Checking carseats on plane

U

Unregistered

Guest

• Jul 13, 2011

• #1

I have an older style Britax Marathon. I have checked it as baggage on a few flights, but now see that this is not recommended here. I have put it in a carseat backpack thing that is padded. Do I need to replace the seat or is it still okay?

Thanks!

 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor

Staff member

• Jul 13, 2011

• #2

I'd replace it. There's no way to say it's ok. Even if we were looking at it, short of obvious external damage, we wouldn't be able to say. There may be damage to components we can't see, or weakening of something that looks fine. Until your baby goes flying by you during a crash, anyway.

If you need recommendations, we're happy to help.

Wendy

 

J

jnamommy

New member

• Jul 13, 2011

• #3

I agree, you really need to replace it. You have no idea what has happened to that carseat. Do you ever get luggage back that is missing wheels, sides broken, torn, etc? Same concept. Your seat may have been thrown, dropped, crushed under other baggage. Better safe than sorry, so you don't have ever to say "If only......"

 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob

Staff member

• Jul 13, 2011

• #4

Yep. My car seats were in a major crash and there wasn't visible damage; I've seen awful things done to gate-checked seats, and they might not leave visible damage but I'd not use a seat that was checked unprotected, myself. And by unprotected I mean "not packed more carefully than you would to ship it in the mail"- bubble wrap, box, sturdy tape, the whole 9 yards.

 

M

MommaTo3inNH

New member

• Jul 13, 2011

• #5

I simply do not get the paranoia of gate checking seats! People have been gate checking seats and strollers for years... Gate workers sure get a bad rep...

My bff's husband is a gate worker, and my brother was up until a year ago. I have asked them (separately lol) what happens to our strollers and seats once we walk onto the plane. They both said that things are not manhandled, and as a rule they are the last things stowed and first things removed. My brother said he once dropped a seat out of the door accidentally and he went back inside and the flight attendant got the passenger to explain and file a claim. Bff's hubby said on two occassions he broke a stroller - one time he didn't fold it up right and it snapped and the other time he was walking backwards and stepped on one.

They both said you can ask for badge #'s of the guys loading your stuff just in case something happens...

If we gate check a seat (rare) we put it in a travel bag. Not necessarily for protection from damage but more fir keeping the cover clean. I would never, ever sidewalk or counter check a seat. It goes into the abyss of the airport where there is zero accountability!

 

Pixels

New member

• Jul 13, 2011

• #6

I gate checked a seat once. I got most of it back. The airline wasn't even apologetic.

Even if the gate check attendants are careful with seats, they are placed in the luggage hold along with all the other luggage. Things can shift in flight and your seat could be hit by someone's 50 pound suitcase.

 

Brianna

New member

• Jul 13, 2011

• #7

MommaTo3inNH said:

They both said that things are not manhandled

Click to expand...

My eyes weren't lying to me when I watched the baggage handlers manhandling and tossing seats on the ground as I was waiting to board.

 

morninglori

New member

• Jul 13, 2011

• #8

MommaTo3inNH said:

I simply do not get the paranoia of gate checking seats! People have been gate checking seats and strollers for years... Gate workers sure get a bad rep...

Click to expand...

Most of my concern comes from that steep slide that gate checked items get to ride down. Not quite a freefall drop, but still, those bags hit with a thud at the bottom even with those rubber bumpers at the end.

 

littleangelfire

Well-known member

• Jul 13, 2011

• #9

briheartzu said:

My eyes weren't lying to me when I watched the baggage handlers manhandling and tossing seats on the ground as I was waiting to board.

Click to expand...

:yeahthatmad: I sat in my seat and WATCHED as things were tossed under the plane, even tossed onto the cart that was going to be tossing things onto the plane. And I watched an infant carrier, boxless, go through all that. The 'paranoia' is b/c you can't always tell when a seat has been damaged. I once used a seat for I don't know how long before realizing it had cracked foam. Only realized b/c the cover came off one day and I saw it. And I'm not blaming the baggage handlers. Passengers shouldn't put things that are important or things that can be broken through a process that could harm them. A stroller is fairly easily replaced and also fairly easy to tell damage. A car seat is not.

 

U

Unregistered

Guest

• Jul 13, 2011

• #10

Okay thanks guys! I will get a new seat. It was counter checked both times (both directions). I was thinking of replacing it with a frontier 85 as I am a Britax lover. I was wondering if anyone knows if this (or any other seats) will fit on the plane and let the tray table fold down. My son is almost 3 years old so I would be okay FF him at this point.

 

littleangelfire

Well-known member

• Jul 13, 2011

• #11

Britax has lots to love. Except the price, lol. However, the Graco Nautilus is a great seat, too, so you might consider it, especially for traveling. It's slightly less bulky than the Frontier85. Also, if you travel frequently, you might check and see if a Ride Safer Travel Vest (RSTV) would be a good fit for your child. It's literally a vest, can fit into your carry-on (not to be worn on the plane) and then you thread the belt in any vehicle through it. what's even better is that it can be used with just a lap belt as long as you use the tether, so it's a really good fit for lots of different vehicles. I love ours. IT was so easy to travel with. If one of the sizes will fit your child.

 

L

Lucy4242

New member

• Jul 14, 2011

• #12

I just checked my daughters in the box it came in straight from the store. It worked out great on the way there and the box was in perfect shape. However, on the way back, I had to use packing tape from Staples to repack it (I also threw a blanket in the box). It was 99 humid degrees and the tape began the melt. I never in a million years considered that! Delta was great and re-taped it with their amazing tape, tied it closed with rope, and then let me have it back in ATL where we had to catch our connection. I then bought more tape (it was cooler there) and gate checked it.