Swiss Tony

I'm getting a time out when I try searching for this, so bear with me...

How do you guys go about carrying a full blown car seat (for an 18 mo old baby) through the airport? We're a little daunted by the prospect of trying this, so any thoughts/observations would be welcome!

For info, we're talking about a full-blown international itinerary and buying a seat for the infant so taking said car seat onto the plane, so lots of walking and probably some hanging around in slow moving immigration lines etc. There will be two adults and one baby, btw.

Thanks

Tony

jonu

You are right that this can be a PITA.

Consider getting a Sit N Stroll car seat/stroller combo. We've got one. Works great as long as you recognize its limitation (not the most convenient primary stroller).

If the price of that is a bit too much for how much you travel, I would consider a car seat bag to make schelpping that car seat through the airport easier. I have never used one, but it looks like a much better idea that carrying a car seat without one (which I had done many times before getting the Sit N Stroll).

Jakebeth

If you, like me, are anxious to use the car seat you already have, I recommend this car-seat bag. There's another thread out there in which someone argued for another model, which did sound better, but also more expensive. The nice thing about this one is that if you rip it or lose it, it's only $30. I've been very, very happy with it.

smcniven

I tend to do up all the straps (5 point harness right?), tighten them up and wear it like a backpack over one shoulder. It's not exactly convienient, but it works.

BrianPhill

I didn't find it to be a big deal. We have a Britax Roundabout, and on the back it has a metal bar that makes a nice handle. I carry it with the padded seat part facing towards my hip and hold it by the metal handle, and it really hasn't been a problem. I even pull my roll-aboard with a laptop bag strapped to the top with my other hand.

Now this was all while traveling with my wife. When my wife traveled by herself with our infant and the car seat, it was much tougher. She carried the infant in a Baby Bjorn, and put the car seat into the stroller that she gate checked.

dhuey

I was very much a pain. Use SmartCarte wherever you can.

Jakebeth

I realllllly recommend against dragging a seat, without a case and wheels, especially if you're traveling with the little one. The case makes a HUGE difference.

It also allowed me to smuggle about 10 bottles of booze I bought on the plane past customs at TLV recently as the FA didn't mention the sharp limit on carrying alcohol into the country until I was deplaning!

Relax. It's not like I put it in the baby's diaper. Sheesh.

CPRich

Same here.

jonu

I agree. Always wondered who used these overpriced carts... until we had kids. Good to have a lot of loose singles for this.

CDTraveler

We did that a few times, and then my husband discovered he could wear a backpack on his back, push the stroller and invert the car seat on his head like a rather peculiar helmet. Looked reeeeeeally funny, but he claimed it was easier to have it balanced that way than swinging of off one shoulder.

Too few airports actually have Smart Carts airside and if you're just changing planes, you probably don't want to exit the secure area to hunt for one. Makes me really appreciate the European airports with free luggage carts.

Swiss Tony

A big thank you to you all - this stuff is invaluable.

Specifically - jakebeth, does that bag fold down really small - is it really just a piece of material with the wheels at one end? If so, it sounds ideal as we want to use the carseat on the plane, not check it.

Many thanks again,

Tony

KebaNYC

We have two car seats. The Britax Marathon weighs a ton and I would never want to carry it anywhere. The other is a Graco which was recommended by a FT'er on this forum and it is very easy to cary through the airport because it only weighs a few pounds. I feel that this is the most important factor whether or not you can carry it. The other advantage of the light weight seat is that I can carry the seat on/off the plane with him in in if he falls asleep. I have seen people carry the Marathon through the airport and they don't look happy.

Another alternative is that you can hang it on the back of a stroller or roller bag if you are taking one.

Usually we carry small backpacks for each of us, the stroller, car seat and a very small duffel with toys/diapers that canfit under the seat. One piece of luggage will be checked unless we can get away with a 22" roller for the three of us on a very short trip.

Good Luck.

Keba

zansu

If your carseat is a Britax, you can use the GoGoKidz.
http://www.gogobabyz.com/products/gogo_kids.html

We always take a stroller, and use the stroller to carry carseats and bags, while the boys walk to tire them out.

Emmasmum

There is a product called the Bac Pac. It is like straps for the carseat. We used it with our Britax marathon carseat on a trip from Denver to LHR. It made it so easy and I carried it the entire way without any problems.

Jakebeth

I have to say, that GoGoKidz thing looks pretty cool. The only reason I prefer the bag, though, is that you don't have to do a lot of futzing with the straps and LATCH pieces to keep them from flopping around if you stuff the whole thing in a bag.

Tony - Yes, everything but the bottom of the bag is soft nylon and can be bunched/folded up. The bottom is hard plastic of some kind, to which the wheels are attached, and it probably measures 10x8 inches (maybe a little more, I don't have it with me). I just roll the rest of the bag around it and stuff it under my daughter's seat. I find it much easier and less stressful to use this a) because it rolls and b) because I can seal it up and nothing flops around

Hope that's helpful.