Car seat on Air NZ?

Anyone used a car seat on Air NZ for a child over 2 years. The information on their web site seems to indicate that once a child is 2, you can't bring a car seat on the plane.

http://www.airnewzealand.com/travel...eling_with_infants_and.htm#seatingforchildren

DS will be 3, but the size of a 2 year old. It's a 14+ hour flight - I really really want to take our car seat, not just for safety but also sanity reasons.

I'm going to call them and see what I can find out. I also thought of just turning up with the car seat and the car seat bag tucked away in the carry on, intending to take the seat on the plane, and see if anyone questions us. DS does look 2, but if they ask for his passport, they'll know his age.

Other airlines we could fly include QANTAS but they can be difficult with car seats too, have to get prior approval which isn't always recorded on your flight information, so they still may not let you use the seat.

We could fly United - but United is nearly 3x the cost. That would mean $3000 per adult, rather than $1200, and the connecting flight within Australia would be with Qantas, so again problem with the car seat.

Would you take a gamble on sneaking the seat on the plane with Air NZ, but knowing you may not be able to use it. Or would you pay the extra $3600 and fly United???

We just flew back from the states last April to Au w/ them. I would never fly w/ them again. They lost our luggage on the way there for a week and on the way back.

They gave my ds dinner to someone else so they had nothing else to offer him but gave my dd hers. I even confirmed our meals 2 times.

You never have an actual Air New Zealand staff memeber in the airports (only the flight crew) they are contracted out to different companies who know nothing about there flight policy's.

When we left Au I printed out from there page that I was able to bring a umbrella stroller on the plane ( I had a McClaren Quest) and they were trying to tell me it was a full size stroller I even showed them the pictures.

We have made this flight several times over 10 yrs and that was the worst, Qantas is so much better.

That said I was able to use my car seat on the plane both directions they never said anything to me.

But on the way back from the states they did try to make someone not use there infant seat even though they had paid for a seat. They tried to tell her she had to hold the baby for take off and landing, then I butted in a said no she can use it since she had paid for a seat then they tried to tell her she had to use the infant seat FF, I am like no, the seat can not go FF it is a RF seat only then I produced all the paper work from the FAA since we were on US land and then they let her use it. The lady was really happy that I had butted in but dh was really imbarressed.
I then told the head flight attendent that they need to update the flight attendents on usage of car seat policies.

So to really answer your question they did not say anything to me, however I did call several times to have it noted that I would be using my seat on the plane. Since you are leaving on US soil there should be no problem.

However when you land in Au they are not Air New Zealand employees they are contracted out to Qantas.

I have also used a seat several time on Qantas, I just have to give them the seat measurements.

I just called several times to confirm the information about kids meals and car seats and wrote down the date, time and name of the person who I talked to so if I did have any problems I could refer to that information.

Sorry to be so long, where are you flying to?

No, you weren't being long at all. This is the kind of information I need to know. I've flown with both airlines. At the moment Air NZ has a web deal for the dates we're traveling. I've got some time before I need to book, so I can see if Qantas will have a deal as well. We're traveling to Brisbane, and with either airline we have a stopover. With QANTAS, it's in Sydney and we have to change from the international to the domestic terminal. With Air NZ it'll be Auckland.

If the ticket prices are relatively the same, then I'll go with who'll it be easier to use the car seat with - and that seems to be a toss up between the two. Your experience with Air NZ, someone on another board said they had with QANTAS. Aggh, it's a difficult enough flight as it is, why can't it be easier for families!

Mom2K&B said:

W

That said I was able to use my car seat on the plane both directions they never said anything to me.

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How old were you kids at the time?

I flew w/ a car seat w/ dd on Qantas when she was 2 & 3, before that I did not know any better, but since then they have gotten stricter w/ there requirements.

Ds was 2.5 when we flew w/ Air NZ. We flew home to the states w/ my Graco Cargo left that and came back w/ a Blvd.

People here do not use car seats on the planes. Our seats do not have approval for aircarft use sticker on them. So you could never use them on a plane in states, but I have used them on a plane here before.

So are you spending your time here in Brisbane?
I live about 45 minutes from the airport, I live on the Gold Coast near Dreamworld which is a theme park but nothing like the parks in the states.

My sister arrives in 2 weeks, and I can't wait for some junk food

My parents are at Eumundi. I went to UQ and worked in Brisbane at Griffith University. I have fond memories of Dreamworld - but not the thunderbolt, I don't like roller coasters

I'm looking forward to being back and to stock up on vegemite and milo. I can get other things like cadbury chocolate here, but I rely on family for vegemite and milo refills.

I'll keep an eye on web deal to Australia with Qantas. I know they can be difficult too re. car seats, but their FAQ says kids up to 40lbs can be in one. I can deal if they won't let us use the seat on the domestic leg, it's just he long haul that I want to make sure he'll be restrained.

Thanks.

Their info is a bit misleading on their website. I would say they are referring to kids under 2, and how their seats should be installed, because a child under 2 is traveling on their infant fare. But I would call to verify what they expect you to do with a child over 2, whom you have purchased a seat for.

Would you happen to know if they use 777s on their long haul flights? We're looking to go to NZ in March and we have a choice between a 777 and a 747. We just can't believe they'd use a 777 for such a flight.

The long range 777 can go for 7900-9400 nautical miles. 15-19 hours. I found that on the Boeing website.

niccig said:

My parents are at Eumundi. I went to UQ and worked in Brisbane at Griffith University. I have fond memories of Dreamworld - but not the thunderbolt, I don't like roller coasters

I'm looking forward to being back and to stock up on vegemite and milo. I can get other things like cadbury chocolate here, but I rely on family for vegemite and milo refills.

I'll keep an eye on web deal to Australia with Qantas. I know they can be difficult too re. car seats, but their FAQ says kids up to 40lbs can be in one. I can deal if they won't let us use the seat on the domestic leg, it's just he long haul that I want to make sure he'll be restrained.

Thanks.

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Oh, they have great markets there!

There is a web site in the US that sells Au food. My friend who moved back to Arizona buys snakes, Tim Tams and vegimite for her kids.

Did you know if you fly via Fuji the tickets are usually cheaper?
That is how my friends usually fly. They never offer that way for some reason.

There is a direct flight from LA to Brisbane 2 or 3 times a week w/ no layovers. I would try to get one of those flights. I would avoid Sydney airport like the plague because you have to take a bus transfer from in't to domestic.

When are you flying over?

When I flew back over ds was already 34 lbs.

Just print out all the FAA info and the airline info too.

Mom2K&B said:

Oh, they have great markets there!

There is a web site in the US that sells Au food. My friend who moved back to Arizona buys snakes, Tim Tams and vegimite for her kids.

Did you know if you fly via Fuji the tickets are usually cheaper?
That is how my friends usually fly. They never offer that way for some reason.

There is a direct flight from LA to Brisbane 2 or 3 times a week w/ no layovers. I would try to get one of those flights. I would avoid Sydney airport like the plague because you have to take a bus transfer from in't to domestic.

When are you flying over?

When I flew back over ds was already 34 lbs.

Just print out all the FAA info and the airline info too.

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Fly via Fiji? With who? Air NZ or QANTAS. I've never knew of that.

A direct flight would be good - is that with QANTAS or Air NZ?.

I agree about avoiding Sydney. We have to schlep everything between the two terminals. On the trip home we stopped at Auckland. I thought it would be better as the plane wasn't changing. But everyone had to get off with all their carry-on, walk through the terminal, go through security, have passports/ticket checked and then we walked all the way back to the SAME gate, wait for an hour and the get on the SAME plane and sit down in the SAME seats! I thought DH was going to have a coronary.

We fly in April. One sister has to be there from UK for a wedding, so the rest of us decided to visit as well. We'll be there by ANZAC day. Dad's involved in the local ceremony and we haven't' gone with him in years.

I'll print out all the info. I can to state my case re. using car seat. It's just so much easier.

I will check w/ my friend she was about to fly w/ them but had to change her tickets to next yr beacuse dh got a new job and she is preg w/ #4.

We had to get off in NZ too and it was such a pain to take everything off the plane then to carry it back on.

The direct flight from LA to here and back is w/ Qantas, I have done this trip several times and so has my mom and sister. It is much easier then having a layover. I would still pay more money not to have the layover.

Karleen - THANK YOU SO MUCH.

The direct flight can be used in a web deal, as long as you follow all other restrictions. And, it's 3 hours less. I would do anything to have less time traveling with DS and no connecting flight.

So now I'm haunting the QANTAS site hoping that a web deal for April comes up. They have one starting 1 May, but we have to be there for April 25.

Thanks for all your help. If you want anything brought out, give me a yell. You don't leave very far away at all - about 2.5 hours from my parents' house.

Nicci

Nicci,

Try to see if the flights are cheaper w/ Air Pacific they go through Fuji.

I have been to Eumundi a couple of times, I just love the markets.

Are you going to be going anywhere else?

Mom2K&B said:

Nicci,

Try to see if the flights are cheaper w/ Air Pacific they go through Fuji.

I have been to Eumundi a couple of times, I just love the markets.

Are you going to be going anywhere else?

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Air Pacific is cheaper. I've never flown with them. Have you heard if they're good to fly with.

We'll be mostly at my parents. They're planning a weekend at O'Reilleys Guesthouse in Lamington National Park - so near where you live. I'll also go to Brisbane a couple of times to see friends. DH wants to see more of Australia, but all of our time is normally taken up with family time.

Thanks for all your suggestions. I think my preference is for the Qantas direct flight. Air Pacific is cheaper though, about $300 per adult. I'm hoping Qantas comes out with a better web deal. I'll have to talk about it with DH.

I have never flown w/ them but my friend always took that flight when she went home and my neighbors also fly w/ them. I have never head of a problem. It depends what your lay over will be like and if you can use your carseat hassel free.
I do prefer to just fly w/ no layovers.

We are planning to go to Switzerland next June Holidays to go visit one of my best friends who is over there for 3 yrs, but I am not l;ooking forward to the flights. It will be much worse than going to the states.

O'Reilly's is so pretty. Hopefully your stay will be kid free.

I know what you mean about visiting family. Dh and I are both from CA and when we go home thats all we do. I feel a bit guilty when we go somewhere else for vacation like Switzerland next year. But it is a chance of a lifetime. Free place to stay and our kids are the same age.

O'Reilly's will be with the entire family. I don't think we'll get any kid-free time. I feel guilty if we're not with everyone all the time, as it's rare for everyone to be home at the same time.

Switzerland - that will be an amazing holiday. You have to do it, and don't feel guilty.