Have you ever had a Scenera NOT fit a plane?

Hi, I'm flying from the US to Canada (American Airlines, including one teenie weenie plane for the last leg of the trip) and I paid for the extra seat for my son to be in a convertible car seat.

I figure I'll just get a scenera, then install it in my parents' car when we land.

I'm just terrified of the car seat being too big for the teenie seats that they have on planes now. I'll be LIVID if I have to check that thing in...not only do I not trust TSA to bang that thing around, but I paid for that seat...damn skippy my son is going to sit in it comfortably in his own car seat!

Wondering if anyone has ever been forced to check in their Cosco Scenera (or other car seat) because it didn't fit the ridiculously cramped seats on an airline?

If you're worried about the width, don't be. Just put the armrest up. I've had much bigger seats than the Scenera on anything from puddle jumpers to 777s.

Rear facing it may be a hair upright, but it should also install properly.

Wendy

Hi there!

I agree with Wendy, it should fit if you put the armrest up. I've had a Complete Air fit in economy class on a Southwest 737, and it's both wider and longer than a Scenera. If you're on a truly tiny plane, you can still probably fit a Scenera. In a worst case scenario, you can choose to install it forward-facing because it's still probably better than nothing for your child, and at least it won't get checked that way. Width-wise, there should be no problems as long as you're in a position where the armrests raise.

I hope that sets your mind at ease!

We have used them for travel and they were great on the plane!

I'm definitely freaking out. I thought that the armrests had to be down during takeoff and landing?

I'm also nervous because when we land, I need to install it in my parents' old Toyota Camry. My husband and I have never been able to install a car seat on our own (thank GOD the highway patrol here will do it for us!), but we usually am trying to install it using LATCH. I'm going to try installing it with a seatbelt in advance to test it out, but I'm so nervous that we'll be at the airport, my son crying because he just wants to go to bed, it'll be cold, unable to get the carseat to fit in the car all tight.

I've read mixed reviews about it being super easy to install via seatbelts vs. super difficult.

CanadianInCa said:

I'm definitely freaking out. I thought that the armrests had to be down during takeoff and landing?

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Nope. Tray tables must be stowed and the seatbacks must be in the upright position.

I'm also nervous because when we land, I need to install it in my parents' old Toyota Camry. My husband and I have never been able to install a car seat on our own (thank GOD the highway patrol here will do it for us!),

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Well, they're lousy techs then. It's not their job to install seats for you. They're being lazy. If you have a check with me, you learn how to install your own seat. You're the one who does it last. I show you how to do it, and that's it. If you were nine months pregnant, or had a physical disability that made it so you couldn't install the seat, then you wouldn't have to. But I've had dads installing seats without the use of one arm, I've installed seats one armed (Laine comes with me and tends to nurse), I'll have parents use whatever body part they need to. I'll be nice and "help" and buckle in the seatbelt; because I figure they have that part down already. But they will hardly get the seat installed by me. It takes about an hour, and they know their seats and how to use them and install them when we're done. But I'm not lazy. I'm passionate about this. The people you're going to are lazy and just want to be done. They're doing you a massive disservice, and IF they're actually techs, they're breaking the rules we're set out with at the start of class. I'd report them.

Yeah, probably not what you wanted to hear. But repeat customers annoy me because it means I did a lousy job teaching someone what they need to know. And I don't want phone calls saying their car broke down, or they're traveling, now what do they do? They should know how to install seats with LATCH, with the seatbelt, baseless if it's an infant seat, etc. They may not be well practiced, but they can do it.

I've read mixed reviews about it being super easy to install via seatbelts vs. super difficult.

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I've never found it tough. Bring a towel or a few pieces of pool noodle in your suitcase to help with the angle. Definitely practicing at home before you go is a great idea.

Wendy

How old is old on the Camry?

My '05 "dinosaur" (according to my dad ) is a cinch for seat installation.

The camry is 1990 I think...dang, I was in High School at the time.

And to clarify...no, the highway patrol guy was not lazy, he showed us how to do it but at the end of the day, if we're still not getting it right he'll adjust it. His job is to make it's in correctly, not to make us experts at putting it in ourselves (especially since I have no intention of ever removing it). He goes over all the instructions with us, etc, but he's not going to let us leave with a carseat that we didnt install correctly.also, I'm not sure who I would report him to..he's the police guy, and even the hospital's safety class mentioned him as being amazing. I keep meaning to bake him cookies 'cause installing our first carseat turned out to be a bit of a nightmare

Thanks for all the replies...I just bought the Scenera today. It kind of bugged me that Walmart didn't have their carseats in boxes...how do I know their employees didn't bang them/drop them off the shelves in the stockroom?!

But if your car breaks down on the side of the road, it's important to know how to install the seat in another vehicle. Your hands should be the last ones to install the seat before leaving the check so that you can be sure you're capable of doing it should the situation arise.

CanadianInCa said:

And to clarify...no, the highway patrol guy was not lazy, he showed us how to do it but at the end of the day, if we're still not getting it right he'll adjust it. His job is to make it's in correctly, not to make us experts at putting it in ourselves (especially since I have no intention of ever removing it).

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Actually, if he's a tech, that's *exactly* his job. To make sure that YOU are experts at your seat and your car. And if you cannot recreate it, then something went wrong. If I have someone call me back to show them again, I consider it a personal failure. I didn't do my job well enough for them to redo it. I install a seat, make sure it works, see what I need to do for "fixes" at all (twisting a buckle down, bracing a seat, using LATCH versus seatbelt, etc), then have the parents redo it. I may have them do it twice or three times if it's tricky. Because like the PP said, if your car breaks down, then what? What if you travel? I've had my seat in three different cars this week. Do I call the CHP every time? Even though now I'm 3,000 miles from home for the last two cars? No. Because I know how to use my seat (yes, granted, I'm a tech, but this is how I would want every parent to feel about their seat).

Wendy

You might want to consider buying an Evenflo Tribute instead. I have found them to be easier to install than a Scenera. Read the manual and practice before you leave and you should be able to install the seat. I try to stress to parents that it is very important that they know how to install their seats properly because techs aren't available 24/7 and emergencies happen. It's in your best interest and in the best interest of your child's safety for you to have the knowledge and ability to install his/her seat properly.

DS is now 8 but he was a Platinum flyer with American before his 4th b-day cause we flew a ton. I have never had a Scenera not fit. I actually haven't had even a Marathon not fit and we fly a wide variety of planes.

Have a good trip and definitely learn how to install your seat before you leave!