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Can anyone give me advise on car seats for infants? Sometime ago I read on this forum about the condition of some car seats so decided we would take our own with us and put it in with our luggage. We're getting ready to go on Sat. and I was wondering how to carry it. Should I bubble-wrap it because I think it's too big to go in a holdall? Have any of you good people taken a car seat before?
Cheers
Aud
walden64
29-06-2005, 09:49
Aud
I always used to take our car seat's with us to Florida - I just put it in a very large plastic/bin bag and put the luggage labels on.
Hope you have a fantastic holiday
Michelle
pieman790
29-06-2005, 11:14
We always take our own. At least this way we know the history of the seat. We have a Britax Freeway excel which is approved for use on planes, so we get own young one to sit in it during the flight.
I have seen other people transport them in big plastic bags or bubble wrap. We always try to fly on a scheduled flight so we have no problems with weight or number of items carried.
heathercobbett
29-06-2005, 13:29
It is a really good idea to take your own.We were charged a ridiculous amount to rent a tatty one many years ago
I think all airlines carry them free,but perhaps best to check
(Don't forget to pack youe English tea bags;everything else is better and cheaper out there!)
Have a good time
I would wrap it in some bubble wrap before putting it in a bin bag and labelling. Things do seem to be thrown around in the hold.
My daughter's buggy was slightly damaged when they took it out, because it had not been treated with much care!
Aud
We have the Graco Turbo Booster Seats, these split down into 3 Pieces and we pack the backs of the seats in a small suitcase and put the usual booster bit in a Large Bag and Tape them together.
We went with Virgin in February and they supplied us a large plastic Bag at Check in as we were then able to use the seats on the short trip to the airport that morning. Plus you get alot of Bagguage allowance as said before with Scheduled Flights.
Have a great time
neilandkay
29-06-2005, 23:01
We invested in a car seat carrier. It is a large cavas holdall designed for car seats. We can fit both the babies car seat and our older son''s booster seat. (As well as other odds and ends such as extra coats etc.) I would recommend getting one if you are likely to use it a few times.
alanandjude
30-06-2005, 01:08
The car seat holder sounds like a great idea. Where did you get it from? We went to Florida for a month a few years ago and could have bought about 3 car seats for the price we were charged to hire one!!
Last time, we took our own and put it in a suitcase as it is quite light.
Thanks
Thanks everyone for your sound advice, it is very much appreciated.
I like the sound of the car seat holder too, where would I get one? Mothercare perhaps?
Cheers
Aud
djdigitald
30-06-2005, 11:45
Just to let people know (Or those who didn't already) Virgin no longer allow you to use your car seats on their seats. I contacted them yesterday and was told they have not allowed this for a couple of years. You have to use one of their CHild Care seats [8)]
I have seen these car seat bags on lots of american websites - but not in UK. I'm pretty sure they sell them in BabiesRUs in the US too - so you could get one for your return / next trip if you don't find one over here.
Magical Dreams
03-07-2005, 15:09
We took our own last time and flew with Virgin
The provide you with a large clear bag which seals itself.
Both ways, received it in good condition.
Not a mark on it. We found that this was the first thing on the carousel too! [msnsmile2]
ujpest doza
04-07-2005, 20:03
I just put mine in at the heavy baggage desk at Manchester, no bag or anything as we had used it to drive to the airport, and it came out at Sanford okay.
Only downside was we were second off the plane and through immigration but one of the last out of the airport as the car seats and buggies came off the carousel after all of the cases:(:(
Another tip that we discovered on our last trip, is that if you have hired a 7 seater mini van they have (most vehicles Dollar & Alamo) 2 drop down seats in the middle with a 5 point harness.
If taking your own, then just make sure it is wrapped and clearly marked. Car seats are much cheaper in the US, so if you ever need a new one, just hire a car seat for the day to get you from the airport to villa and then use the new one and bring it home with you. BA allow you to use your own car seat on the plane if you have paid for a child seat, but it has to have 5 point harness, be forward facing and a rigid construction. Most car seats meat these criteria these days. Depending on how old your young one is, BA also provide an infant seat designed especially for the aircraft to be used at the bulkheads that are good upto the age of 2. Scheduled airlines definatley are better to use when you have more items to take such as strollers and seats as they allow a bigger baggage allowance and usually something like a stroller is in addition to your baggage allowance if flying scheduled.
I am sure your car seat will arrive no problems and have a great holiday.
ujpest doza
05-07-2005, 13:31
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Another tip that we discovered on our last trip, is that if you have hired a 7 seater mini van they have (most vehicles Dollar & Alamo) 2 drop down seats in the middle with a 5 point harness.
[/quote]
Thats not neccesarily so.
In 2000 my sister had a seven seater van that had the harness thing but in March this year i had a Dodge Grand Caravan 7 seater van and it did not have the drop down harnesses. Obviously we had our car seat with us anyway, but it would be prudent not to rely on a van having the harnesses.
pieman790
05-07-2005, 14:02
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by ujpest doza
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Another tip that we discovered on our last trip, is that if you have hired a 7 seater mini van they have (most vehicles Dollar & Alamo) 2 drop down seats in the middle with a 5 point harness.
[/quote]
Thats not neccesarily so.
In 2000 my sister had a seven seater van that had the harness thing but in March this year i had a Dodge Grand Caravan 7 seater van and it did not have the drop down harnesses. Obviously we had our car seat with us anyway, but it would be prudent not to rely on a van having the harnesses.
[/quote]
We have one of these type of car seats on people carrier in the UK and it is very good and safe as the seat can not be moved. It came as an extra and not people dont have them installed. What you also have to remember is that most car hire comapnies want you to hire their child seats to make more money.