Gate checking stroller and car seat

btsrc5 · August 2013

We have a b agile double and a b safe car seat that we will need to gate check next month.

Britax does not make a travel bag for the b agile double. Can anyone recommend one? I have looked online but havent found anything that fits the dimensions of the folded stroller (30.5x30.5x13).

I am a little concerned about gate checking the car seat- I don't want the airline to be so rough with it that it gets damaged and isn't safe anymore. We are not paying for a seat for DD2, so we cannot take it on the plane with us. Thoughts? Suggestions?

Thanks

LittleApple · August 2013

Gate checking a car seat is not ideal and the car seat could be considered damaged. The employees throw car seats down the stairs, into the plane, etc. You just can't be sure how they are going to treat your car seat.

Do you still have the box it came in? Someone posted on a car seat board that they stuck the car seat in the box and checked it, not at the gate. You can put some bubble wrap or padding around the seat in the box to protect it.

btsrc5 · August 2013

LittleApple said:

Gate checking a car seat is not ideal and the car seat could be considered damaged. The employees throw car seats down the stairs, into the plane, etc. You just can't be sure how they are going to treat your car seat.

Do you still have the box it came in? Someone posted on a car seat board that they stuck the car seat in the box and checked it, not at the gate. You can put some bubble wrap or padding around the seat in the box to protect it.

That is a good idea... but no, we don't have the box

So i guess it is a legitimate concern that the car seat may be damaged. I dont know what to do.

FmrAFBrat · August 2013

There is a red "Gate Check Bag" I purchased at BBB for when we flew with DS1. They come in a variety of sizes so you should be able to find one that fits. They will let you try bags at the store.

When we flew that time we ended up getting a seat with our rental car. The seats we had to choose from were new so safety wasn't a concern. I felt better doing that than letting the airline people handle our carseat. Just throwing that out there as an option for you.

kmc84 · August 2013

Gate checking an expensive stroller is a risky move. Gate checking a car seat means it now has an unknown history

If you can't possibly purchase a seat for DD2, ask at boarding if there is an empty seat available. The flight attendants should try and accomadate your family so that you can utilize the empty seat.

For future reference, a lap baby is a projecte risk to herself and other passengers. You just never know when a take off or landing will not be smooth or if you will hit unexpected turbulence. You will also be much more comfortable if you don't have to hold a baby the whole time

LittleApple · August 2013

btsrc5 said:

LittleApple said:

Gate checking a car seat is not ideal and the car seat could be considered damaged. The employees throw car seats down the stairs, into the plane, etc. You just can't be sure how they are going to treat your car seat.

Do you still have the box it came in? Someone posted on a car seat board that they stuck the car seat in the box and checked it, not at the gate. You can put some bubble wrap or padding around the seat in the box to protect it.

That is a good idea... but no, we don't have the box

So i guess it is a legitimate concern that the car seat may be damaged. I dont know what to do.

Maybe find a box it fits in?

ebp913 · August 2013

LittleApple said:

btsrc5 said:

LittleApple said:

Gate checking a car seat is not ideal and the car seat could be considered damaged. The employees throw car seats down the stairs, into the plane, etc. You just can't be sure how they are going to treat your car seat.

Do you still have the box it came in? Someone posted on a car seat board that they stuck the car seat in the box and checked it, not at the gate. You can put some bubble wrap or padding around the seat in the box to protect it.

That is a good idea... but no, we don't have the box

So i guess it is a legitimate concern that the car seat may be damaged. I dont know what to do.

Maybe find a box it fits in?

It can't be that hard to find that size box. Ask around a Uhaul or a local baby store. I'm sure you can find one. To the PPer... you don't know that there isn't invisible damage to your car seat that you can't see with the naked eye. I wouldn't trust a seat that you just stuck in a plastic bag.

CougFan · August 2013

mullenem said:

Everytime, the seat came out just fine, no damage.

For the stroller, we have a BJCM. We gate checked it every time (6 times now) and have only had one problem. The first time we checked it, we left the child's tray attached and it was broken. Delta happily refunded us the cost of a new one. Since that time, we just take the tray off and it's been fine.

CougFan · August 2013

Whoops! A hiccup...

How do you know it has been fine? A hidden crack could happen without you noticing it--and you might not know until it malfunctions in an accident. Once it is out of your site you can't be sure what happens to it.

OP: is someone picking you up at the airport? If so, could they pick up an inexpensive Cosco Scenera seat from Walmart for you? For $40 you'll have piece of mind and you won't have to lug a seat around. If not, consider buying the seat yourself and checking it. Not ideal since it coudl be damaged, but at least it isn't your more expensive seat.

Also, pick up an umbrella stroller when you get there.

amandaleigh1 · August 2013

I was under the impression that gate checking the car seat was safer for the seat the baggage checking it. For air travel, I use a evenflo tribute seat with Britax wheels, so that we can wheel the kid around the airport in the seat. Then we we get to the gate, we gate check the wheels and the seat. Using that combo, we don't bring a stroller. If I were to take a stroller on vacation, I would take a cheap and light one, not my expensive Uppababy vista.

kmc84 · August 2013

amandaleigh1 said:
I was under the impression that gate checking the car seat was safer for the seat the baggage checking it. For air travel, I use a evenflo tribute seat with Britax wheels, so that we can wheel the kid around the airport in the seat. Then we we get to the gate, we gate check the wheels and the seat. Using that combo, we don't bring a stroller. If I were to take a stroller on vacation, I would take a cheap and light one, not my expensive Uppababy vista.

Nope, not safer at all. I have seen several people on car seat forums say they have witnessed gate checked seats dropped from the top of the stairs

headgear03 · August 2013

This subject has come up so many times on the car seats for littles board on Facebook . It's never a good idea to gate check a car seat . Like others have said the airlines are notorious throwing luggage around. I have even seen a videos people have taken of them tossing carseats around while loading them on the plane . There is no way I would ever risk my child's life by using a seat that had been checked in a plane. In addition to the risk of damage ( remember the damage may not be visible so it could fail in a crash) there's always the possibility of the airline losing your carseat or stroller in which case you would get to your destination without it . In the event of a crash or severe turbulence your asked to put your child on the floor between your legs so they don't become a projectile for everyone else on the plane . Even the FFA and airlines don't reccomend children fly as lap babies . If you could t afford another seat ( I highly suggest looking into one if you can ) then I'd get someone at your destination to pick up a cheep Cosco one like others suggested and bring a cheep stroller with you to gate check . Other then checking the seat in the ORIGINAL box those options would be the only ones considered safe by CPSTs .

Alexames · August 2013

we got this JL travel bag for our Britax car seat and after talking to half dozen of our friends who all have traveled w/an infant and/or toddlers, they all have suggested we check it in at the curb side counter along w/our luggage, so it is one less thing to carry/lug around the airport, other than your child, stroller, carry-on. we will gate check our stroller w/the UB travel safe program/travel bag.

=Lee=B · August 2013

Does it fold small enough to meet the plane size requirements? I would double check that before arriving at airport! I know our single stroller folded down too big to be gate checked...it's not a small stroller by any mean but I would find it hard to believe most double strollers could be folded smaller!

alake · August 2013

This isn't about gate checking or checking a car seat, but this is a link why a child should never be unrestrained on a plane.
https://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/na...service=mobile
If you can't afford for all of you to fly in a seat, you should not fly.
Any kind of checked car seat, at the gate or at the counter should be considered crashed and replaced right away. I have five and all five, including two who are within the age of a lap child, always fly with tickets. We have been on 16-18 flights in the last 14-15 months. We fly roughly every month to every other month. We live in a different country as the rest of my family. It is your child's safety that is at stake.

Pockety · August 2013

I'm fine with gate checking my car seat, because I will stand there and watch them hand-carry the seat to the plane, and back again afterwards. If I saw them toss the seat, I'd consider it damaged and demand they replace it.

I would never check my car seat at check-in, as you can't watch it, and baggage handlers definitely toss luggage around.

But each parent needs to make their own decisions.

=Lee=B · August 2013

alake said:

This isn't about gate checking or checking a car seat, but this is a link why a child should never be unrestrained on a plane.
https://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/na...service=mobile
If you can't afford for all of you to fly in a seat, you should not fly.
Any kind of checked car seat, at the gate or at the counter should be considered crashed and replaced right away. I have five and all five, including two who are within the age of a lap child, always fly with tickets. We have been on 16-18 flights in the last 14-15 months. We fly roughly every month to every other month. We live in a different country as the rest of my family. It is your child's safety that is at stake.

I think the article itself nicely states the fact that making every family pay for a seat for an infant would cause more families to drive instead of fly and driving is statistically less safe. I agree a child in a proper car seat, installed properly in a plane is safer...but an infant injured or dying as a lap passenger on a plane is quite rare.

While the FAA may recommend still paying for a seat for infants they themselves did not deem it unsafe enough to insist on it. We do not offer families the chance to ride car seat free with their infants because that is in fact proven unsafe enough to warrant a car seat every single time they drive.

I trust each family decides for themselves whether or not to pay more for the extra seat for their child with the best intentions.

* this being written by an anally safety conscious person that researches to death all my infant purchases and practices *

=Lee=B · August 2013

alake said:

This isn't about gate checking or checking a car seat, but this is a link why a child should never be unrestrained on a plane.
https://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/na...service=mobile
If you can't afford for all of you to fly in a seat, you should not fly.
Any kind of checked car seat, at the gate or at the counter should be considered crashed and replaced right away. I have five and all five, including two who are within the age of a lap child, always fly with tickets. We have been on 16-18 flights in the last 14-15 months. We fly roughly every month to every other month. We live in a different country as the rest of my family. It is your child's safety that is at stake.

Seriously not trying to start an online war...but have you and your 5 children, in those 16-18 flights ever gotten up to pee during a flight? By your logic, it is the safety of your family at stake when you unrestrained them to go to the bathroom.

We don't allow children (or adults) to undo their car seat belts to get something while driving but we allow people to do so on planes...because it is deemed low risk enough to do so. Each person gets to choose whether they personally want to take that risk and undo their seat belt on a plane...we don't shame them and tell them they should not fly if they have to pee during a flight.

MrsLele · August 2013

We gate checked our B Ready and Chaperone infant seat when DD was 3 months old. I watched them hand carry the two pieces to the ramp, and then they carried them out for me when we reached our destination, even took the stroller our of the bag, unfolded it and put the infant seat on for me. I was traveling alone and they were very helpful. Any older and I would have paid for her seat and used a convertible.

On that note, I saw a convertible get stuck in a security scanner. TSA was pushing from one side and pulling from another. That seat was damaged, too! Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Want a personalized experience?

Gate checking stroller and car seat

Re: Gate checking stroller and car seat

Choose Another Board

Search Boards