StckFigure

I suspect to some extent the answer depends on the counter agent, but I'm hoping this is something people here might have experience with. We booked a flight BDL>MDW>IND, but we really only want to go to MDW. However, we have a baby, and the last time we tried renting a car seat with the car, it was very challenging with the agency not having quite the right size, so this time we want to check our car seat (in which case we figure we may as well check a suitcase too). Obviously we only want these to go to MDW, but our "layover" there is only scheduled for 90 minutes. Will I just get funny looks if I ask the agent to tag it only for MDW, or will I get outright refusal (in which case we'll deal with carrying the seat to the plane and gate checking it there, and learn our lesson)?

ILovetheReds

I am sure you are not going to get a counter agent to tag it to MDW.

If your bag gets gate checked it will be treated as though you checked it at the gate. It will end up on the baggage claim belt at IND not MDW. That is probably what will happen if they gate check a car seat as well since you wouldn't have any use for the item during a layover unlike a wheelchair or stroller.

My recomendation would be to either deal with car seat the car rental company gives you and carry on and make sure you are at the gate to board on time since you will require bin space and can't afford to have your bag gate checked.

MoreMilesPlease

Easy answer is to buy a seat for the child and take the car seat on the plane. Safest way for the child to travel.

You are not going to get the car seat and baggage in MDW if you check them. Gate checking will still take the luggage and car seat to IND.

azstar

TSA security regulations do not permit bags to be "short checked". If you are ticketed to IND, your checked bags must be tagged to IND. Airlines are subject to huge fines for violating TSA regulations. Unless you happen to find an employee who is not aware of this rule you will not be able to check your item only as far as MDW.

LegalTender

Anything designated a medical device you should retrieve at the MDW jetway.

JCK75

Either buy the ticket to your destination or buy a seat for your child so you don't have to check the car seat.

You're trying to have it both ways here, and a lot could go wrong likely over a small amount of money. If your car seat gets gate-checked and goes to IND, will the savings from doing the hidden city option be worth it to you?

Do yourself a favor and don't try to thread the needle on this one. I'm all in favor of saving money by being smart, but I think you're outsmarting yourself here.

CEUflyer

Definitely not true regarding the car seat. The gate agent will ask you where you want to to claim it. Just request at the gate at MDW. They will print a bag tag with MDW and stick one of those yellow "claim at gate" tags on it. I have done this many times recently (because I use the seat to transport the child at the connecting airport since I have those wheels you can attach).

Also, if there are empty seats on the flight, you can use the car seat on the aircraft for the infant instead of gate checking it.

My advice is to ask the GA about empty seats before boarding starts and get the gate check done then if needed. It takes them a little while to process, so if you try when you board, you'll get pulled out of line and end up boarding much later than your number.

darben

You could make multiple car rental rservations in case the rental company you prefer does not have an appropriate seat.

Also there is a company that purports to rent these things nationally. I have no affliation with them but the URL for Illinois is
http://babysaway.com/locations.php#Illinois
let us know how that works for you

MoreMilesPlease

Somehow it might be difficult for the OP to designate a piece of luggage and car seat as medical devices.

LegalTender

True.

But a GA is not apt to gate check a stroller for jetway pick up and disallow an infant car seat by divining its intended use. They have neither the time nor the inclination for such needle-threading.

InkUnderNails

Furthermore, unless you tell them, they do not know where your ticket says you will end. Asking for an intermediate stop is just as reasonable to them as asking for the following city.

ILovetheReds

They probably won't ask to see the boarding pass when gate checking the bag so the OP could easilly say his final stop is Midway. One concern I would have with that is if the plane is going on to another city and the bag and baby seat don't get pulled. Whilst the odds of it happening are very slim it could still occur. One time on Southwest my bag was not on the belt at LAS. It made it to my hotel later that night, but the agent thinks it never got pulled and went on to the next city. By the time all the bags were unloaded the plane had left the gate. There was another time I was on a Prop or RJ flying Delta and my planeside checked small rollerbag wasn't on the jet bridge when I landed at DTW to grab it for my connecting flight on a mainline flight. Again, my bag made it to me later that night on another flight, but if either of these happened to the OP how would he explain to the baggage assistance desk at MDW why he checked his bag to MDW when his PRN is showing IND?

puddinhead

Unless you claimed you were OCD and had to touch the items every 20 minutes.

RenHoek

Your nickname here is apropos. lolz

troutmd

You can without a doubt gate check a carseat to a layover stop. We do it ALL THE TIME (Son on over 50 flights at 15 months old).

MAKE CERTAIN it has a 'green gate check' tag and go to the gate when you first board and say I want it at MDW.

The other bag, I doubt you are going to have any luck with that.

Also, Carseats/strollers do not count towards your luggage... so wife and I have EACH carried on two items plus a carseat plus a stroller.. Its a bit of a mess, but we have done it.