Car seat on an airplane

[Anonymous]

Looking to do our first big family trip this coming year with toddlers. We will need to get around my car once we arrive, and our car seats are FAA approved. I have never done car seats on if your plane, so just wondering how it works. Our car seats leave the rear facing, but they are convertible, is it OK to just be safe? I feel like that would work better. Also, any tips for getting two car seats through a crowded airport?

[Anonymous]

Get a fold-up wagon. you can check it like a stroller!

[Anonymous]

Nooooo. Search the forum. I've posted on this before but felt that bringing car seats On the plane was a major failure.

[Anonymous]

I have only done this with an infant carseat, but I brought it and strapped it in rear facing. There was barely enough room for it in the seat. I can't imagine front vs. rear facing makes a difference in a plane. Also, the security people at Dulles were totally clueless as to how to get the carseat through the scanner. It barely fit and took forever. It was like they'd never dealt with a carseat before.

[Anonymous]

I've BTDT a few times.

I'm buying special travel lightweight car seats for travel - not sure which ones I'll get - but I'm not bringing my Britax Advocate - I can tell you that!

Having a car seat for the plane is nice- keeps your kids contained.

And, I've traveled a lot - its a legitimately fast transportation experience- you WANT them to be securely buckled. Rare that there is an issue, but when there is - kids are the least safe.

[Anonymous]

Yes, we always use a car seat on a plane. Our 3 yo is getting big enough that she could safely sit in one of those airplane harnesses, but we don't want to check the car seat and have it banged around in the checked bag process. Get a wheeled cart that the seat straps onto for taking it around the airport -- something like Go-Go Babyz, though there are many brands.

We have flown with a Chicco Nextfit rear facing and a Scenera NEXT rear facing. When it's rear-facing they barely fit (Chicco fit a little better) and the person in front cannot recline his seat. On the other hand, the child can more easily sleep (very difficult forward facing, because the seat is so upright) and cannot kick the seat in front. Another thing to remember is convertible seats are heavy, and you have to carry (not wheel) them down the aisle.

On our most recent flight we bought a very lightweight forward-facing (harnessed booster) seat and used that for the whole trip, even though our kid is still RF at home. Overall it worked fine, but our kid could not nap in it (misery as we had booked a redeye) and really couldn't help bumping the seat with her feet because of the height/position -- that is, she wasn't *kicking* but the passenger ahead still felt every jolt. I felt like the person in front would have resented us no matter what we did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have only done this with an infant carseat, but I brought it and strapped it in rear facing. There was barely enough room for it in the seat. I can't imagine front vs. rear facing makes a difference in a plane. Also, the security people at Dulles were totally clueless as to how to get the carseat through the scanner. It barely fit and took forever. It was like they'd never dealt with a carseat before.

How long ago was this? We have had no trouble at Dulles or SFO in the last two years.

FYI to OP, you don't take your kids through the body image scanners (safety concerns aside, they don't stand still for it). Instead, your whole family goes through the metal detector and, if you're carrying milk or food pouches, those will get inspected and one or more of adults will probably get swabbed and/or patted down. It takes a little more time but personally I think it's easier and everyone at TSA has been very kind and understanding. If they can they will open a new security line for you because families take so long to get all their stuff screened.

[Anonymous]

We always bring the click tight
It fits fine and only Hawaiian gave us any trouble about it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have only done this with an infant carseat, but I brought it and strapped it in rear facing. There was barely enough room for it in the seat. I can't imagine front vs. rear facing makes a difference in a plane. Also, the security people at Dulles were totally clueless as to how to get the carseat through the scanner. It barely fit and took forever. It was like they'd never dealt with a carseat before.

How long ago was this? We have had no trouble at Dulles or SFO in the last two years.

FYI to OP, you don't take your kids through the body image scanners (safety concerns aside, they don't stand still for it). Instead, your whole family goes through the metal detector and, if you're carrying milk or food pouches, those will get inspected and one or more of adults will probably get swabbed and/or patted down. It takes a little more time but personally I think it's easier and everyone at TSA has been very kind and understanding. If they can they will open a new security line for you because families take so long to get all their stuff screened.

It was in August 2016. I was traveling solo with a 2 month old and the TSA people were complete imbeciles and made the whole thing as difficult and time-consuming as possible. Thankfully another family in line helped me. I had the stroller and the carseat and the diaper bag and the baby.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have only done this with an infant carseat, but I brought it and strapped it in rear facing. There was barely enough room for it in the seat. I can't imagine front vs. rear facing makes a difference in a plane. Also, the security people at Dulles were totally clueless as to how to get the carseat through the scanner. It barely fit and took forever. It was like they'd never dealt with a carseat before.

How long ago was this? We have had no trouble at Dulles or SFO in the last two years.

FYI to OP, you don't take your kids through the body image scanners (safety concerns aside, they don't stand still for it). Instead, your whole family goes through the metal detector and, if you're carrying milk or food pouches, those will get inspected and one or more of adults will probably get swabbed and/or patted down. It takes a little more time but personally I think it's easier and everyone at TSA has been very kind and understanding. If they can they will open a new security line for you because families take so long to get all their stuff screened.

Every time we fly, one parent through X-ray and the other gets the body scanner.

I'd get a cheap Cosco or lightweight travel seat and bring it on the plane. We always travel with seats.

[Anonymous]

Gate check the seats in a sturdy travel bag. I do not want lug seats around or install/uninstall them. Ugh.

[Anonymous]

If you have a heavy seat like the Nextfit, Clicktight anything, Foonf anything, get a lightweight travel seat. Narrower the better. The Scenera NEXT is often recommended. It's your best option for small toddlers who don't fit in the CARES harness. Even my bigger toddler didn't fit well in the CARES so I wouldn't recommend those either.

[Anonymous]

I would not check a carseat. You have not idea how it will be treated.

I have done this before and you just need to take it slow and be very structured about the process.

I assume there are 2 adults and 2 toddlers? Each adult pushes a cheap stroller - something a little larger than an umbrella (post on your community listserve). The car seat goes in the stroller. The child walks to the gate.

When you get to the gate, you gate check the stroller.

For installing the carseats. I preferred to install them on the window. I installed them forward facing. I am not a safety engineer - but I am not sure for the plane if the forces are the same as car crashes for why you want to install Rear facing.

Have fun

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would not check a carseat. You have not idea how it will be treated.

I have done this before and you just need to take it slow and be very structured about the process.

I assume there are 2 adults and 2 toddlers? Each adult pushes a cheap stroller - something a little larger than an umbrella (post on your community listserve). The car seat goes in the stroller. The child walks to the gate.

When you get to the gate, you gate check the stroller.

For installing the carseats. I preferred to install them on the window. I installed them forward facing. I am not a safety engineer - but I am not sure for the plane if the forces are the same as car crashes for why you want to install Rear facing.

Have fun

Thanks. I share your concern about the seats being damaged in the cargo hold.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gate check the seats in a sturdy travel bag. I do not want lug seats around or install/uninstall them. Ugh.

Gate checking does not equal gentle service for your car seat. They pull them out of the jetway and they slide down a ramp where they end up on the ground.