Flying w/ DS for the first time - what do to with my car seat?

ShanJosh777 · February 2012

I was planning on checking it as baggage, but I just read on the Southwest website that they recommend children under 40 pounds be secured in a car seat.

We have a Britax Marathon if that matters.

ETA: DS is about 37 pounds and 39 inches tall.

Another ETA: I'm also wondering about checking the stroller. Should that be checked at the gate? Sorry, I am such a nervous flyer to begin with, and with this being my first experience ever flying with a child, I'm really probably over thinking it.

Ciarrai · February 2012

Personally, I always check the carseat(s) with the bags. I have big duffle bags that fit the seats in them. Also the airlines don't charge for checked carseats (or didn't used to) and if you stuff the bag full of light things like diapers, stuffed animals or clothes with the seat on top, they don't usually charge for that bag. Either way, I don't want to lug anything through the airport that I don't absolutely have to. I do have two CARES harnesses that we've used for the girls since they were about a year old. We're going away in March and now DS will use DD1's harness. Not sure if DD2 will use hers or not bother. Both girls are around 33lbs and 40 inches - DD1 maybe a bit bigger but not much. It was more of a problem when they were about 20-25 lbs and the seatbelts couldn't get tight enough on them. Plus at 2, they're not the best at staying in their seats without the harness bc they can unbuckle the airplane seatbelt. Now my girls are good at staying buckled. If you wanted the added security (especially for your first flight), you can rent the CARES harnesses on eBay or purchase one (though they're expensive). They are just the straps so they're weigh less than a pound and fit right in your carry-on no problem.

Check your stroller at the gate. That gives you a place to put your LO and all your carry-on bags until you get on the plane. Bring lots of snacks in separate baggies so you can hand them out slowly throughout the flight. Bribes are good as well as a DVD player... Good luck and have fun!!

frlcb · February 2012

Oh, do not bring the car seat on for your 3 year old. They will spend the whole flight kicking the seat in front of them. If you can't get a CARES he is big enough to sit in the seat with nothing. We used the CARES until our last trip last month for our son and he almost 4 and doesn't even weigh 30 lbs.

redfish08 · February 2012

I agree not to bring a car seat on the plane for a 3 yo. We did not use the CARES harness, just buckled him in normally in his seat, and he did great.

ShanJosh777 · February 2012

Thanks ladies. So it sounds like I should just go with my original plan of checking the car seat, and gate checking the stroller.

It's only $13.99 to rent a CARES harness so I might end up doing that, because I never thought about how easy the airplane seat belts are to take off.

kelbrian · February 2012

frlcb:
Oh, do not bring the car seat on for your 3 year old. They will spend the whole flight kicking the seat in front of them. If you can't get a CARES he is big enough to sit in the seat with nothing. We used the CARES until our last trip last month for our son and he almost 4 and doesn't even weigh 30 lbs.

Mine doesn't. We use our car seat every time we fly. It keeps her contained and she usually falls asleep.

Wally3 · February 2012

DS just rides in the airplace with a belt we never had a problem. We explained to him about the seatbelt light coming on and that the Flight attendant will be checking him.

frlcb · February 2012

kelbrian:
frlcb:
Oh, do not bring the car seat on for your 3 year old. They will spend the whole flight kicking the seat in front of them. If you can't get a CARES he is big enough to sit in the seat with nothing. We used the CARES until our last trip last month for our son and he almost 4 and doesn't even weigh 30 lbs.
Mine doesn't. We use our car seat every time we fly. It keeps her contained and she usually falls asleep.

You are the only person I know whose child doesn't kick when in the car seat. You are lucky

kelbrian · February 2012

frlcb:
kelbrian:
frlcb:
Oh, do not bring the car seat on for your 3 year old. They will spend the whole flight kicking the seat in front of them. If you can't get a CARES he is big enough to sit in the seat with nothing. We used the CARES until our last trip last month for our son and he almost 4 and doesn't even weigh 30 lbs.
Mine doesn't. We use our car seat every time we fly. It keeps her contained and she usually falls asleep.

You are the only person I know whose child doesn't kick when in the car seat. You are lucky

I also have a Sunshine Kids Radian seat, and her feet don't reach the seat in front of her in most planes Stick out tongue But we don't own a car and don't ride in one often, so the idea of a car seat is still a novelty to her. I don't think she's thought to do it.

frlcb · February 2012

kelbrian:
frlcb:
kelbrian:
frlcb:
Oh, do not bring the car seat on for your 3 year old. They will spend the whole flight kicking the seat in front of them. If you can't get a CARES he is big enough to sit in the seat with nothing. We used the CARES until our last trip last month for our son and he almost 4 and doesn't even weigh 30 lbs.
Mine doesn't. We use our car seat every time we fly. It keeps her contained and she usually falls asleep.

You are the only person I know whose child doesn't kick when in the car seat. You are lucky
I also have a Sunshine Kids Radian seat, and her feet don't reach the seat in front of her in most planes But we don't own a car and don't ride in one often, so the idea of a car seat is still a novelty to her. I don't think she's thought to do it.

Be grateful

Jen&Len · February 2012

We had DS in his car seat when we flew in September. He did not kick the seat in front of him and fell asleep for most of the flight. But he is generally pretty good in the car in his car seat, so we didn't expect a problem. DD on the other hand figured out how to unlatch the tray table with her feet a few minutes into the flight (luckily, I brought painters tape as part of our plane fun "toys", so I just taped the latch up), but I found it much harder to reason with her to stop kicking. With DS, we just told him not to kick the seat and he listened.

shopgirl78 · February 2012

My 4 & 6 year old just sit in the seats with their seatbelt on. DS1 is under 40 lbs. My mother has carseats at our destination (usually her house, next trip to fly is Disney in March). So, I don't bring them at all. I always gate check my stroller. I only bring a single now and expect my 6 & 4 year old to walk either beside or behind me and stay with me. We have no issues. I do know that American no longer allows you to gate check doubles (if you need it)

AZ123 · February 2012

I check the carseat and southwest puts in a plastic bag for you. I then check the stroller at the gate. For southwest, they allow the child 2 checked items.

penguingrrl · February 2012

I've heard there are potential safety concerns when checking seats, which you can decide to listen to or not.

1) What if your seat ends up on the wrong plane and you get to your destination with no way to transport your kid? This is less of a concern with gate checking, but with regular checking it could fairly easily happen (I've had luggage lost, it's not fun).

2) You have no idea how the seat was handled. Because of this car safety experts consider a seat that has been checked the same as one that has been in an accident, meaning it needs replacing. The reasoning is that you have no idea who has handled it, whether it's been dropped from a height or had heavy luggage left on top of it, or had heavy items fall on it during transit, any of which can cause damage which might not be visible, but would leave the seat performing poorly. You don't want to find out because you are in an accident that your seat previously had damage that impacted its performance in an accident.

Court0026 · February 2012

I will absolutely never check my everyday car seats. The last time we flew, we had DS in his car seat on the plane, but when we went to gate check our stroller, they regular checked it instead (wrong tag) and it came out broken. Along with the broken stroller, there were a couple of car seats going around on the conveyor belts with broken pieces and angry customers. We had rented one for DD and that was just a disaster. Expired, dirty, outdated car seats. I think we are buying a travel-only set and checking them, but not using them for everyday use. It is TOUGH to figure out!

frlcb · February 2012

penguingrrl:
I've heard there are potential safety concerns when checking seats, which you can decide to listen to or not.
1) What if your seat ends up on the wrong plane and you get to your destination with no way to transport your kid? This is less of a concern with gate checking, but with regular checking it could fairly easily happen (I've had luggage lost, it's not fun).
2) You have no idea how the seat was handled. Because of this car safety experts consider a seat that has been checked the same as one that has been in an accident, meaning it needs replacing. The reasoning is that you have no idea who has handled it, whether it's been dropped from a height or had heavy luggage left on top of it, or had heavy items fall on it during transit, any of which can cause damage which might not be visible, but would leave the seat performing poorly. You don't want to find out because you are in an accident that your seat previously had damage that impacted its performance in an accident.

We have had a car seat broken, when we gate checked it. Delta loaned us a brand new one, out of a bag, until we replaced ours, which they reimbursed us for.

All of the points in number 2 apply to gate checking as well. You have no idea who is handling it, how they handle it, or what happens to it. Ours was dropped at the very top of the stairs as they walked it up, back onto the tarmac. We watched it happen and then they handed it to us as if it hadn't happened. When we looked it over it there was a crack in it.

So, basically, unless you carry it on you run this risk no matter what you do.

DragonflyBelle · February 2012

Juliana was 2 1/2 when we flew to VT (from Louisiana...3 planes there and 3 back) for a summer vacay and I rented a CARES. It was FABULOUS! Our rental car company provided us with a car seat for a minimal charge once we got to our destination.

m_and_m · February 2012

I would absolutely bring the seat on the plane. We're on vacation right now and DD did just fine in her seat- it installed quickly and easily, she was comfy and secure, could see out the window better, her legs weren't dangling uncomfortably, and she kicked the back of the seat maybe once on each flight. When we got on I explained that tray tables were only allowed to be opened/closed by parents, and touching the seat in front of her with her feet were not allowed. She ended up having to rest her seat on the seat pocket on the first flight because that person put their seat back and it was hitting her knees otherwise (she skinned her knee something fierce the day before and 4 days later it's STILL painful for her), but we talked about keeping her feet still while they were there.

Also, she's safer in her carseat. I know people tend to think "If your plane goes down you're screwed either way" but I've known several people who have been on a plane that has crashed/had emergency landings so it's not like there's no chance of survival. I've been on flights with serious turbulence, too, and I know if she is strapped into her seat she won't go flying. She's 4, but she's only 38" and 29#- skinny!

We used a Go Go Kidz in the airport which was awesome- she rolled around strapped in and loved it.

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Flying w/ DS for the first time - what do to with my car seat?

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