Do you need carseats in an Airport shuttle?

[Mom2twins]

Hello,

We're travelling to Calgary in September and I think we'll be bringing the boys' carseats as we will probably be renting a car at some point. But I was just wondering if we need it in the hotel's airport shuttle? I was told the shuttle holds 4 passengers but they didn't know what kind of vehicle it was. Also would almost 4 year olds fit in an airplane's seatbelt if we didn't bring carseats and didn't rent a car so didn't need carseat at the other end? I'm up for any other suggestions!

I haven't weighed the boys recently but they will turn 4 yearolds in mid October and one was about 36lbs. about 3 months ago the other around 33lbs. The lighter one has is quite small in the waist, some of the pants that fit his twin brother fall off him. Maybe I'll see if I can weigh them tonight, and in the morning before breakfast.

Thanks for any help!

[QuassEE]

Four passengers probably means that it's a car...and then on top of that, it quite possibly has a lapbelt in the centre middle. Kids tend to be WAY better on the plane in their carseats, and this also means you avoid any damage when checking or gate-checking them. Save your sanity--take your seats, and then you'll have so much more freedom on the other end. There's nothing like showing up for a "hotel shuttle" only to find out the only lap-shoulder belt for a boostered child is the front passenger seat...this happened to us recently! My husband and I had to sit in lapbelts, my 6 year old in his booster in the front passenger seat, and fortunately my daughter was harnessed. You NEVER know what you're going to get, so plan for the worst.

If you were planning on renting a car anyways--can you pick it up at the airport? Then you're no longer at the mercy of a hotel who cannot even tell you what model vehicle they're using to transport your babies.

-Nicole.

[Mom2twins]

We recently had a horrendous experience at the Calgary airport picking up a rental car! Those people don't know what a tether anchor is, or how many are in their cars. First we weren't getting a van because they don't rent them (why then is it on your website and what was confirmed, even by their staff 2 days before our arrival), then the car wasn't suitable and we were there for over 2 hours. We're trying to avoid tired and hungry boys for the family reunion. There is a car rental location across from the hotel shoud we need one.

[QuassEE]

Does Calgary only have one car rental agency? You'd think there would be more than one--I'd go with a different company, and call the location explaining why you need a specific vehicle (or two) reserved on that day. They'll generally do this--I do it all the time and 90% of the time get what I've asked for.

[ketchupqueen]

It depends. If it's a bus-type, no.

If it's a van or car, yes.

In L.A., I know airport shuttles tend to be vans, and go on the freeway to boot. And some of them have mostly side-facing seats, and you have to fight to get the forward-facing seats to install a car seat on. But they do have seatbelts, so yes, you use carseats.

I've been in other cities where the shuttles are buses, and if they're buses, they don't have seatbelts.

[Mom2twins]

I dealt with Budget because we were dropping off the rental in Vancouver and they were waiving the extra fee for being dropped at another location. They are associated with Avis so they are probably also off our list. If I don't need a car the first day or last day why should I rent a car from the airport when the shuttle is free? Don't rent cars cost more from an airport then offsite? And I already had called to ensure that they rented vans and I need to get 2 car seats and 4 adults in the car. How would you deal with a company that would have you put the one twin in the back so that you can fold part of the middle seat down to get the additional people and don't rent vans even though that's what I booked and had confirmed by phone over the phone? Maybe I'm just inexperienced with this but I don't get it. How did you do it QuassEE?

[tcottawa]

I've rented alamo/national at calgary many, many times and always had a great experience...they rent minivans (dodge grand caravans) and are often the cheapest option.

[Mom2twins]

Looking online Thrifty is the cheapest from the airport and Discount which is near our hotel is a little bit cheaper. All the other rentals at the airport were much more expensive. I don't think we need a van this time.

[QuassEE]

I love having a car right from the airport, regardless of the cost. It's a huge sanity/safety issue for me not being at the mercy of an airport shuttle. Too many bad experiences.

What I do, in order to get the vehicle I want is this: I call ahead, and get their fleet...then I look up any information on Edmunds.com to see how suitable that vehicle is. Then I call back after I reserve online, and tell them to put a HUGE notation that I want either a, b, or c vehicle (giving them three means you should get it) and just WHY (children, need specific seating configuration, tether anchors and legal requirements, etc!) THEN, the day of I call early in the day and make sure they absolutely DO NOT give away the vehicle I want--sometimes they'll even throw a keytag on to the vehicle or transfer another vehicle. This works almost all the time if I get a male on the phone, less so with a female.

I used to travel a lot.. Almost monthly, on a plane, with two children. I still travel a lot, but not all the time with the kids.

-Nicole.