Air travel with infant carseat/carrier

Debra4869 · May 2012

I will be going on a trip soon with LO. I will be holding her on the flight and gate-checking her infant carseat and snap-n-go. When we get off the plane, family will be picking us up from the aiport. We plan to buckle her carseat into their car without the base, using the seatbelt. Apparently, this is safe. Has anyone done this? Is it really safe? I feel weird doing this as we are so used to snapping her in the base. I am not sure what else to do. We have the Chicco Keyfit 30 and she will be about 5 months old.

celiabwatson · May 2012

We did it and it seemed ok. It's not ideal but it did seem safe to me. They wouldn't make them that way if it wasn't.

MrsT2008 · May 2012

it will be fine - car seats are made to be buckled in without the base

kerischrader · May 2012

I did this and will be again soon, I just tried to make it as tight as I could... they also have those metal clip things to hold the seat belt strap down and in place...

https://www.amazon.com/Graco-4045-Seatbelt-Locking-Clip/dp/B0002ADQOU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337696625&sr=8-1

Aurora_Borealis · May 2012

Yes, it's safe. Infant seat bases are for convenience, not safety. There are diagrams in the seat owner's manual on how to install the seat without the base. The manufacturer would not be allowed to include them if it wasn't ok. I've installed my Babytrend seat without the base and it's totally fine. I actually prefer it as it takes up less space in the backseat.

frasey · May 2012

many people are of the incorrect assumption that the base is safer than just using the seatbelt. It is not. Its simply more convenient. Just like with the base, as long as its used properly, the seatbelt is just as safe as using the base. And its super easy. If youre not sure how to do it, then check the instruction manual beforehand.

03bertie · May 2012

We are taking a flight in a few months and I just assume we would take the base too...so it looks like from the posts we don't need to? I would think securing the base (with bungees or something) with the stroller during gate check would be ok. Anyone do that?

CObride2006 · May 2012

I just traveled last weekend with DS. We gate checked the carseat and snap and go stroller. We did not bring the base and it was easy to use the seat belt. We have the Chicco also.

SoftSpot · May 2012

03bertie:
We are taking a flight in a few months and I just assume we would take the base too...so it looks like from the posts we don't need to? I would think securing the base (with bungees or something) with the stroller during gate check would be ok. Anyone do that?

We took the base but not the stroller (I wore him). Since the stroller will have to be folded down during the flight anyway I would just stick the base in the stroller basket while using it then snap the carseat into it at the gate check.

CholeCO2006 · May 2012

We flew w/ our Chicco Keyfit 30 and didnt take the base. We just used the seatbelt to secure it in the various cars we were in. DH and I actually would double up the shoulder seatbelts and criss-cross them to make it feel more secure. My only recommendation is to maybe think about wearing your LO and check your seat and Snap n Go the whole way through. Gate checking it was still a PITA as we had to get through security and it always felt rushed when we were tring to deal with all the baby stuff at the gate during boarding and deplaning.

Debra4869 · May 2012

Thanks everyone. I feel much better about it. My DH didn't save our manual when he opened the car seat (stupid!) so I hope to figure it out. Anyone know if there is an online version of the manual for the Chicco Keyfit?

sunnyday016 · May 2012

Here you go- this is for the Keyfit30.

https://www.chiccousa.com/Files/pdf/product-manuals/KF30instructions3_00.pdf

EveryNameIWantIsTaken · May 2012

Just make sure you pull the belt all the way out before tightening it. I'm amazed at the number of people that do this but if you don't pull it all the way out, the belt doesn't lock and it could move all over the place in a crash.

To find the manual, just google it. I'm sure google would help you.

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Air travel with infant carseat/carrier

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