How easy is the radian to travel with really?

I know it folds and you can carry it on your back but man that seat is so heavy is it really that easy to do through an airport? I'm going to be flying with just my youngest from DFW to Tampa, then driving to Atlanta after a couple days, and flying out of Atlanta back home to DFW...so some pretty busy airports too, lots of walking. I have terrible hips and just me pushing him in a stroller so I have something to lean on a bit is going to kill them...much less carrying that heavy thing. But I do of course want him in his car seat, not only for safety benefits but the flight to Tampa is 5hrs Would it be worth buying a Scenera or another light weight seat for the plane?

I think I saw a thread awhile back of a Radian RF on a plane...or am I crazy? Was it easy to do? If not does it work well FF? He rides RF in the car so I'd like him to while there too but he will be 3 and I'm not 100% sure he fits in a Scenera RF...he's very small so surely he would but don't know. He's just a bit under 36in and 27lbs.

On the way there I'll be with my sister who can help, she might be able to carry the radian but flight home I'm thinking of staying an extra couple of days so might be flying home on my own.

We used the Radian nearly exclusively for travel for years. With two backpack straps I didn't notice it on my back. Honestly. Unless I leaned down and forgot I had this long thing strapped back there. It installs like a dream forward facing on the plane. Piper slept for seven hours straight on the way back from China in hers. She was able to recline and use the tray. I never tried it rear facing on the plane, nor did I want to travel with a nearly irreplaceable foot for rear facing, so she always forward faced. Once or twice it was tricky to get a decent install in a rental, but that wasn't in the US.

I loved ours for travel. We'll see what we get for Laine when she's out of her Coccoro. Either a RSTV if she fits, or a Radian, probably.

Wendy

Thanks So if you were in my position would you just leave the RF boot at home and have him FF in the car ride to Atlanta too? He will be right over 3 then....but small. He did have to ride FF for a couple months already though because of issues with him kicking his brothers and we couldn't get it to stop and it was becoming dangerous to everyone :| But he's been back RF for awhile with no issues....figured out some underlying problems that were causing the aggression and him to not listen.

I'd be fine with forward facing at three for travel. Laine probably will be as well.

Wendy

We traveled a lot with our's too. I preferred to put it on a folding luggage cart - I could pull DS around in it that way too (we didn't generally bring strollers with us, or if we did, we checked them at the desk.)

It *is* great that the kids can use the plane's tray while in flight. :thumbsup:

I travel with mine all the time (including atlanta airport!), and its great. It isnt too heavy for me and Im tiny (although I wish the backpack straps adjusted to smaller).

Ds is 3 and rides FF on the plane, on this trip I LOST the foot on the plane and had to buy a scenera so he could RF (I returned it after one car ride - thanks walmart).

I have installed it RF on the plane, but its just as upright if not more RF, and he cant use the tray, so I only do it when we sit in economy plus on united where there is more space between rows of seats. FF I can recline his seat (the airplane seat) when he sleeps, and I bring a blankie to stuff under his chin so he doesnt flop around.

Its awsome for travel!

Not too long ago, I flew with DD by myself. Radian on my back, DD in an Ergo on my front, Ergo backpack strapped on as the diaper bag, and I was 6-8 weeks pregnant at the time. I carry on the RF foot so that it doesn't get lost or damage. I just stuff it in the diaper bag.

As PP said, RFing the Radian on a plane can be done, but the install is even more upright than FF. For travel, my first preference is an infant bucket, then the Radian. I won't travel with any other convertible.

Last year, DH, DD, the Radian and I walked all over Atlanta airport, trying to get a flight on standby. DH was carrying the Radian and I had the diaper bag, but whenever I offered to trade, he said it was fine.

In your case, since the weight may be of particular conecern for you, a lighter seat such as the Scenera may be better. But then it's more awkward, because it doesn't fold and there's no good way to carry it.

I fly alone with three children between Europe and California about twice a year. I also have to go 2 hours to the airport, usually taking a bus so I'm alone at the airport leaving.

I put the Radian on a luggage cart and it works great. I'm also an older mom and have no problems handling it, even with my history of sciatica.

I've also used the Sit&Stroll combo stroller/car seat and the Scenera. The Radian is heavier than both but is not that much more fuss than the other two.

We hated the Radian for travel. However, we only had one strap (so no backpack). The seat did not fit rfing, so we had to remove the boot, unthread the harness (which is nearly impossible on that Radian splitter plate), move it up a slot to install on the plane, then reverse it all for use in the car on the other end (DD was 2.5 at that time). The thing was HEAVY, hard to carry, and an all around pain. OTOH, it did install really well ffing and DD could use the tray on the plane.

This time (we just got back today), we installed 2 Avenues rfing on the plane (got them at the Kmart clearance for $17.99 each) and LOVED it. They installed more upright than DS liked, but DD was fine. They were light to carry, easy to install/remove, fit rfing in "steerage", fit through the TSA scanners, balanced easily on top of the MacLaren stroller, and the cover (with handle) made it easy to carry through the airport.

As a side note: We currently LOVE Frontier Airlines. They gave us NO problems about rfing our (nearly) 3yo and barely 1 yo. I came armed with the FAA regs (after the disaster that was our AirTran flight, I never fly w/o them), but never needed them. They asked for the FAA wording and to see that the carseats could be installed rfing (some FAs thought that seats like those were ffing only), but didn't fight us on it and were impressed by our knowledge of carseats and our choice to buy a ticket for our under2 son (who could have flown for free as a "lap baby"). It was quite pleasant. Wish I could say that about more airlines that I've flown with the kids!

Did you really carry your car seats? Why didn't you put the Radian on a wheelie? That would have made it much easier.

What's great is that you can wheel it this way down the aisle. No carrying even on the plane! Also, when my dd was tired, she could sit in it so we skipped the stroller.

On a regular airline it is great for traveling. I attached it to the GoGoKidz travel mate. I traveled with the foot.

When taking a military hop it is a nightmare and I will never hop with the Radian ever again. LOL.