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Checking carseat at airport?

salc21salc21
in Maryland Babies

Has anyone ever had any issues with checking their carseats at the check in counter? We've only flown one other time with LO and he was in the car seat and Snap 'n Go so we were able to check both at the gate. But, this time DH wants to check the carseat and just use the stroller, but I am concerned its going to get damaged.

 

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Re: Checking carseat at airport?

  • daisyterpdaisyterp member

    We try to always just gate-check the carseat because I feel the carseat getting damaged. They are expensive and really not meant to be tossed around. 

    We have managed to always gate check our convertible seats. We did check the infant seat once and it ended up getting wet because it was raining out and the luggage cart must have been sitting out on the tarmac.

    Can you wear your DS in the airport?  I always find that to be easier. Then we use the stroller as a dolly for luggage and the carseats.  

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  • jcsntms06jcsntms06 member
    imagedaisyterp:

    We try to always just gate-check the carseat because I feel the carseat getting damaged. They are expensive and really not meant to be tossed around. 

    We have managed to always gate check our convertible seats. We did check the infant seat once and it ended up getting wet because it was raining out and the luggage cart must have been sitting out on the tarmac.

    Can you wear your DS in the airport?  I always find that to be easier. Then we use the stroller as a dolly for luggage and the carseats.  

    Pretty much what Daisy said. The one time we flew with DD. I carried her and we gate checked her carseat and stroller. Once we got off the plane it was ready for us outside of the plane. I would definitely do that instead of checking the car seat. 

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  • salc21salc21
    Ok, great thanks! I don't want to check it, but DH doesn't want to deal with carrying it around. We are bringing our Maclaren umbrella stroller, so I'll need to see if I can rest the carseat + base in that and then take your suggestion about wearing him! I even offered to carry it, lol! We are checking our bag and then just have his stuff to carry on
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  • Cooper81Cooper81 member
    You could also grab some bunge cords ( I think they have a set at the dollar store) to keep the seat on the stroller while you are going through the airport
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  • daisyterpdaisyterp member

    imagesalc21:
    Ok, great thanks! I don't want to check it, but DH doesn't want to deal with carrying it around. We are bringing our Maclaren umbrella stroller, so I'll need to see if I can rest the carseat + base in that and then take your suggestion about wearing him! 

    You can ditch the base for the trip and have a little less to schlep. The infant seats are just as safe w/o the base if properly installed and it's not hard to do at all.  

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  • ucgraducgrad member
    We alway gate check the carseat. My biggest fear is actually that it will get lost and we'll end up at our destination without a carseat. At least if you're taking the infant seat, it has a handle, which should make it "easier" to carry. We use our Cosco Serena convertable carseat, which is our dedicated travel carseat, and it came in a bag with a handle. It doesn't weigh very much and isn't too much hassle to carry around. We usually take our Maclaren umbrella stroller too.
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  • daisyterpdaisyterp member

    imageucgrad:
    We alway gate check the carseat. My biggest fear is actually that it will get lost and we'll end up at our destination without a carseat.

    Oh yes, there is always this aspect as well. The only bag we checked was lost about a year ago, thankfully we had gate checked the stroller and carseat.  

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  • jnealetjnealet member

    We checked the carseat and it was "lost" on the way home.  The oversized belt was broken and so the carseat made it back to BWI but then was buried under luggage that was all waiting for the belt to be fixed.  The guy from SWA went and looked for it multiple times but couldn't find it, possibly because we had it in a carseat bag.

    They gave us a carseat to get DD home, no clue what kind but it worked.  Then they delivered our carseat the next day and took back their carseat.  It wasn't the best experience but it all worked out in the end.  We would probably check a carseat again, just put something on the bag to make it easy to find.

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  • salc21salc21
    Lost... lovely... yes, I think I will gate check. We've never used the infant seat without the base, but that is a good point. And yes, we do have bungee cords, so we can use those as well. I was debating between the convertible car seat and the infant seat (we use both - 1 in each car) but I thought the infant carrier would be the easiest... next flight will be the bigger seat : )
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  • ucgraducgrad member
    I just rememberd this and it might be helpful. If you do decide to check the carseat at the counter (rather than gate), most airlines (last I checked) let carseats and strollers be half of a checked bag. So, you could check a carseat and a stroller as one checked bag instead of two.
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  • Mrs.0428Mrs.0428 member

    Not sure if you've flown yet but I was lurking and thought I would respond.

    Some airlines (check their policy) specifically say if you check a stroller or carseat they are not responsible to damages because it's an "oversized" item so you might want to check that information.

    I saw you are taking a McClaren so I thought I would share my tip.  I travels with DS from BWI to LAX by myself when he was 18 months old and here is how I got everything through the airports.  I carried DS in the Ergo to allow me 2 free hands.  I had the Britax Marathon is a carseat bag (this one: https://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3091046).  I took the carseat and sat it in the seat of the McClaren then used the strap of the bag to strap it around the handles of the stroller so it wouldn't fall off as I ran to catch my connecting flight. Hope this makes sense! .

    FWIW I have used the $15 carseat bag for 6+ roundtrip flights and it's still in great shape (gate checked for 2 of the flights).

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