your stroller around to a special area to examine it. If it's too big, I mean, which all of my strollers (single and double) have been.
They usually request I have my toddlers walk through, but if I end up carrying them it's not an issue.
HIGHLY suggest a GoGoKidz Travelmate to get your Britax through the airport. I've easily pulled that while pushing my kids in the double stroller.
I wrote down a bunch of my travel tips on my blog, I've traveled quite a bit with my two. It's easier to direct you there than repeat it all here:
https://www.mandielane.com/2011/04/on-traveling-with-baby-people.html
(read it. you know you want to.)
anderson . september 2008
vivian . february 2010
mabel . august 2012
Traveling with a LO can be a trying adventure, but it sounds like you are really preparing. Good for you! I travelled with DD when she was 13 months. Here's how we did everything...
-Carseat will go through the x-ray thing or if it's to big, will go through the scanner you go through. They may also check it out after it's been scanned.
-Same thing with the stroller. Goes through x-ray or through metal detector you go through. They may also hand check it afterwards too.
-DD was too young to walk through by herself. They let me carry her. If you have your baby in the Ergo, you'll have to take it off and put that through the x-ray too. You can hold your baby through the scanner too. (My DD has a monkey that she would NOT part with. Security was really nice, but monkey on the x-ray belt first thing. That way she was distracted by going through the scanner and when she was done, monkey was right there waiting for her.)
-Bringing snacks is huge. I had her sippy filled with water the whole time and no one told me to empty it. I added some juice to it and gave it to her at take off to help her ears. She doesn't have juice at home, so this was a real treat for her.)
-I also went to the dollar store and bought a few new things for her. I wrapped them up in tissue paper and gave them to her on the plane. I wrapped some of her regular toys/books in tissue paper too. It buys you a few minutes here and there for LO to unwrap and check out the new toy.
-Make sure to bring baby tylenol/motrin. Our DD got an ear infection right before we flew home. We had to run out and get her tylenol. I think she would have felt better, sooner if we had packed it with us.
-Keep your sense of humor. Travel is a huge pain any day, but with your LO in tow, it's that much more complicated. Surprisingly, most people at the airport and on the plane were really nice and willing to be more helpful since I had DD with me. GL and have fun!!
Carseat and stroller will have to go through the xray - if they fit. If they don't fit, they will swipe for explosives and manually check. The size of the xray machines varies by airport and even by lane.
LO can walk or be carried. But, they will also have to remove their shoes - even little crawlers have to be taken off.
I highly recommend using a backpack for all your things - so that your hands are free. I also found the Go-Go Babyz rolling cart to be very helpful.
The good news is that most airports have a family lane where people are more patient.
We just did this last week... and we had to go standby, which proved interesting, to say the least. You can definitely take the carseat and stroller through, they'll either fit it through the x-ray machine or hand wand it if it won't fit.
I carried DS through the metal detector, sans shoes of course. And like pp said, juice, milk and water are ok to take through. Snacks are a great idea, I would also recommend some toys or something that will keep them occupied; you never know how late your flight will be, we were delayed for 2 hours, and it really helped that we brought things to keep him busy.
One more thing, sometimes airports have a family line in security (they have one in phoenix) where you can get ahead due to the amount of time it takes to go through. Good luck, have a good trip!
Thank you everyone!
I think I will be dressing DS and I in light clothes and flip flops to make things easier.
Great to know about the water bottle, the prices for bottled water is always so high on the other side of security and water fountains just creep me out.
I was also planning on getting the Vtech turtle toy thing that someone recommended the other day, and bringing some crayons and books. Any other toy suggestions?
Will they put the carseat through the x-ray? It is a Britax Marathon, will it fit?
-we checked our carseat so I don't know how they do it. My assumption is that if it fits they will.
And what do they do with the stroller? Just have you push it through the metal detector?
-again, if it fits they will. I took and umbrella type stroller and it got folded up and scanned. My gf has a graco quatro deluxe and it folded and fit.
I am assuming they will want DS to walk through by himself..... not sure how that will go.
-DS was walking at the time, but they had me carry him. He will however have to take his shoes off and put them in the bin to be x-rayed with yours.
I am planning on bringing snacks and leaving his water bottle empty until we get through.
-I brought an empty sippy cup and one with milk. On the way out they didn't make me test anything but on the way home they did. I also had a gallon zip-lock bag on the top of the carry-on with all snacks and meds and such in it so that I could get to it easy both for security and on the plane.
Any tips?
-take a deep breath and go with the flow. I give you major credit for doing it alone. I know people do it all the time but I think I would be a major spaz!
I love the wrapping up toys idea!!! Thanks!
Thank you, I am headed to your blog right now
Yes, I have a BOB so I figured it might not fit through the scanner, LOL
I must have missed your previous post about the toys... what is the VTech turtle toy? We are taking a 3 hour flight next week, with DD... this is her 3rd flight, but first since she was 8 months... so the 2.5 months and the 8 months were easy, but we weren't mobile yet... I'm scared for this one! She isn't much of a TV person but I'm hoping that DVD player somehow excites her! I've actually tried lforcing her watch a little bit of TV for the last few weeks.. no interest at all! I'll take any tips I can get!
When I flew by myself with DD#1 (I was seven months pregnant with DD#2) my husband got a gate pass to go with me through security. Then my sister got a gate pass on the other end to come out to meet me. Perhaps that could help, because I agree with PPs, getting through security is the toughest part.
I still carry DD#2 through, and she is 20 months old. So carry him through.
I always bring milk, since my girls are huge milk people. They won't question liquids with kids. Just make sure you get it out. Lately they havent even been making me open it.
On our recent trip, one of the gate attendants offered to take down the stroller for me so I wasn't having to manage it. (Once you've got your stroller folded up, ready to board, you're going to be carrying it and the car seat down the jetway while wearing DS and the backpack. Maybe ask at the gate when you get your gate check for the items if you can get some assistance carrying it down?
We have the GoGoKidz wheels for the stroller, and they are fantastic. Do you need the stroller at your destination, or can you get away with getting the wheels for the car seat and leaving the stroller at home?
I fly alone with DD regularly. I am sure someone probably answered your questions already but I don't feel like reading through all of the replies.
Stroller - they will have you fold it and put it through the scanner with everything else if it is small enough. If it is not they will use a wand. Same with the carseat.
Liquids and snacks - you can bring a lot of juice/milk. I always bring at least two straw cups full of milk, juice and/or water. I have never been given a problem. I also always bring fruit puree squeeze containers for DD. I always put all the food and drinks in DD's thermal container with an ice pack and just let TSA know where it is when I reach them. I have had many different ways they have handled the liquids but they have never been a problem. Sometimes they put a piece of litmus paper over the liquid, other times they haven't even opened my thermal pack.
Traveling solo with LO -
Make sure to carry on as little as you need. It is tough enough making it through security by yourself with LO and a stroller you don't need extra junk. I always put all of our carry on items in a back pack that way my hands are free.
Bring plenty of snacks and drink for the plane. Straw cups, bottles, and sippy cups are good because they give LO something to suck on to help with their ears.
Bring some sort of entertainment. I always bring our Ipad with MMC episodes loaded on it.
If LO is walking find a place for them to run around and play prior to getting on the plane. This helps DD tremendously. I have only had one flight where she did not sleep.
If your DS has his own seat, you have to have the carseat on the plane (for any LOs under 2 yo) . If not, I agree, and check it!
If you are on a long flight, and your DS does not have his own seat, you can always gate check the car seat and check at the gate if there is an extra seat. We did this on two long flights and it was very helpful! Our Britax Roundabout fit through the xray machine. When you get the security line, look to see if there is a family line. It is usually shorter, and the machine is larger for the carseats to fit. Also, we brought milk, water and juice, and just had to put them in a separate bin so they could easily be checked. They only tested them once out of three times through security. Also, if you don't have a contraption or bag for your car seat, we attached the carseat to my rolling carryon with metal o-rings from Lowe's and carabiners to attach to the latch system and anchor to attach it to my bag. It was a hassle at the scanner, but much easier to cart around the airport. And, I would recommend "quiet" toys for the flight if you don't want people to hate you. I got a travel magnetic drawing board for $3 at Target that worked for most of the flight.