3 Dionos, 1 rear-facing, in airplane

U

Unregistered

Guest
Hello! My husband and I will be flying on COPA airlines with my 7-month-old, 5-year-old and 7-year-old. We would like all three to fly in their carseats (we bought a seat on the plane for the baby specifically for this reason). All our carseats are Dionos. I have 3 questions:

1. For the baby - There are demonstrations on YouTube showing Dionos being installed BF in a plane, but this doesn’t seem realistic given the limited space between seats (in the demonstration, there are no seats in front of the seat with the Diono). If we can’t fit the seat BF on its own, should we get the Diono angle adjuster? If that fails, should we install the seat FF, or will the angle be too upright for a 7-month old? Our baby boy has good head control and is almost sitting unassisted.

2. We will be returning from our destination when our son is 12 months. Can he ride FF then?When can a baby be FF in an airplane?

3. I've read that carseats have to be installed in window seats. Will an airline allow two carseats side-by-side? Otherwise, how can we travel together with the three carseats? Won't one of our kids have to be on their own?

Any thoughts would be very helpful! I'm not a car seat expert, just a mom trying to figure out what's best and there seems to be limited information on using car seats in airplanes!!!
 
ADS

mamah

New member
I would check with the airline and see what their policies are. If they only allow window install, I would gate check one seat and have the seven year old in the regular airplane seat over having him/her sit with strangers.
 

Dillipop

Well-known member
I've only flown southwest and delta. When I had 2 seats, we had to put the rearfacing seat in the window and the ffing seat in the center with and adult on the aisle. Regulations say the seat can't block another passengers exit, which is why the seats have to start at the window.

As for the rearfacing radian- you are unlikely to get it to work without an angle adjuster and still may have problems with the angle adjuster. FAA rules state an airline needs to move you to a seating position that works for your seat of you paid for the baby to have a seat, however there may not be a place to accommodate the rearfacing radian. It is long. If it were me, I'd probably pick up a $45 Cosco scenera next to use for the baby while traveling. That seat will fit anywhere.


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lgenne

New member
Hi!

So while they are narrow, Dionos are HEAVY. I'm having trouble imagining hauling 3 of them through an airport.

I'd get a Scenera NEXT for the baby, a lightweight seat for the 5 year old (will s/he be over 50 pounds for either flight? An Evenflo Maestro is the cheapest option. Other good choices: Evenflo Sureride, Graco Tranzitions/Wayz, Harmony Defender, Evenflo SecureKid), and a backless booster for the 7 year old (what's the weight on this kid?) to carry on. Those are all reasonable car seats to use at your destination, too.
 

Dillipop

Well-known member
Hi!

So while they are narrow, Dionos are HEAVY. I'm having trouble imagining hauling 3 of them through an airport.

I'd get a Scenera NEXT for the baby, a lightweight seat for the 5 year old (will s/he be over 50 pounds for either flight? An Evenflo Maestro is the cheapest option. Other good choices: Evenflo Sureride, Graco Tranzitions/Wayz, Harmony Defender, Evenflo SecureKid), and a backless booster for the 7 year old (what's the weight on this kid?) to carry on. Those are all reasonable car seats to use at your destination, too.



Normally, I would agree with you but they seem to be going for 5+ months. I don't think I'd want to move my oldest from a harness to a backless booster for that long.

However, how close is the oldest from outgrowing the Diono seat? At 7, moving her to a highback booster may be an option and may be something you'll need to consider before coming back depending on her growth. You could take a highback booster to the airport in the box and check it through or have it delivered to your destination. Then, save the box to bring it back.


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LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
It looks like COPA is a Panamanian airline? If that's the case, FAA regulations don't apply. You'd have to check with what their regulations are for car seats.

Assuming they're the same as FAA (they might or might not be), you can probably put two of the seats next to each other. I recommend an adult on the aisle with two car seats center and window, and then have the other adult sit in the row in front/behind in the center seat, with one of the kids at the window.

I would also, as has been suggested, get a Cosco Scenera Next for the baby and a booster for the older child. You could get another seat for the middle child, but I'd probably take the Radian. I'd make sure to get two carry straps for it, though, and wear it as a backpack.
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
Normally, I would agree with you but they seem to be going for 5+ months. I don't think I'd want to move my oldest from a harness to a backless booster for that long.

However, how close is the oldest from outgrowing the Diono seat? At 7, moving her to a highback booster may be an option and may be something you'll need to consider before coming back depending on her growth. You could take a highback booster to the airport in the box and check it through or have it delivered to your destination. Then, save the box to bring it back.


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Thank you to those who have responded so far! Unfortunately, the Costco seat you recommend does not appear available in Canada. I'm also concerned about cost. Since we've already spent so much on a ticket for the baby, I'm not sure if we can really afford to buy another seat and a booster...

To answer your questions:
- my 5-year-old is about 37 pounds
- my 7-year old is small for his age and pretty far from out growing the Diono...
 

mamah

New member
Sounds like your best option is to bring the angle adjuster and hope for the best!! If you can't install the radian, they should give you the option to check it and you can hold baby as a lap child.

We had four radians in our suburban until a few months ago... Love the seats, so I understand wanting to take them with you, especially with the length o of your trip. But I have never traveled by plane with them. How will you even get three of them into the plane? Maybe a small luggage cart?
 

TechnoGranola

Forum Ambassador
The Cosco Scenera NEXT is available in Canada, but it's more like $100, not $45:

http://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/cosco-scenera-next-convertible-car-seat-otto/6000192327076

That pattern and a few other colours are $75 if you order online though. Might not be $45, but the price hike is not as horrible as the US$99 Transitions that is CAD$240!! lol

No way I would travel with a Radian for the RF baby though. I have travelled with seats that take up less RF room than that and they wouldn't fit RF so I had to install FF. Which was ok since my child was over 2.5. Even on a plane, I wouldn't want a FF seat for a 7 month old.

If you're trying to be the most budget friendly, I'd likely buy the Next for the baby and use your Diono's for the other kids. That being said, does your destination have car seats available to purchase? Not sure where you are going, but if they have decent car seats, I would also consider leaving the Diono at home for your 7 year old, booster training prior to the trip, and then picking up a high back booster at your destination. Overall, a booster would make your life easier while travelling and a neurotypical 7 year old will be perfectly fine in a booster.
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
That pattern and a few other colours are $75 if you order online though. Might not be $45, but the price hike is not as horrible as the US$99 Transitions that is CAD$240!! lol

No way I would travel with a Radian for the RF baby though. I have travelled with seats that take up less RF room than that and they wouldn't fit RF so I had to install FF. Which was ok since my child was over 2.5. Even on a plane, I wouldn't want a FF seat for a 7 month old.

If you're trying to be the most budget friendly, I'd likely buy the Next for the baby and use your Diono's for the other kids. That being said, does your destination have car seats available to purchase? Not sure where you are going, but if they have decent car seats, I would also consider leaving the Diono at home for your 7 year old, booster training prior to the trip, and then picking up a high back booster at your destination. Overall, a booster would make your life easier while travelling and a neurotypical 7 year old will be perfectly fine in a booster.


Thank you! We're going to Buenos Aires, Argentina. We'll mainly be relying on local city buses while we're there, and maybe renting a car if we travel outside of the city. I'm sure there are a carseats available there.

A couple of questions, just out of curiosity:

1. If we decide to get a booster for my 7-year-old, would he need it in the plane? Are there any advantages to this? Otherwise, I might buy it while we're there.

2. At what age can a normally RFing child be FFing in a plane? I understand what we want kids RFing until 4 in a car, but can they not be FFing in a plane once they can sit unassisted? Am I missing something? I'm not thinking about the baby now, but when we return. He'll be over a year then.

Thanks!
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
That pattern and a few other colours are $75 if you order online though. Might not be $45, but the price hike is not as horrible as the US$99 Transitions that is CAD$240!! lol

No way I would travel with a Radian for the RF baby though. I have travelled with seats that take up less RF room than that and they wouldn't fit RF so I had to install FF. Which was ok since my child was over 2.5. Even on a plane, I wouldn't want a FF seat for a 7 month old.

If you're trying to be the most budget friendly, I'd likely buy the Next for the baby and use your Diono's for the other kids. That being said, does your destination have car seats available to purchase? Not sure where you are going, but if they have decent car seats, I would also consider leaving the Diono at home for your 7 year old, booster training prior to the trip, and then picking up a high back booster at your destination. Overall, a booster would make your life easier while travelling and a neurotypical 7 year old will be perfectly fine in a booster.

One other question: is the Cosco Next as narrow as the Diono? Once we arrive in Buenos Aires, will we be able to fit the Cosco with the 2 Dionos in a back seat of a rental? The same question applies to getting a booster. What is the likelihood of fitting a Diono, a Cosco Next and a highback booster in the same backseat?
 

mamah

New member
Well, it really depends on which hbb and what the rental car is? Any chance you can call the car company to find out? And call/email someone in Buenos Aires to see what is available locally?
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
Update: We purchased the Cosco Scenera Next as suggested and all arrived safety. Installing the 3 carseats in the plane (twice, because we had a connection flight) was a hassle, but not too difficult. We were given priority boarding and had time to get the kids in before the other passengers started boarding.

Installing the Cosco was relatively easy. It was hard, though, to get the seat installed so that it was flat on the bottom and not tipping forward into the forward-facing angle.

Carrying the Dionos was a PAIN! We bought the shoulder straps but they were completely useless. The padded part kept slipping off our shoulders making it more difficult to carry the seats. Luckily most of the time we had carts in the airport.

In the end, we took 2 taxis from the airport since there wasn't a car with 5 passenger seats. But we got here! Thanks for all your help!
 

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