should i ditch the britax on our five-hour flight?

[Anonymous]

taking my 2 1/2 year old and newborn to the west coast and need to figure out gear logistics. we are bringing the infant car seat & snap n go for the little one, but wondered if we could ditch the britax roundabout for the older one for the flight and just borrow a seat once we're there. anyone else have their toddler just sit in a regular airline seat without feeling anxious about safety etc? thanks in advance.

[Anonymous]

We brought a car seat on board exactly once, and swore never again. We just check them at the curb with the rest of the luggage. That said, both of my kids LOVE airplanes and never complained about keeping their seat belts on (and we haven't flown farther than Florida). If I had one that was really squirmy, or planned to sleep (probably easier with the carseat), I'd reconsider.

[Anonymous]

We didn't use a car seat either for our son once he was over 2 years old. he loved having his own seat and being able to put the seat belt on and be an "adult" . I took him from Erie to philadelphia to los angeles. he did fine. but everyone is different. if it is only for safety sake, then I personally think that it is quite safe without the car seat, however, some parents may feel otherwise.

[Anonymous]

no car seat either. worked well. nice to have the extra room for hanging out on the long flights.

[Anonymous]

What is your plan for napping the 2.5 year old, if any? My experience is that they don't nap without the carseat at that age.

Also ... how will you get from the airport to the place where you are staying? Will you need the carseat, or will the person who is lending you the seat show up at the airport with it?

[Anonymous]

Your kid is too big for a carseat on the plane. If you bring it, check it. 5 hrs is too long to be that constrained. The car seat moves his legs forward so he is potentially more annoying to the person in front of him.

[Anonymous]

At 2.5 we started using the CARES harness, which keeps them a bit more constrained. However, for naps DD ends up taking off the harness part so that she can curl up into someone's lap. We just loosen her seatbelt so she can lie down.

Definitely easier to ditch the Britax. Nobody should have to carry 2 carseats on an airplane!

[Anonymous]

FYI - rental car companies rent carseats. Few people seem to know that!!

[Anonymous]

A differing view here. We travel a lot with our 5 yo daughter and she has very clearly told us that she prefers to be in her car seat than in the chair alone. We recently moved to a booster that is not FAA approved, so it isn't an option any more. In my opinion, here are some pros and cons:

Pros
- More familiar
- More comfortable
- Easier to nap in
- Can't unbuckle themselves
- Safer (although, honestly, this wasn't as big an issue for me, since if the plane is going down, I am not sure how much safer she would be...)
- Keeps everything a bit more contained

Cons
- A hassle to lug
- Makes it hard (impossible) to lower the tray in front
- The seat in front is much closer for kicking purposes (and more tempting)
- Things are generally tighter and harder to get to

If you do bring it onboard, let me suggest that you ask for a seat belt extender. That will make it soooooooo much easier to install.

Good luck! SASHA
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[Anonymous]

11:08 Poster here (Sasha)

I forgot to mention another pro, you have your car seat with you upon arrival! One you are familiar with, etc.

[Anonymous]

safe from what? I think the car seat should be brought but check it at the gate, or with your luggage. Too much to carry. Have a nice trip

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FYI - rental car companies rent carseats. Few people seem to know that!!

Yes, but the ones we've rented are either old, dirty or not 5-point harness. Who knows if they're safe or have been in an accident??

And for $25, not cost effective for us...