Use MR or Purchase CA for Air Travel?

DS will be 2 yr 9 mo when we fly next month. I would like to RF him on the plane, as he's used to it, and he is TOTALLY the kind of kid who would try to kick the crap out of the seat of the person in front of him. And because of the very small risk of a runway emergency.

We have a MR and a TFP. Of those two, I'd rather take the MR on our trip. However, it's pretty bulky/awkward to carry, and I doubt it'd be very comfortable to sit beside. Also, some threads indicated it wouldn't be the easiest to install RF on the plane and that it would require a belt extender?? As for getting the seat through the airport, on previous flights I've worn DS on my back and carried the car seat. (An Avenue, which we don't have any more. ) I *could* get a luggage cart, but the less to fiddle with in the security line, the better.

The other option is to purchase another seat. I'm thinking a CA would be a good bet, as he's too tall to justify buying a Scenera or a Titan now. I know it would have to be super upright to RF on the plane, but I'm OK with that. It's also narrower and slightly lighter than our MR so better for carrying through the airports, I would think. And DS could continue to use the CA for ERF after he outgrows the MR by height or when we turn him FF. I doubt we'd want to keep the MR once he's FF.

So, WDYT? Use the MR for traveling or buy a CA? (And is anyone running a good sale on CA now?)

No one has an opinion?

I ended up buying a CA, but now I'm having buyers' remorse and don't know if I can justify keeping it. I've been playing around a lot with both the CA and MR, picking them up, putting them down, carrying them around, trying to get an idea how comfortable it would be to sit next to each one in a cramped space... Honestly, I'm not sure there is enough of a difference between the two to make one *that* much easier to travel with than the other. :shrug-shoulders: The CA is a few pounds lighter and 2-2.5 inches narrower (by my measurements), but is that enough to make a noticeable difference?

OTOH, I'm really digging the air cushions on the CA. I don't know if they actually *are* safer, but they certainly *seem* safer. And comfy! I installed the CA and took a quick drive around the block yesterday, and Kiddo used those as pillows and fell fast asleep. Since we'll be in PA in December, we're likely to encounter crappy driving conditions, Kiddo will be outboard at least part of the time, and I like the idea of him being in the CA. Our other option, the older-style MR, doesn't have an extraordinary amount of padding in the head/shoulders area, and I'm wondering if the upgraded side impact protection on the new MR addresses an issue Graco engineers were seeing or if it's just a marketing ploy?

I haven't played with the CA in DH's '06 Corolla yet, but if it fits well in the center, then it might replace the MR in that car. DH and I have been talking about having another baby next year, at which point the MR will still have lots of life and could be passed to the newborn (assuming I don't feel the need to buy some other awesome seat(s) that is out then ). If the CA doesn't go in the center of the Corolla, then it would end up being a true travel/extra seat only. A $170 travel seat. :thumbsdown: Hmm.

WWYD?

ETA: Another consideration is that we could easily install the CA FF on the plane if we wanted to. The MR seems like it wouldn't fit FF well at all, and if it did fit, we'd still be stuck removing/rerouting harness straps at the beginning and end of the flights. I guess that could make traveling with the CA worthwhile?

I would take whatever seat is lighter, the ca would probably fit better on the plane though!

Searching through old threads, the MR has to be FF on a plane, and may or may not require a seat belt extender. From personal experience, it is not pleasant to sit next to a MR when FF. If I were you, I would keep the CA.

Thanks, guys. We're keeping the CA.