Traveling Choices

I will be traveling with my 4 yr old (41 in, 41 lbs, 15 in shoulder height) and 2 yr old (37 in, 35 lbs, 12 in shoulder height) on a plane and will need car seats at our destination. They both use a Britax Frontier 85 at home, but I do not want to put them with cargo on the plane and am extremely hesitant about brining them on board with us because of the tray issue with my 2 yr old, and space issue with my 4 yr old. Has anyone brought this seat on board with a child that size? What is the space restriction like? Its out first time traveling and I'm scared!

The only car seats I can find to rent (the car rental companies have no idea what brand they even use so I ruled them out) that come close to fitting our needs are a Cosco High Back Booster and Ventura. There is also a Safety 1st seat (model unknown) but I believe they are both under Dorel Juvenile anyway. There are also a couple of belt positioning boosters (not HB). I am really not satisfied with any of these choices.

My question is, what is my best choice? I am concerned about the safety. Is my 4 yr old ok if she is 1 lb over the weight limit in a harness? Or would it be safer to use as a HB belt positioner (I have always heard that is not as safe)? I also think she may be too tall for the shoulder height limit?

Any help or suggestions would be very appreciated. Thank you!

Never check seats, and never rent seats. Have the rental seats been in a crash? Have the harnessed washed or bleached? Have they been recalled? Has someone thrown up/peed in them? Have they always been used properly? You can't answer any of these questions, and I bet the answer is no to a lot of them.

It's not safe to use a seat that's outgrown, and the seats they have make terrible boosters.

I'd get an Evenflo Maestro to travel with for the four year old, and a Cosco Scenera to rear face the two year old in. Should cost you $120 for the two. Or, bring both Frontiers. They're FAA approved, though I don't know how two will fit next to one another on the plane.

Wendy

Thank you, Wendy. I think I will get two Maestros. Would it be safe to check them with the cargo on the plane if they are in the manufacturer boxes that they are shipped to the store in? That way I could purchase them before I leave and use the same box. Southwest says that car seats can only be in the window seat and I am traveling by myself with two kids so I obviously cannot do that.

Yes, and it's possible they'll both fit in the plane's seatbelt. But I'd bring both on, or at least the two year old's. I just can't imagine the two year old not playing with the buckle, or having enough of a rise to have the buckle NOT be on the soft abdomen. The four year old, maybe you could get away with nothing.

Make sure you keep the boxes at your destination, or prepare to bring both on board on the way home.

It's fine to have two carseats in the same row. As long as passengers aren't being blocked (that'd be you), it doesn't matter.

http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgAdvisoryCircular.nsf/0/60d70126cf679d5a8625723b007841e7/$FILE/AC%20120-87A.pdf

Wendy

IIRC, the Scenera is sold in a plastic carrying case, not a box!

So as long as I am on the aisle they have to allow it? Do you happen to know if the tray will go all the way down with either the Frontier or Maestro? And will my 4 yr old have any wiggle room? I just don't want her to be TOO squished. Thanks for your advice. Your idea for the Maestros has been a huge stress saver for me! At the very least I can check them in the boxes they are purchased in. We need some second car seats for my husband's car anyway, so I don't mind purchasing them.

Yeah, that's why I would have used a Scenera on board rear facing for the two year old. Plus I'd rear face a two year old.

A four year old should have a ton of space. The Maestro is a narrow seat, but the interior space is not limited. It has a 50 pound harness limit and 18" top slots, so a four year old should fit quite well.

Here's my then 11 month old (disclaimer: in the store only, she was and is too young for this seat in the car) in the Maestro. She fit well, and you can see there's a LOT of seat around her.



Wendy

Thanks again, Wendy. While at the store purchasing the Maestros, I created more confusion for myself. Could you take a look at the thread below? Thank you!

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?p=1710022#post1710022