Radians on a plane...

tarynsmum

Senior Community Member
Radians on a plane... UPDATE RF or FF on the plane??

OK, so it appears DD and I are making our first solo trip (and her first on a plane) in May to visit my mom on her birthday/mother's day (they're 2 days apart). I have a marathon and radian (and 2 ugly sceneras that I don't want to take, because they are ugly :p). The Radian folds up, and even they weigh about the same, apparently, the Marathon seems WAAAY bulkier/harder for me to schlep. However, I know that the Marathon installs on a plane easily, and I don't know about the Radian. With the RF boot, I don't even know if it's possible. And call me crazy, but doesn't the radian have a carry strap or something? I can't remember...

We will be flying either USAir or Southwest. She rides RFing in the car, obviously, but I'm not *totally* against having her FFing on the plane (she's about 25 pounds after having a growth spurt recently). I know both install in the car we will be using once we arrive. It's an 05 Camry, and I've installed both in it before.

It will be me, DD, the carseat, a carry-on, and a small stroller (either my chicco caddy or a maclaren that I can justify for the trip ;) ). And a beco baby carrier so that I can throw DD on my back and not have to chase her :D.

So:

take the Radian? I admit I personally like the marathon better, but I really dread the idea of schlepping it. Also, will the radian still fold up if the RF boot is attached, or will I have to carry that thing with me too, and attach it and unattach it?

More questions it come...
 
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ADS

unityco

Ambassador - CPS Technician
We've done several flights with the Radian now, but never RF, so I'll try to answer some of your questions. :)

Previous to the Radian we had a Marathon. I had a carseat bag with it and could sling it over my shoulder (only one strap.) I didn't find it too bad, but it was awkward. On the plane, you need to get the belt extender, otherwise the buckle closure is IN the belt path and you will have a heck of a time unbuckling it. (I've heard that twisting it 180° helps too.)

Once we got the Radian I decided we would get a folding luggage cart for it. Best idea ever! This way I don't have to carry it, and it doubles as a stroller (we wouldn't take a stroller for DS anyway, but being able to strap him in and drag him through the airport is a big plus :thumbsup:) The Radian can go through the x-ray without being removed from the cart, but you need to fold it. The way my cart works, and the way I have it attached, it basically means I have to undo it all, so it's a bit of a log jam at security (that and all the electronics we carry!) I've wondered if a gogo Kidz might work better.

The Radian does have spots to attach carrying straps... the 80/Premier comes with one, and they are available from SKJP. Many here have reported that they love carrying the Radian as a backpack (you'd need two straps for that.) Since you're bringing a stroller anyway, you may prefer this (although then it would interfere with your baby carrier :shrug-shoulders:)

On the plane the Radian installs great FF. If you do have any kind of issue getting it tight, you can always recline the seat back to help you out (then bring it back up once you've got it tight.) Because the belt path is open, you only need to open the cover to undo the belt. The seat's low profile means your child can use the tray, which is nice, and it puts their little kicking feet further away from the passenger ahead. :eek: (On our first trip, he actually couldn't reach :thumbsup: - by our next trip he could. :thumbsdown:) I have seen reports that it's virtually impossible to install the Radian RF on the plane, but have no experience with that myself.

Make sure you know where your FAA sticker is! I've been denied boarding several times until I showed it. (My sticker is near the fold on the right side when you're looking at it.)

HTH!
 
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Mom2Livi

New member
I just recently flew Southwest with my Marathon in towe. It was difficult, and I will not be doing it again anytime soon. :eek: On the way there I was able to get it installed on the airplane, FF. If I would've installed it RF, the woman in front of me wouldn't have been able to recline her seat. I also nearly broke a knuckle trying to get it installed with the airplane seatbelt. :rolleyes: Then on the flight back, they were nearly booked and would not allow me to take my car seat on board with me and I had to check it at the gate. Now I'm paranoid that there is unseen damage to my car seat, besides the scuff marks on the base from being dragged while carried.

I think that the folding feature of the Radian will def come in handy. But I don't see how you'd be able to RF the Radian on an airplane. :twocents:
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
I've traveled with both (well, a Wizard, but the same size seat). For rear facing I would leave the Radian at home. It won't fit rear facing on a plane. And I'm nervous about having necessary removable parts for a seat while I'm traveling. I'd rather just leave them home or installed where I know where they are at all times.

We put Piper's Wizard on a luggage trolley and put her in the Wizard and then carted her through the airport. If I was doing it today I'd get a Traveling Toddler instead so I don't need to check luggage. We hate checking luggage.

As for the person in front of you not being able to recline; tough poopy. They didn't buy a seat that reclines. Lots of seats on the plane don't recline. The ones in front of the exit row, the ones in the back. If they don't like it they can ask to be reseated. A plane ticket is good for one thing. A ride from point A to point B quickly. You are not guaranteed comfort, a recline, a quiet ride, a good movie, good food, good service. You are guaranteed a ride. Besides, a FFing child can kick the seat in front of them. There are things to be aware of when traveling near kids.

When your daughter is forward facing then the Radian is going to be a dream to travel with. The tray will be usable, the seat reclines with the seat back (Piper slept for 7.5 hours straight in hers on our way back from Shanghai last year), it's fast and easy to install on the plane, and you can wear it on your back. Until then, though, I'd use the Marathon and install it rear facing on the plane (forward facing they're a PITA to install, so you'll actually skip out on all annoying installation issues going from a Marathon to a Radian when you switch). That makes me wonder, actually, about installing a Radian rear facing on a plane. With the buckle likely to be in the middle and a small, closed belt path, how do you open the buckle in there? I guess you need a belt extender like you do for a forward facing Britax. Rear facing you just install the Marathon with the seatbelt right over the cover. No lock offs necessary, no tucking necessary. Just put it right on top.

Have a good trip! You'll do fine. :) Piper and I have traveled solo since she was 10 weeks old.

Wendy
 

tarynsmum

Senior Community Member
I didn't even think about the luggage trolley. I wonder if I could fit the stroller folded up in the suitcase and check it, and not even worry about it.

Hmm... so should I do the marathon and have it rear-facing on the plane or the radian and have it forward facing? I could carry on the RF boot and slap it on once we get there to install in the car.

It's not a crazy long flight, only about an hour and a half. DD likes drawing and whatnot, but if she was RFing she could just color on her lap, as opposed to on the tray. I was planning on bringing the DVD player, but I don't *need* to. BLARG... I don't know
 

JessicaS

New member
Well what do you know...I've flown by myself with Anna on both USAir and Southwest, with an RFing Marathon. It's seriously no big deal! :) You will do just fine. The only thing I'd recommend is bringing the manual with you, so you can point out to the flight attendant that the MA is FAA approved for rear-facing on aircraft. There's a zillion other things you can print out and show them, but this has always done the trick for me. ;)
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
The Marathon, without a doubt or hesitation. Rear facing is so much safer, both on the ground and in the sky. You'll note the flight attendants sit rear facing and with four point harnesses (if they all wore pants I'm sure they could do five point harnesses). Forward facing just isn't in the cards now.

You could probably buy a cheap stroller when you get there, or borrow one from someone. That would make your life easier. Though if you have a suitcase big enough that'd be fine too.

Wendy
 

niccig

New member
Re: Radians on a plane... UPDATE RF or FF on the plane??

I have a marathon and radian (and 2 ugly sceneras that I don't want to take, because they are ugly :p)..

I would take the scenera, ugly or not it's easily 10lbs lighter than your other seats - well to me it feels 10lb lighter than my Blvd or Safeguard, and I know the Radian is a heavy seat too. It's not just the schelpping through the airport - I have long walks at LAX- it's also getting it on the plane - sometimes I have to lift the seat up over the plane seat height as the aisle is too narrow to carry the car seat in front of me.

Can you look into getting one of those new pink covers - it might make the scenera more appealing.

When I'm also chasing DS, I want to travel as lightly as possible. I have the Uptown, so similar to the scenera in size. I use a bungee cord and strap it to the stroller handles, DS rides in the stroller and I have a diaper backpack. If DS wants to walk, I put the backpack in the stroller, so it doesn't tip because of the car seat weight. You might be able to bungee the secenera to the stroller seat and then child in car seat - I've seen people do that. I can also push the stroller and pull our suitcase, I couldn't' do that if I also had a car seat on a luggage cart.

So my vote is for the ugly but oh so light scenera
 

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