Air Travel and Carriers

PansyPants · June 2012

Hello everyone!

I'm going to be flying to visit family in a couple weeks and wanted to see is anyone has done this with their baby in a carrier. I have a Moby and a Mei Tai but I'd prefer to not use the moby since both my LO and I are sweaty people (yes, it's gross but true). I love the Mei Tai but I've heard some folks say that they were told to take their baby out of a carrier to go through security, others have said they just breezed through. Either way, I'm not sure how difficult it will be to get in him and out.

We have a store nearby that does carrier rentals, they have every carrier I've ever heard of, so I was going to look into doing that for my travels but wanted to see what everyone feels would be the quickest to get the baby into and out of and that would have little to no metal so it can stay on for the metal detector.

Thanks and any other advice is also welcome!

Jelliebean1982 · June 2012

I wore DS in a babyhawk last time I got through TSA without any problems or having to take it off. They waved the metal detector over the carrier and swabbed my hands. FYI...according to the TSA agent sometimes if you put on lotion right before getting your hand swabbed it can set off a false alarm and you'll have to do some additional screening.

laura.noel · June 2012

MandJS:
The latest rule is that as long as there is no metal on the carrier, you can wear baby through security. They will swab your hands when you get through, though. Takes an extra 30 seconds to 5 minutes depending on how busy they are.
But that said, you are technically not allowed to wear LO in ANY type of carrier for take off and landing. I've done it and had no one say anything. And I've been told in no uncertain terms I have to take S out. Just depends on the flight attendant.
Personally, I'd just practice with the MT and use that. But then, I find it pretty easy to use a MT.

This. We used the k'tan and he did great. We did take him out on the plane, but he doesn't like being in a carrier when we're sitting anywhere. I put him back in it when we were taxiiing back to the gate.

PansyPants · June 2012

I'm not worried about taking him out for the actual flight, they board people with children first so I can get him out and settled without bumping others and I have a window seat so we can wait until everyone else gets off and then I'll put him back in.

I was just concerned about taking him and the carrier on and off at the security point. I'm thinking the Mai Tei might be the best bet.

jcsumm0 · June 2012

They told me at 2 different airports that I could leave her in the carrier as we went throught security. They just swabbed my hands afterward. I used our Beco Gemini.

MegM2012 · June 2012

Why do they swab your hands?

celiabwatson · June 2012

MegM2012:
Why do they swab your hands?

They're checking for explosive residue I believe. In case your baby is secretly a bomb?

The PP are correct, the rules have recently been changed and you don't have to take babies out. Just a year ago that was not the case and we had to, so if people say they had to it might be before they changed the rule.

kerischrader · June 2012

Honestly, I wouldn't worry to much about it. I have traveled twice with DS and both was a breeze! We took him through the airport in his carseat that snaps into stroller since we needed car seat at other location....and stroller

took him out and carried him through metal detector, while all our "stuff" and car seat went into xray, they swabbed down jogger, and in no time it snapped back together and we were on our way. Gate checked stroller and car seat and held DS on flight which is best because you should BF upon take off and landing. He slept if he wasn't feeding (1 flight at 3 mo and 1 flight at 5 mo) If you prefer to carry in a carrier, going through security you shouldn't worry about, even if you have to take him out and put him back in. People are so willing to help when you have a cute little one

Leave a little extra time, and enjoy your flight.... it will be easy! We actually ended up not really needing that much extra time to get through.

TaylersMommy · June 2012

My vote is Mei Tai. I travel by myself to visit my parents with DD and plan to do the same once our new one arrives, with both kiddos. Yikes! I have never had a problem with our Mei Tai and find it very easy to get DD in and out for security - which I have been requested to do. Overall, the more structured the carrier, the better in my experience as I am usually carrying our carry on luggage at the same time. If you are traveling with your SO, I woukdn't stress as much. SO can hold bags or baby if need be.

MikesMom12345 · June 2012

I've traveled with a ring sling, moby, mei tai and Beco Butterfly II. The easiest, in my opinion, is the Beco, because I can have him on my back and swing him around to my front if I need to, without actually having to take him out. However, the BBII tends to be my favorite carrier on a day to day basis at this point.

I'll qualify this with saying that the times we have gone through TSA with the moby and ring sling I had to take him out because that was the rule at the time, so that may be why I disliked using those carriers for travel.

PansyPants · June 2012

Thanks you all for the info and reassurance. I've been a little stressed out about traveling alone with the baby and it's nice to hear all the positive experiences.

JessT9907 · June 2012

I'm glad you posted this because next weekend I'm suppose to be flying by myself with LO and I'm beyond worry...I'm going to try to use a carrier to get thru security as well...

Anything to make the process easier is helpful.

sweetpea2003 · June 2012

Just a few things...

Most TSA will let you wear a baby through security in a fabric wrap like baby hawk. Or you can use a stroller and gate check it.

BUT - check your airline about gate checking strollers, carseats, etc. A few have gotten strict about the size of stroller allowed to be gate checked (eg: the BOB). Also check family boarding policies. Most airlines do not give families priority boarding anymore - that is reserved for elite travellers (business) and first class. If you are lucky, you will get to board after them and before the general public. But even that is questionable on most airlines these days.

Also, the safest place for baby is not in your arms for nursing on take off and landing. The safest place for ANY baby, regardless of age, is in a carseat and in their own seat. Turbulence has killed babies. The fact that we are all so quick to risk our kid's lives in airplanes astounds me. I'm not talking about plane crashes, just severe turbulence, rough landings, etc. You would be surprised at how hard it is to hold something in that environment. If you were to experience an in-air emergency on a flight, the flight attendant would intstruct you to place your baby on the floor . Even if you buy a seat and only keep your child in it for rough air, takeoff and landing, you are doing the SAFEST thing for them.

Bottom line: if you can't afford a plane ticket for your child, you can't afford the trip. I just recently flew from VA to CA and my then 15 month old was absolutely in a carseat. It was no question to spend the $500. If we couldn't have paid that money, we wouldn't have gone.

More info here: https://www.usatoday.com/travel/columnist/mcgee/2008-07-29-lap-children_N.htm

melrrr · June 2012

United has stopped doing early family boarding. I hate that united ate continental. Continental was so much better.

frlcb · June 2012

sweetpea2003:
Just a few things...

Most TSA will let you wear a baby through security in a fabric wrap like baby hawk. Or you can use a stroller and gate check it.

BUT - check your airline about gate checking strollers, carseats, etc. A few have gotten strict about the size of stroller allowed to be gate checked (eg: the BOB). Also check family boarding policies. Most airlines do not give families priority boarding anymore - that is reserved for elite travellers (business) and first class. If you are lucky, you will get to board after them and before the general public. But even that is questionable on most airlines these days.

Also, the safest place for baby is not in your arms for nursing on take off and landing. The safest place for ANY baby, regardless of age, is in a carseat and in their own seat. Turbulence has killed babies. The fact that we are all so quick to risk our kid's lives in airplanes astounds me. I'm not talking about plane crashes, just severe turbulence, rough landings, etc. You would be surprised at how hard it is to hold something in that environment. If you were to experience an in-air emergency on a flight, the flight attendant would intstruct you to place your baby on the floor . Even if you buy a seat and only keep your child in it for rough air, takeoff and landing, you are doing the SAFEST thing for them.

Bottom line: if you can't afford a plane ticket for your child, you can't afford the trip. I just recently flew from VA to CA and my then 15 month old was absolutely in a carseat. It was no question to spend the $500. If we couldn't have paid that money, we wouldn't have gone.

More info here: https://www.usatoday.com/travel/columnist/mcgee/2008-07-29-lap-children_N.htm

The judgment on having a lap child was not necessary in this post.

Delta still allows you to board first, as well as gate check strollers and car seats. I travel all the time with my kids and wear my dd through security in the beco every time.

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