Traveling by myself with both kids

Ahhh okay, I didn't know the 2 y/o was there

Have you tried using the large o-ring and the LATCH straps to attach the XTSL to the rolling carry-on?

rodentranger said:

I didn't even see your post, KQ.
Well stink. They might just have to both rf if the rf'er has to be by the window. I really think ODs will enjoy the window more than YDS will.
I tried using the LATCH strap through the ff beltpath and a big O-ring to attach them both to with the GGK, but the seat sits so low that the bottom pretty much touched the ground. The special strap thingy has grommets and cleats so you can use the thumb screws to hold it higher up.

Click to expand...

My head is spinning and I am very confused, lol. I'm talking about the Radian carry strap, I thought you were complaining about the cost of that?

And yeah, when there are 2 car seats there is TECHNICALLY usually no rule that the RF car seat has to be by the window, but if they insist on it, which happens frequently, it's very hard to convince them otherwise.

Do you have a double stroller you can push with one hand? My only thought would be to push the stroller with one hand, and pull the car seats behind, clipped/bungeed to a luggage cart, with the other... Not FUN, but my husband pushed 2 kids in the stroller and pulled one in the TT attached to rolling carryon with the other and survived. (I was wrangling the umbrella stroller with 2 Radians stacked in it, which needed 2 hands, and carrying the diaper bag.)

And yeah, when there are 2 car seats there is TECHNICALLY usually no rule that the RF car seat has to be by the window, but if they insist on it, which happens frequently, it's very hard to convince them otherwise.

Actually, there IS! Car seats have to go by the window and no one can sit in between two car seats. FAA rule, which is why the F/A's "insist" (you would too, if you risked a personal fine of up to $1000).

I guess it could go in the middle seat, if the window seat were empty but that would be total wasted space of the empty seat and with two children, impossible. Window aisles have 2 or 3 seats together (I've never seen an aircraft with more than that in a window seat).

The car seats can go in the middle section, as long as there is an aisle on each side. Again, no one can sit between them. They would have to go together, rf or ffing.

The luggage cart I meant were the compact, light kind. Mine weighs next to nothing. Something like this;
http://www.luggageandleather.com/Products/Remin-Kart-a-Bag---Flite-Lite-Luggage-Cart__C525.aspx

You can get cheaper ones too. Mine has lasted over 20 years and many car seats!

Also, for the baby carrier, I meant the good ones like Mei Tai's, Ergos or Becos. Babies can get clingy in airports and if worn correctly, they like them (unless your child doesn't like being held at all). I used my sling well past age 3 and my babies were BIG and I have a history of back problems (much easier on the back than holding them with my arms).

It was absolutely a sanity-saver flying alone with three children between Europe and California twice a year! I don't know how I could have done it otherwise...

So you would have the little one in front in the carrier, if not walking (be sure to place him down whenever you're not moving for awhile) the backpack in back and you would be pulling the two car seats on one luggage cart while the older one walked. That could work!

ketchupqueen said:

My head is spinning and I am very confused, lol. I'm talking about the Radian carry strap, I thought you were complaining about the cost of that?

And yeah, when there are 2 car seats there is TECHNICALLY usually no rule that the RF car seat has to be by the window, but if they insist on it, which happens frequently, it's very hard to convince them otherwise.

Do you have a double stroller you can push with one hand? My only thought would be to push the stroller with one hand, and pull the car seats behind, clipped/bungeed to a luggage cart, with the other... Not FUN, but my husband pushed 2 kids in the stroller and pulled one in the TT attached to rolling carryon with the other and survived. (I was wrangling the umbrella stroller with 2 Radians stacked in it, which needed 2 hands, and carrying the diaper bag.)

Click to expand...

No, I got the Radian carry strap for $4. There's a strap for the GGK that you have to use with a Radian. My SILs either don't have it or didn't send it. Either way, I'm not buying a $25 strap for a GGK I don't own. I'm not taking any stroller at all, let alone a double.

Eclipsepearl said:

And yeah, when there are 2 car seats there is TECHNICALLY usually no rule that the RF car seat has to be by the window, but if they insist on it, which happens frequently, it's very hard to convince them otherwise.

Actually, there IS! Car seats have to go by the window and no one can sit in between two car seats. FAA rule, which is why the F/A's "insist" (you would too, if you risked a personal fine of up to $1000).

I guess it could go in the middle seat, if the window seat were empty but that would be total wasted space of the empty seat and with two children, impossible. Window aisles have 2 or 3 seats together (I've never seen an aircraft with more than that in a window seat).

The car seats can go in the middle section, as long as there is an aisle on each side. Again, no one can sit between them. They would have to go together, rf or ffing.

The luggage cart I meant were the compact, light kind. Mine weighs next to nothing. Something like this;
http://www.luggageandleather.com/Products/Remin-Kart-a-Bag---Flite-Lite-Luggage-Cart__C525.aspx

You can get cheaper ones too. Mine has lasted over 20 years and many car seats!

Also, for the baby carrier, I meant the good ones like Mei Tai's, Ergos or Becos. Babies can get clingy in airports and if worn correctly, they like them (unless your child doesn't like being held at all). I used my sling well past age 3 and my babies were BIG and I have a history of back problems (much easier on the back than holding them with my arms).

It was absolutely a sanity-saver flying alone with three children between Europe and California twice a year! I don't know how I could have done it otherwise...

So you would have the little one in front in the carrier, if not walking (be sure to place him down whenever you're not moving for awhile) the backpack in back and you would be pulling the two car seats on one luggage cart while the older one walked. That could work!

Click to expand...

I had an Ergo, tried a Beco and made a custom mei tai specifically for us. It had mei tai shoulder straps (to spread the weight out better) and an Ergo type waist belt. I've also tried framed packs. At 30 lbs, I can not wear him in anything. I can't do it. I have tried. It's not my back that is the problem-I can carry the Radian and it's not exactly light. My pelvis is lopsided and there's too much weight on one side. It kills my hips and there is absolutely no way on Earth I can go through the airport with him on my back. It is simply not an option. He will have to ride in the seat with the GGK.

I'd take the Complete Air & Radian - I'm pretty sure the CA is lighter than a Britax seat - and it has the open belt path right (pretty sure it's similar to our Uptown like that) which is easier to install on the plane.

For getting thru the airport - luggage cart or umbrella stroller with the CA strapped in and 2yo riding in it. If it's a stroller you can hang a diaper bag on the handle and put the Radian on your back, it's a little harder to hang a bag on the back of a luggage cart with carseat - not impossible though, just make sure it's hooked over the top of the carseat. I've also had 1 carseat strapped to the stroller and a 2nd in a rolling carseat bag and been able to hook the handle for the carseat bag over one of the handles on the stroller, makes it a little awkward to push, but doable.

Sounds like your are pretty close to a solution. I'm a single mom and travel often with my kids, however, my kids are 11 yrs apart so while I've flown with carseats for 16 years now, I never had to take two in carseats at once.

These days I fly with my Radian. I have both carry straps for it but typically I only actually use one, the Radian over one shoulder and my smallish sling style backpack over the other. Works fine in the airport but using just one shoulder strap, the radian can slip into a horizontal position making it hard to get down the aisle of the plane. Oh and I hit my dd in the head with it pretty regularly, too. But the Radian is still our favorite to travel with. My daughter carrys her own brightly colored easily identifiable backpack - I mention this because we have left it as security more than once - and has carried her own bag since she was 3. I have her pack her own toys and make her wear it around to decide if it is too heavy, she is not allowed to complain about the weight once we leave home since SHE packed. I know this sounds mean but I only have 2 hands...

I'm thinking that I would take the Radian in backpack mode and whatever seat you use with the GoGo Kids. . RYou can put your bag over the handle of the GoGo kids, right? Radian over one shoulder, pull the GoGo kids with the other. I would have a backpack for you and one for your oldest to carry. 3 would be too many. Maybe I missed why this wasn't going to work for you?

Good luck with finding a solution. Think of it as a puzzle, if the pieces haven't fallen into place yet - they will soon! You are way ahead of the game. I'm usually up at midnight trying to figure out how I'm going to get myself, kids, carseats, strollers and luggage to through the airport and my least favorite part, through security, with only two hands.

Here's what I ended up doing on the way down:
GGK on both seats, kids' backpacks over the handles of the GGK, my pack on my back. Hell.
On the way home:
From rental car place to baggage check: GGK on RN, Traveling Toddler on MA (with GGK) on my suitcase, YDS on my back (borrowed an Ergo and had to suck it up), ODS walking with his backpack. My carryon was in the RN.
After I checked my suitcase, I wheeled both boys to security, then loaded them back in afterward to the gate. There I took the GGK off the RN and put it on my back. My carryon sat in the MA, which I wheeled to the plane and carried YDS and ODS walked.

I fully intend on buying an RSTV for the next trip in March if we fly. ODS will go in the vest and I'll put YDS in the RN. If we take the train, I'll probably stick with the MA and RN.