Has anyone taken a Britax Roundabout on a flight? I'm trying to find out if the seat will fit? Also, if someone has brought a carseat and it didn't fit, did they then gate check it for you?
Yes. The Roundabout does fit. You just need to request a seatbelt extension from the flight attendant. We have also checked carseats.
we used it, it was great. one step ahead sells this thing that you can zip the seat into and can roll it or even carry it on your back, we used that, it was fine, we really just put the seat on the luggage cart with everything else for most of the time in the airport. ask for the bulkhead seat so you have room, and ask the attendants to let you on first and help you strap it in, they are great at it. we flew jetblue and they did it all for us in 2 seconds, they were awesome. plus then we had the seat for the rental car. it was perfect. i flew once without it, used the baby b'air harness, and i not only felt guilty the whole time, but it was an awkward and uncomfortable flight. if for some reason it doesnt fit, im sure they would check it at the gate, they do that with strollers, just be sure to put a tag on it.
We just took our 2 1/2 year old on her 1st flight and opted to check the carseat, rather than bring it on the plane. We checked it at the same time as our luggage, but were not charged for it because it was a necessity.
I just came back from San Antonio last week. The carseat we got from Wal-mart was FAA approved. There's a sticker on the carseats that let's you know they are approved or not.
Some people recommend getting the "harness", but it's only available online for $70-$80.
Also...don't check the carseat at the airport. It will cost you more....same with a stroller.
Nanc
We took our roundabout on the plane years ago and it fit just fine.
We took it a couple of times when my son was a bit smaller...but it does take up a lot of room! Fitting in the seat itself is no problem, but leg room definitely is. My son kicked the seat in front of him for the entire flight. They should gate check it for you, though. I would recommend getting one of those baby B'air (sp?) flight vests instead.
I have a Britax, I forget which one, and I have used it several times on planes. One time though, an overly enthusiastic flight attendant pointed out that it was not FAA approved (check the stickers on the bottom of the seat) and he would NOT let us use it.
They will definitely gate check carseats, strollers, etc. so these do NOT count as part of your luggage allotment. They may or may not check the carseat once you are already on the plane, it depends on how many people are still boarding and probably the mood of the flight attendants. I would decide ahead of time if you want to use it on the plane or check it at the gate. I do think the carseats fit kids bodies better than the plane seats and most kids are used to falling asleep on long car rides.
Happy traveling.
I also have a Britax but I'm not sure if it's a Roundabout. It did fit on the plane, although my little one was sitting straight up the whole ride. It's a bit cumbersome to get into the seat and you may need to ask for a seat extender to lock it in properly as we did. The last time we travelled, we decided to bring it but then checked it when we got to the plane and had her sit in the seat. So yes, you can check it at the gate.
We used the Britex Roundabout on Jet Blue last year and it fit! I.
You must have an Air craft approved car seat to get on any flight. If yours is approved there should be a sticker on it so when you go through you can show them or they wont let you on.
Yes! The Britax Roundabout fits on an airlplane seat. And the last time we flew with it, we found a cool strap thing that was able to attach the carseat to a rolling carry on, so you were able to use it as a stroller in the airport, instead of trying to figure out how you're going to carry the large and awkward car seat around the airport. I think we ordered it from amazon.com, and it was only like $5 or something.
I used the Roundabout for my daughter and I know it fit on American the two times we traveled. Plus I loved having her seat to use in our rent car vs the ones you get from them because I heard they are very uncomfortable.
One warning - we checked our umbrella stroller at the gate on the way home on one trip and it did NOT make it on the plane. It eventually made it to us, but not for a couple of days. Luckily it was on the leg home, so we didn't miss it too much since we'd just taken the small one for the trip and still had the regular stroller at home.
If your child is able to sit without it - don't bring it. They are really big and take up too much room. Most airlines will allow you to check it for free (be sure to ask for it to be free) and they don't count it as an extra bag. You can check your stroller and car seat at the gate if you change your mind. But call customer service first to be 100% sure.
TO bring a carseat on an airplane it has to say its safe for airplane travel - not all car seats are created equal. It would be labeled on the side of the car seat where all the labels are.
Besides you dont want to drag that seat all thru the terminal. Look into a CARES travel system I have used them a few times already for my daughter - there are a few people that will rent you the system so you dont have to purchase it, unless you travel often.
We used the Britax Roundabout on a flight from NY to LA last year for my then 18-month old daughter. It fit fine although it was a bit cumbersome to attach the seatbelt. A warning: I don't know how old your child is but with our daughter in her car seat, her feet were very close to the seat in front of her. I suggest you take off your child's shoes or else the kicking will be very annoying to the passenger in front.
