FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Car seat checked free when child flying separately?
Old Aug 27, 2015, 1:41 am
  #2  
Eclipsepearl
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: France
Programs: United Plus
Posts: 1,761
I'm not sure about Air Canada specifically but globally, it's a piece of luggage if the child is not with.

My sister brought me a car seat from the U.S. once and was miffed when she got off the plane. "I thought car seats were free!" Ha ha... not for a single gal!

Car seat techs will urge you to use the original packaging when checking a car seat as luggage. If not, it's recommended to be boxed with some sort of padding material. Neither of those are a requirement but at least one airline's website says directly that car seats are not covered for damaged unless in the "factory sealed" box, so keep that in mind if you haven't bought the car seat yet.

I also recommend wrapping it in string and perhaps putting a little handle (even one just made of rope) on it so that it's less awkward to handle. A friend's dad did that for me once and it was really helpful.
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