Traveling overseas alone with 2 litte ones

Janina

New member
I will be traveling overseas again in April with my then 2 year old and almost 4 year lold. I will be taking my coccoro for the 2 year old but I can't decide what to do with the almost 4 year old. I will be traveling by myself so have to carry it all. I have a GGK for the coccoro and a single stroller. It's an overnight flight leaving at 8:20 and I have a one hour layover in Munich. Last year I flew wtith both kids through Frankfurt with a one hour layover, did not get my stroller back at the gate and did not make the connection. So I need to be able to move fast through the airport with both kids which means no walking for them as they are tired and cranky on arrival. Not to mention getting through security fast, as I believe I will have to go through security again when I reach Munich. So I have an hour to get myself off, with ikids and stuff, wait for stroller, get everything strapped down and ready to move, go through passport control and security, and get to next gate.
So, I am debating whether to bring a car seat on the plane for the almost 4 year old. I don't need it on arrival because I have a rider safety vest that I carry in my carry on. I also have a cares harness I could use on the plane. I am considering taking a car seat because I think she would sleep better in it but it can't decide how to then transport the second car seat through the airport without making the older one walk.
If I don't take the car seat, I can have the older one in the stroller and the younger one in the coccoro on the GGK. if i take a second car seat, I would have to strap it on top of the coccoro and the little one woluld ride in the stroller. I can't put her in the carrier on my back because I have to carry our stuff.
Overall, not dealing with a second car seat would be easier and the return flight is during the day, so sleeping is not an issue. Do you think she would do ok sleeping in the seat without a car seat? I know I can use the CARES harness for take off and landing but I think Lufthansa mostly has the tray table that arer recessed into the seat, so I would not be able to use the harness for the entire flight..
Your toughts and experience would be appreciated
Thanks
 
ADS
Four year old in stroller, CCO ontop of stroller held down by a bunjee cord, and the 2 year old in a wrap/carrier on your FRONT. Take the CARES for the 4 year old, and bring an extra blanket to tuck by his head, he should be fine. At 4, he can curl his legs up and make himself comfortable. Those seats are a heck of a lot bigger to a 4 yo than they are to us ;) Once you land, put the 4 yo in the stroller (gate-check it right before you get on the plane, if possible, so it's there at the door of the aircraft when you disembark), strap CCO on top of stroller and put 2 yo in wrap on your front (which will make security easier, too). No real need for the GGB if you have a stroller too. That would be a lot to pull around.
 

Athena

Well-known member
How big is the 4yo? Almost 40 pounds? I think that's the safety decider for most people here? But if you think she'll sleep better, that could be well worth it!
 

Janina

New member
I think shes around 37lbs now and we still have 4 months to go.

I don't mind pushing a stroller and pulling the gogokidz with car seat. I did it last year and worked out fine. It's nice to be able to wheel the younger one right up to the seat on the airplane rather than having to keep track of 2 of them while carrying the car seat plus carry ons. I'm just conflicted about the possibe advantage of a car seat for sleeping for the 4 year old versus the extra hassle of dealing with 2 kids and 2 car seats through the airport with a short time to connection flight.
I could bungee the CCO onto the stroller and put the second car seat on the GGK and have the older one ride on that and the younger one in the CCO on stroller. Or wear the younger one, bungee both car seats onto the GGK and have older one in stroller. It would just take that much longer to get through security with 2 car seats. If I just have one car seat on GGK, can probably fit that through scanner without dissasemble and then just fold stroller and send it through.
I'm mostly concerned about 4 year old not being able to go to sleep in just the seat and she anyway has a hard time sleeping on the plane. In the past she has fallen asleep only after it was really really late and we were almost landing and then I had to wake her and she would be screaming and have a hard time calming down which of course sets of the younger one too. Not much fun at 3 in the morning when I find it impossible to sleepon the plane too.
 
Janina said:
I think shes around 37lbs now and we still have 4 months to go.

I don't mind pushing a stroller and pulling the gogokidz with car seat. I did it last year and worked out fine. It's nice to be able to wheel the younger one right up to the seat on the airplane rather than having to keep track of 2 of them while carrying the car seat plus carry ons. I'm just conflicted about the possibe advantage of a car seat for sleeping for the 4 year old versus the extra hassle of dealing with 2 kids and 2 car seats through the airport with a short time to connection flight.
I could bungee the CCO onto the stroller and put the second car seat on the GGK and have the older one ride on that and the younger one in the CCO on stroller. Or wear the younger one, bungee both car seats onto the GGK and have older one in stroller. It would just take that much longer to get through security with 2 car seats. If I just have one car seat on GGK, can probably fit that through scanner without dissasemble and then just fold stroller and send it through.
I'm mostly concerned about 4 year old not being able to go to sleep in just the seat and she anyway has a hard time sleeping on the plane. In the past she has fallen asleep only after it was really really late and we were almost landing and then I had to wake her and she would be screaming and have a hard time calming down which of course sets of the younger one too. Not much fun at 3 in the morning when I find it impossible to sleepon the plane too.

Maybe leave the most likely already asleep 2 yo in the CCO and snap it to the GGB, then put the 4 yo in the stroller.
 

newyorkDOC

New member
No way would I bring 2 car seats. IIRC Munich has many gates with stairs and no lifts at the gates. Plus some planes require you to take a bus from the gate to the plane then climb stairs up to the plane.

And getting your stroller at the gate is hit or miss. It depends on your airline not airport. I'd try to get my hands on a stroller that you can carry on like the original zapp or a quinny yazz then shove the CCO into that and bungee it. Then I'd put the 4 yo in that and wear the 2 yo. Or I guess if you're in a total pinch, they could somehow sit on the luggage cart base and you move slowly (but still faster than a 4 yo walks).

If Munich is your first port of entry to the EU then you definitely have to go through customs and passport control. If your final destination is not the EU, then you might not be required to clear either if the terminal is the same.
 

Janina

New member
I would use a lap belt for the 4yo inflight.


What about looking for a double stroller?

I was considering a double umbrella stroller but those are impossible to get up and down escalators without folding and I dont know how I would manage a double sroller, car seat, carry on, 4 year old and 2 year old in one of those. then again, I guess an escalator should be the same width as a door?
 

finn

New member
I would get a Quinny zapp and take it on the plane, bungee the carseat into it. At 4 ds walked everywhere even in the middle of the night, we did get a trunki for him and I remember pulling him along on it late one night while our plane was delayed, but he mostly preferred to ride on it himself :)

I definitely wouldn't take 2 carseats on the plane.

Ds slept on the plane just fine when he was 4, we just shoved a jacket under his head, lifted the arm rest up and he put his legs on me :)
 

newyorkDOC

New member
Oh if you want to push up the armrest to facilitate sleeping avoid bulkhead rows! They always like to give it to us but I hate them for that reason.
 

Ali

New member
I've never traveled internationally, but I'd put the 4 year old in the Cocorro with GGK thru the airport and wear 2 year old. Totally skip the stroller, use Cocorro on plane and in car for 2 year old, use CARES and RSTV for 4 year old.
 

Janina

New member
We,ve had bulkhead seats the last 4 times we flown because we were using the infant bassinet. There are definitely advantages and disadvantages. I like the extra space and not worrying about kicking the seat in front of us and givinfg the kids room to stamnd up and move around. I HATE the armrest tray tables because they are so close and don't work with the car seat. The pull out TV is ok when it works properly. Not being able to have your stuff available during take off and landing isn't great but I'm ok with that. I was going to request bulkhead seats when I got to the ticket counter but now I'm thinking that for the flight out during the night, the movable arm rest might be better for sleeping and then on the return trip, which is during the day, I might ask for them.
I think I've decided not to take the second car seat. Now I just have to figure out if I take a double stroller and no GGK or single stroller with or without GGK. Still have 4 months to figure it out :)
 

Eclipsepearl

New member
I fly with my three kids alone between California and Europe about twice a year, with a connection.

I skipped the stroller, put the car seat on a luggage cart and wheeled it behind me. I also had a good quality baby carrier (no front packs!) and that was it! I have traveled with a single stroller but never a double! Wont go near an airport with one of those!!

I kept a car seat at my parents' in the U.S. so I only ever took one car seat.

My flying tips are in my siggie.
 

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