Airplane Travel Advice Needed

Unregistered · Nov 2, 2011

I will be flying alone in a few weeks with DD1 3.5 and DD2 2. We have two sunshine radians which I need to bring with us for car use at our destination. We will be taking a 1.5 hr direct flight and I am trying to figure out the safest and easiest way to get us and all of our stuff there. Is it the recommendation that they both sit in their carseats on the plane or is a CARES type harness ok? I am just not sure how I can manage two toddlers, two carseats, carryons, and a stroller through the airport and the security lines. I was thinking of checking one of the seats using a travel bag and bubble wrap and maybe bringing one on for the DD2 and using a harness for DD1. Any thoughts?

Pixels · Nov 2, 2011

I would get a folding luggage cart. Put one of the Radians on that, and use it as your stroller. Put the other Radian on your back.

Checked baggage is not handled gently.

skaterbabs · Nov 2, 2011

Your older child could certainly used the CARES harness, however, it's a REALLY bad idea to check her car seat. Cargo areas on airplanes are not designed to protect your luggage. Having seen how my stroller came out of the plane after being gate checked when my daughter was an infant, there is NO WAY I'd ever check a car seat.

mkmama · Nov 2, 2011

Pixels said:
I would get a folding luggage cart. Put one of the Radians on that, and use it as your stroller. Put the other Radian on your back.

Checked baggage is not handled gently.

:yeahthatlove:

When I travelled with two kids, I got the older one a backpack that fit him...that was his carry-on, and then I had a backpack with necessities for me and the baby which was my carry-on. I then had both car seats strapped to the stroller, baby riding in his and older DS walking. If I would have had car seats that fit on a luggage rack, I totally would have done that instead of stroller.

The only pain was getting through security...we just arrived extra early and hung out until security slowed down then we went through...no issue with anyone getting mad or anything, just cumbersome to put each car seat and bag through by itself and re-assemble on other side. I also made sure my older one had on shoes he could take off himself, and didn't put shoes on the baby (packed them in my carry on).

Then since I had tons of time between going through security and boarding for my flight, we found a quiet corner in our terminal and I let the kids run around. I also let the boarding personnel know as soon as they got to the desk that I would need extra time to board...they actually let me board very first, even before they called the families with small children/passengers needing help...I just wheeled my stroller to the plane door hten took off car seats and took them onto plane to install and gate checked the stroller.

jnamommy · Nov 2, 2011

I have flown by myself with two kids, two carseats, carryons, etc. You can do it

Just plan it out, give yourself extra time, and don't worry about upsetting people because you are slower in the security line.

You can wear one of the Radians as a backpack. Get a luggage cart for the second one and use it like a stroller. Or put the second one in the stroller and push it if it fits.

Your older dd should be able to pull or wear her own carryon. Minimize the rest of your carryons to just what you reallly need on the plane.

The Radians are a super easy FFing install on the planes, and will be fmailiar to your kids. The lap trays do work with the Radians.

Just don't check your carseats - you have no idea if they have been thrown/dropped/etc and thy could have damage to them.

Just rememebr - relax, you can do it.

glockchick · Nov 2, 2011

Will your car seats fit in your stroller? When DD was little we flew with a marathon 65 and it fit perfectly in her Mac quest. Then I gate checked the stroller. Bonus was that when we arrived and she was asleep, I was able to unbuckle the carseat and carry the whole thing out and put it in the stroller without waking her.

KaiLing · Nov 2, 2011

Could one of you who has successfully worn a Radian as a back pack walk us through folding it up properly and permanently so that it won't open while moving? I've never yet been able to get the red velcro strap around the metal bar such that it doesn't just open by itself. Tips? I've nearly given up on the back pack option because of this.

lawgirl5 · Nov 2, 2011

I fly several times a year (always alone) with my now 14.5 mo son. As far as security goes, they have "family" lanes that you can use (in fact, they flipped out and wouldn't even let me into the regular lane! lol) that bypass at least most of having to stand in a long line. They have always taken me straight to the person checking ID and then I just had to wait in the shorter line of getting through the metal detector. Also, the security personnel will help you get the stroller, carseats and everything else through the scanner and will (attempt-but are often understandably clueless) help you get everything put back together. As an added benefit....you still get to go through the metal detectors and not the full body scanners when you have kids! The lesson I learned after my first trip--take as little carry on as possible. Great idea with the backpacks!

Pixels · Nov 2, 2011

KaiLing said:
Could one of you who has successfully worn a Radian as a back pack walk us through folding it up properly and permanently so that it won't open while moving? I've never yet been able to get the red velcro strap around the metal bar such that it doesn't just open by itself. Tips? I've nearly given up on the back pack option because of this.

If you have an XT, move the headwings all the way to the top of the seat. Loosen the harness all the way. Dig out the red strap from behind the cover. If the seat is in FF recline mode, put the recline thing back up. Open the velcro slits along the inside (near FF belt path). Fold the seat while holding the crotch buckle and pad and harness tongs and chest clip up and out of the way as much as possible. I usually lay the seat flat on the floor and use a knee (moderate force, be reasonable and don't break your seat!) to help push the bottom of the seat up while using both hands to make sure the velcro flaps stay open and holding the harness bits. Still holding the seat folded with my knee, wrap the red strap around the metal bar, giving a little extra oomph if needed with your knee to get the velcro halves to connect.

An Aurora · Nov 2, 2011

I have all the kid's wear footie pajamas when we fly to eliminate that one extra step. I too would get a rolling cart and either put one seat on it and use it as a stroller, or put both seats on it, have the older kid walk and wear the younger.

LISmama810 · Nov 2, 2011

Didn't they just change the rules so kids (at least under a certain age) don't have to remove shoes anymore?

An Aurora · Nov 2, 2011

Ooh, I don't know, but last time I flew the couple in front of us had to remove the booties off their noob.

gigi · Nov 2, 2011

I flew a couple of weeks ago out of Newark and they did not require my 4.5yo to remove his shoes. He did it anyway, LOL, because he is a seasoned traveller and did it before they told him not to

LISmama810 · Nov 2, 2011

Yeah, I think it was just within the past few weeks. We still had to remove kid shoes when we flew in August.

BookMama · Nov 2, 2011

LISmama810 said:
Didn't they just change the rules so kids (at least under a certain age) don't have to remove shoes anymore?

Yes. I've flown four times in the past month and noticed a sign at every airport saying that kids under 12 can keep their shoes on while going through security.

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Eclipsepearl · Nov 3, 2011

If I were you, I'd check the stroller at the counter and put one Radian on a luggage cart and the other on your back. Make sure to buy one of those contraptions that makes the car seat into a sort of backpack. Something like this:

http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=363756

Do NOT carry it with the strap. It's just too heavy and you'll kill your back!

What you can do is when both of them are walking, or while, way waiting in line, you can swing it down and put it inside the other Radian and give your back a break.

Take the minimum. This is not the time to say money by not checking luggage. Order your toiletries on line and have them sent to where you are going. If you have laundry there, only bring 4 days' worth of clothes. Get rid of your purse and put essentials in a small string bag or fanny pack. The rest of the stuff in your purse is in the backpack, checked or left at home.

Airplane Travel Advice Needed

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