Car Seat in Airport?

Hi, I travel all the time with my son who is now 19 months old. I always put him on my lap. I board the plane last to see if there are any 2 seats available next to one another and then I ask the attendant to help me and if I can sit there for extra room. Sometimes they have even moved the person next to me to another seat to help. Anyway I never bring my car seat and I do agree the ones at the rental agency are very cheap but they work.

good luck!

I travel often with my son who just turned 1. The flight I take is always about 2 hours. I think it is fine to keep your child on your lap. I check the stroller plane side and then I check his car seat with my luggage. You can buy a cover carry case for your car seat that has wheels and handles for about 25.00 at babies r us. I have been on over 12 flights with him and this has worked perfect every time. It protects the car seat and is not expensive.

When the kids were small enough to sit on our laps, we would do that - so much cheaper. We would check in curb side so that we didn't have to lug their seats through the airport.
Bring lots of new books - stickers, coloring, etc to keep him busy. You'll be fine.

Hi Kathleen,

I would never travel without my child in a carseat. While you can certainly save the money and gamble that turbulence will not happen, all flight attendants will tell you that it happens and with turbulence or a ground collision on the runway, your body will pulverize the baby- or as it was described to me, your baby will become a football like projectile going 60-90 mph and it will be deadly. You can't prepare or protect him from turbulence. But if he is in his seat, he would be safe. The seat is also a lifesaver for keeping baby comfortable and secured, so that he isn't wiggling and wandering. There were something like over 270 on the tarmac delays of greater than 3 hours in the last month and those people in New York had to sit there for 6 hours on top of flight time (some flights have waited 12 hours after landing) You'll want all the help you can get because it's getting worse, not better.

You can check his carseat like you do you baggage so you don't have to lug it through the airport, but you still have it with you. Some car seats aren't FAA certified anyway.

Yes we have done this several times and it is always a dilemma, especially if you are traveling solo with your child. Short answer is it is expensive and difficult no matter what you decide.

In the past we have taken our baby in a sling to the gate while also bringing the stroller and car seat and gate checking them, keeping baby on lap. A friend of ours who is a flight attendant said this was stupid given the possibility of turbulence and that in the future we should be buying an extra seat on the plane -- bringing car seat on the plane.

We bought adapters that let the car seat fit onto the stroller. If that does not work with your current stroller and car seat, I think you are probably better off getting the One Step Ahead thing.

Cheers!
A.
www.unorthodoxdad.com

If you want to keep your little on on your lap then gatecheck the car seat. I rather know that my child is in a carseat that was NOT in an accident, and they can tell me anything when I rent a car seat...
Back in 2005 me and my 3 year old flew from Las Vegas to Newburgh, NY to meet Daddy home for R&R... Granted she was already a bit bigger and dragged her own carry on (going to grandma's) I had her convertible car seat with me, just made the straps loose and put it on my back, kinda like a backbag. then I had my carry on and my daughter on a hand. I paid for a seat for her, as she was too old not to, quite honestly I think it is safer as well.
If you have an umbrella stroller, you could also put the car seat on the handles while in the terminal, put your little one in the stroller, then gate-check the stroller.
It is doable, figure your options. I found out through a lot of international travels with 1 child (next year in summer it will be the first time for us flying with 2, thankfully hubby will be with us!) that there will always be somebody around, willing to help. An yes, there was times I felt like a mule, with all the things to have with us, on that flight from LV to NY we had 2 carry ons, 1 car seat, 1 purse... 1 4 hour stop over in Chicago with a stop at Dunkin Donuts and a bookstore, so then we had another 2 bags.... Not the funnest travel, but we got to see my hubby after nearly 10 months again! Well worth it!

Whether you buy him a seat or have him in your lap I recommend this to strap your car seat to your luggage. Turns your carry-on into a stroller for only $15 instead of $100 also, if you decide to buy him a seat.

http://www.amazon.com/Traveling-Toddler-Seat-Travel-Acces...

Highly recommended!

Also this website rents items specifically for traveling with kids

http://www.travelingwithkids.com/

Good luck!

I have three children and my husband is from Ireland. We have been traveling for quite some time. We always used an umbrella stroller for the airport. I would check my carseat in with the luggage, buy the kids their own seats and the airline would have me leave the umbrella stroller at the gate and that is where it would be waiting for me when I got off the plane. I could buckle the kids into the stroller, hang my carryon luggage from the handles and walk around the airport and if you are delayed the kids are comfortable enough in the stroller to fall asleep. The extra seat gives you peace of mind, although the flight might only be 2 hours, trust me when I tell you, it is great to have that seat next to you instead of the weary traveller who has no patience and is staring you down for having an active child!!!! Good luck on the flight and make sure you have a sippy cup for your child to suck on when you are taking off and landing. Hope this helps!

Check your carseat in with your luggage (strap it to it until you get to checkout. Carry on a small bag with toys and things for him, and wear him in a baby carrier through the airport so your hands are free. Try a Mai Tie or Ergo for a great 19 month old back carry. Many airports will let you through security with him in the carrier (take off his shoes before hand). Then your hands will be free. I opted at 18 months to go without buying a seat and 3 out of the 4 legs of the flight there was an empty seat next to me anyway. The other one she was just fine playing on the floor in front of me! Saves you lots of money unless you are getting really cheap tickets!
See carriers here: www.handsfreebaby.com
Best of luck,
K.

We went to Florida from NY in July and my Daughter was 18 months at the time.
I would absolutely tell you to buy him a seat.
At his age, he will not sit quietly on your lap for 2 hours!!! It was even a bit trying for our daughter, but she had her own seat by the window...(They have to go there if you are using your car seat). Between the food I brought for her, the animal crackers the airline gave her and all her Elmo books, she did really well. IDK what airline you are flying on, but if it is Jet Blue, they have direct TV on the plane so he will be able to see many children's channels during the trip also.
But I brought my laptop and she watched her own DVD while on the plane. That is a bit bulky for you, but if you have a potable DVD player that you can slip in your bag, that may work too.

As far as getting around with all your stuff and the baby, that is hard. I will suggest that I used the Space Bags storage bags for mine and my daughter's clothing. It really helped b/c I got all our stuff into one suitcase that way. I even put her stuffed toys in the bags and they all did well in there.
We took her stroller and her car seat...UGH
But of the 2, the car seat was the better choice. I did not want to rent and get something dirty that I wouldn't have wanted to put her in.
I did see the same cart from "One Step Ahead" that the car seat attaches to and almost bought that too, but since I had my husband and my nephew to help, I opted not to.

You are going to have a bit of frustration going this alone no matter how you look at it.

Can someone go with you to help you get your things out of the car and into the airport?
Once you get in there, there are carts that you can rent so you can put everthing on it to get around....
You will need to have your son in some kind of a cart or stroller otherwise your arm is going to fall off!!

If you are not going to take his stroller and you will not have any help, then the $100 cost for the cart from "One Step Ahead" will really be worth it for you.

When you go through security, you are going to have to take your son out of the cart, take your's and his shoes off, and send everything through the scanners. If you are bringing any liquids with you over 1.3 oz, they will make you take them out of your bag and they will test it. That includes his milk, juice or formula that you may be bringing.
It was not a big deal. They did not waste any of it. They had a paper like a chemistry litmus paper that they held over the opened bottles and then they put the strip into a machine that tested it.
Be mindful that if you are taking suntan lotion, creams, liquid make-up....ANYTHING liquid in your carry-on bag, you will have to take it all out or they will confescate it when it goes through the scanners.
If you buy your son a seat, your son's diaper bag is his carry on bag...so you can have your own.
If you take the cart for the car seat, or a stroller, there is no cost for these items and you can take your son in them right to where you board the plane, Then they will check it in for you at the plane and get it back for you when you leave.
I would call the airline ahead of time and see if they can help you out with the baby and your things.
I am sure there is some kind of service to give you a hand.
Don't struggle on your own!
Call ahead and see what they can do for you.

If I can help you out with any other questions you may have, just write back!
Good Luck,
P.

Just hold him in your lap. Consider it's only two hours, lugging the carseat around in the airport and going through the security check point could be a nightmare.

S.

I've traveled a lot with my toddler son between NY and CO. I highly recommend taking a small umbrella stroller for your son, and then the car seat can hang over the handles using the straps in the back or the seatbelts. It's a little bulky, but works just fine. If he sits on your lap, you can curb check his carseat at no extra cost & they'll bag it for you. If he has his own seat, putting him in his carseat on the plane might make him more comfortable. We bought the CARES product when my son was a little over a year old, but found he did way better in his own seat. Good luck!

The airlines will let you check the carseat for free. I usually bring a cheap little stroller that I take to the gate, where they will throw it into the holding area once you board. And I try to get a window seat so baby will be confined somewhat. Best of luck. It's always worse in your mind than it is once you do it.

I travelled many times with my daughter, with and without my husband. Your flight is fairly short- so long as you are not stuck on the tarmac. If your son is still small enough that he can sit fairly comfortably in your lap with you sitting in an upright position, I would NOT buy him a seat. But, the last flight I did with my daughter where she could fly for free, she was too big to do this comfortably (it was a 5 hour flight, and she couldn't get comfortable enough to sleep).

You can gate-check your stroller and your car seat, and neither counts as part of your luggage. I kept her in the stroller (they have to come out to go through security) and I balanced the carseat upside down on the bar where you push the stroller (a bungee would help). I always brought my big Graco, not an umbrella stroller, but bring the stroller you feel most comfortable with that will best meet your needs on vacation.

I'd be pushing the stroller with one hand, and pulling the suitcase behind me with the other - until I could check it.

The only time we tried renting a carseat from a car rental agency, I wasn't thrilled with it, I think it was one built into the seat of a minivan, and my daughter wasn't really big enough for it at the time.

Good luck! Bring him the food and drinks he'll need on the plane, just put the little lunchbag thru security with it open so they can see the drinks.

I haved done this a lot but my husband was always with me. We ALWAYS pay for the seat for our children and put them in the car seat. I feel it makes them feel more comfortable because then the feel like they are just in a car. It is also nice because then they don't want to get up as much. For the airport, we check our luggage, put the baby in the stoller which gets checked at the gate right before we get on the airplane, and my husband carries the carseat in his hand. It is cumbersome, but we make due. I never wanted to spend the money on the stroller attachment either. Good luck!

If you don't want to use it on the flight you can check the car seat with your baggage at the airport, even do a curbside check in so you don't have to lug everything inside by yourself. If you will be flying ever again with your son, the car seat attachment from One Step Ahead is a smart investment. I travel a lot with my 11 month old son and he's a handful in my lap so it may be easier to have your son in his car seat on the flight. Its a lot of work to fly by yourself but the airport staff and other passengers are usually really helpful!

Check with the airline for their policy with little children and their safety on the flight. Some airlines require the child to be in their own seat with proper restraint for take off and landing. You could possibly send the car seat on ahead of you and have a friend or relative meet you at the airport in OH or just check the car seat in as baggage. Could you take a cab to the airport in CT and pay for a skycap to help with everything? Good Luck on the trip and enjoy!!!!!

I agree that curbside or gate checking the car seat is the best option.

Hi Kathleen,

I don't know if you've left yet, but I would be happy to let you borrow our car seat adapter. I bough the one you referenced from One Step Ahead.

Send me a message and let me know!

J.

Hi Kathleen,

I have three children and have traveled alot with them. I purchased a car seat carrier for $20 dollars from toys are us. It is a bag that goes over the carseat, zips up the back and you can carry it like a backpack or it has wheels to roll it. It works great !! Target also carries one on line - Safe Fit Car Seat Travel Toat. It might be a little more than the one from Toys R Us but it also seems a little bit stronger. The first bag we purchased lasted several years, the second one made it through one trip and the airline smashed the zipper on it so it would not work anymore. They replaced it though !!! I think it is deffinately worth the $20-$30.

I also gate check the car seat so it is not thrown around as much as the luggage. When the zipper was destroyed my husband had checked it in with the rest of our luggage. I don't ever use the car seats on the airplane because they are too big and bulky. I found my son kicking the seat in front of him all the time just because there was not room for his legs and he could reach the seat.

I always buy a new book or simple toy for them to play with on the flight. Also, color wonder markers and books are great. You don't have to worry about the mess !! When we fly is the only time they use the color wonders so it is a big treat for them.

C.

HI Kathleen,

Until my son turned two and required his own seat, I always flew with him on my lap. We have made several trips to Costa Rica- a 4 1/2 hr flight. I'd reccommend trying for a window seat- if he doesn't see the aisle, he'll want less to run up and down the aisles. As far as lugging all the stuff- I'd reccommend an on-your back or similar carrier for your child and using one of the airport luggage carts for the rest. Good luck!

C.

I dont know if this can help, but I tell all the moms to rent a CARES system for the flight, if your child has their own seat, so you dont have to carry the carseat thru the terminal and into the plane - keep in mind in order to use in on the plane the carseat has to say its approved for flight. When you land you just pick up the seat at baggage claim. I am pretty sure they dont charge you to check in a carseat. This way you only have to worry about picking it up once you land. You will be able to take a stroller all the way to the gate so you can keep your child in the stroller and it will be at the gate when you get off the plane - hopefully your carseat isnt too large to place on the stroller somewhere. I had to place it upside down between the handles - I would also suggest a backpack to free your hands. If you have a stroller that you can maneuver with one hand, a back pack and the carseat in the other hand you will be set. Good luck

Hi,

My husband is a pilot so we are both always travling. Our daughter is only 17 days old so we haven't traveled with her yet. However we have everything you need to travel with them. We have GOGO Wheels which is $80 through Target! It does turn your car seat into a stroller. It's great!!! We have seen it a billion times at the airport and lot of our friends who are either pilots/flight attendants who have small children tell us it's the BEST!! We can't wait to use it. If I was you I would be more concerend about his little ears! Hope this advice helps!