Wondering if it is possible to fly with the seats I already own?

We (husband, 4 year old, 6 month old) are flying from Halifax to Calgary in April. I am wondering if I can fly with the seats that I already own.....or if they will just be a pain! We will also be driving in a civic when we arrive so I was hoping to bring the narrowest seat in the hopes two seats and an adult can fit in back? I am not even sure if that will work!

I have a Radian, which is what the 4 year old is in currently. It is so heavy I hate the thought of dragging it through an airport.....but it is narrow. I also have a MyRide, and ETA. I bought the MyRide on sale when she was reaching the max rear facing of the ETA, mine only rearfaces to 30lbs. But, I just turned her front facing, so she can use either.

Baby is in a Primo Viaggio...which I absolutely hate because it weighs so much! But, it was loaned to me by a family member, so the price was right.

Any ideas on what might work best would be great! I haven't flown using a seat in a plane before, so want to make it as painless as possible. The youngest will not have a seat, so that car seat will be sky checked with the stroller.

If you really hate the idea of lugging the seats you could buy 2 Tributes or other cheap seats and make it easy on yourself also if your family member wants her seat back I would not gate it bc they are it may very well be damaged.

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For a Civic I'd actually opt to lug a Radian and the PVSIP. Do you have back pack straps for your Radian?

Be sure to gate check (sky check) your seat if baby isn't using it on the plane. Less likely to be damaged, though still no guarantee.

I feel like I should mention that baby is safest in a car seat while on the plane, but I'm sure you already know this. I know it's tough with flights being so expensive. But feel free to ask the FA if there are any empty seats available when youre boarding. Sometimes they will allow you to use that empty seat.

If you have, or can pick up for cheap, a folding luggage cart (I got one at Walmart for less thatn $20), the radian sits on that really well. Bungee it on, put the Peg upside down over top of it, and wheel through the airport. Without the bucket on top the radian will usually just roll right down the aisle on the plane. Something like this:

Nice Pic, Pixelated!

Thats a trip you definitely want them in seats for...I did it with my 18mo old as a lap baby before I knew better and it was AWFUL!

I'd get a luggage cart. I now fly with my seats and its SO MUCH BETTER. The Radian is nice and skinny...far easier to get on the plane than my wide classic BV. The only fatal mistake I made when I flew with it was I forgot to turn the female buckle a half a turn and we had to disconect the belt from the plane seat where it anchors because we couldn't flip the buckle tongue (oops)...lol

mam521 said:

The only fatal mistake I made when I flew with it was I forgot to turn the female buckle a half a turn and we had to disconect the belt from the plane seat where it anchors because we couldn't flip the buckle tongue (oops)...lol

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Tell me about this ... we're flying this summer, WestJet, Hamilton or Toronto to Victoria or Comox, and the Radian is coming along.

If the 4yo is FF, the Maestro ($114 Walmart) might be lighter for flying, but it's not going to be as narrow and really not any easier to carry either...

Love that picture/idea of it strapped to the cheap luggage cart!

tam

SynEpona said:

Tell me about this ... we're flying this summer, WestJet, Hamilton or Toronto to Victoria or Comox, and the Radian is coming along.

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You don't need to flip the buckle for the radian. But you do need to with the Britax convertibles. At least I had to with my original version. Not sure about the newer generation seats.

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Sorry! Read it too quickly earlier with baby helping me. Good to know there's not going to be a trick to the Radian on plane install!

Thanks for the tips! Yes I would also like to have him in a seat, but we just couldn't make it happen for this trip. I will remember to ask the FA if there is an extra seat.

Pixelated...great photo! That is actually the same Radian we have....and the same little backpack...funny! I think I will definitely take the Radian, especially since we are driving in a civic when we arrive. The luggage cart is a great idea, I knew that, but just didn't think of it. I used to fly oodles on my own between Ottawa-Halifax with my DD, so it is a bonus that my husband is traveling too.
I have always gate checked my infant seat and didn't have any issues, so I have been fortunate that way. The Peg seat is one that was given to me, won't be passed along to anyone and weighs a tonne, so if it meets its demise I wouldn't lose sleep...as grateful as I was to have been given it in the first place!

It is a long flight, so on purpose we are stopping in Ottawa on the way there for 2 hours at lunch time, and on the way back in Toronto just before dinner. My daughter also has a peanut allergy, so I prefer to not have to feed her on the plane Unfortunately the west jet flights didn't work for us, too early or late in the day, and they do allergies much better that AC, in my experience, but hoping for great flights this time! This also cuts down on the continuous hours of wrangling the 6 month old, also hoping there is a free seat for him!

Thanks for the tips, appreciate them all!

One more thought...would you bring the base for the Peg infant seat? The manual is in the car I think, but I am pretty sure I remember seeing that you don't "need" it, but not sure what would be best.

Isn't it only five to five and half direct to Halifax? I just went to NB for two weeks over Christmas bungeed my evenflo titan on my roll on carry on it was great! You know you can bring your own food on the airplane right? You don't have to eat their food you just can't bring liquids.(my children can't eat gluten so isnt' even an option) I'm sure you'll be fine the luggage cart is a great idea. Do you have family who could meet you with a baby seat anyway so you dont' have to lug it with you? Did you check what size planes your flying on? My flights only had two seats except for one part on the return Toronto-Winnipeg(I had two stops each direction) I found the flight staff on the way their very helpful with checking the seat and such. On the way back only one plane even checked my seat LOl(and by that I mean for the safety sticker) The last two planes they didnt' even check if the carseat was actually buckled in tight or anything. I had a two year old and an eight year old by myself so should be a breeze with hubby along. Just remember you have to lug all your carryon around so try to make sure it has wheels

Yes there are direct flights but the cheapest direct flights were either at midnight or 7am and we live almost 2 hours away from the airport, so it was really personal preference to not go direct. We already don't sleep much in this house with a baby, I wasn't about to wake a sleeping one

We do bring our own food on the flights, but I admittedly get a bit twitchy with the nut allergy. It will be nice to be able to let the 4 year old run around a bit too.

Thanks for all the suggestions!
Kim

You'd be more than welcome to borrow my folding luggage cart. It's awesome, collapsible, and lightweight. It folds completely flat (so it fits in the overhead bin of most aircrafts) and I have bungee cords for it too. I would practice a baseless install with the Peg and bring that one. If you have the funds or contacts on the other end in Calgary, I would have someone meet you at the airport with either an infant car seat or a new Scenera (if mine were in this province, I'd loan you one of them). Will you be in the city between now and your trip? If so, I can show you how to hook up the seat(s) on the cart.