Another flying with kids question (or should I say, questions!)

We're headed on a cross-country flight soon, and I will be traveling one direction by myself with the two kids. (See siggie for current seats and child specs.)

Dh will be able to help me get the car seat(s) and kids to the gate initially, but will not be any help during our layover. I cannot decide how to secure my five year old. Normally he's in the Frontier, but does that even install well on a plane? Will I need a seat belt extender like with the MA? We will definately be bringing the MA, so if we do have him in the FR, what's the best way to haul two kids, two seats, and a diaper bag? I will probably be checking my stroller and using a carrier on my back for the baby.

Here are the current solutions that I can see:

1. I might be comfortable with the five year old in a seat belt (on the plane) this once, but I am terrified to gate check the FR.

2. I am also considering borrowing the CARES vest from a friend, but I have no experience using it IRL.

3. My other thought was not bringing the FR at all, letting ds ride in the plane seat belt, and then having the extended family pick up a GN before we get there. We can have someone with an appropriate car seat drop us off at the airport.

Thank you so much for any help you can offer. We have about 6 weeks before our trip, and I'm already trying to figure out the details.

If the Nautilus would get enough use to justify buying it (though with a nine year lifespan on the no back portion it'd be hard not to) then I'd probably do number three. The Frontier does work on the plane, though. People have taken it. If you take both what I'd do is go and get a luggage cart at Walmart or Target or something, and some bungee cords. Put the Frontier on, then put the Marathon right on that and bungee them together. Put baby on your back, put carry-on maybe in the Marathon, and five year old walks. Buy a cheap stroller when you get there, or continue to use the backpack. The five year old can carry a backpack with some toys for the two kids.

I wouldn't gate check it either. We had a very delayed flight this weekend and so we were in the Crown Room waiting with a great view of our plane. TWICE as they were unloading the luggage (broken plane) bags fell off and landed on the ground. Straight out of the cargo door. They just missed the conveyor belt. That would have been gate checked, baggage checked, whatever. They just fell out and went the 12 feet down or whatever.

Wendy

This was my setup for getting through the airport this summer by myself with 2 kids. My kids are 5 and 2.



Going through the airport, we had-
double stroller
my backpack- which hung off the back of the stroller and sort of sat in the basket a bit
ds2's backpack- in the basket
ds1's rolling luggage- when he got tired of dragging it, it attached to the handle of the stroller and rolled behind, just like the luggage cart
radian- in second seat of stroller
marathon- attached to luggage cart, which was pulled with the stroller handle

When we got off the plane in SLC, ds1 had fallen asleep and didn't want to walk. I put both kids in the stroller and attached the luggage to the handle. I put the radian on top of the marathon with bungee cords. I would have pulled it on the other handle if the FA hadn't offered to pull it to baggage check for us.

The thing I learned was to take your time. Don't sweat it if it takes you a little while to get your seats in. Put the kids in the row behind you and get it all set up. Hopefully a FA will take pity on you and keep an eye on your kids for you.

there was another thread on here about the frontier on a plane. it installed without a belt extender however it put the buckle right in the midle of the childs back. the mom fixed this with a sweatshirt (in a pinch) but doesn't seem comfortable. plus a frontier and ma are quite larger and heavier in my opinon then the radian and ma. i would take the ma and strap it to the stroller along with carry on bags. then put your youngest in the carrier on your back(or front carrier if he will fit...since you will have to take him off for the security check), then get one of those cheap wrist harness or backpack harness things(babydepot has them.. just for in the airport so you know oldest ds is attached to you and not wondering away.) hook him to you and have him walk. then when you get to the plane check the stroller and wear ds2 onto the plane. have someone buy you a nautilus where you are going.

Of the options you gave, I'd go with #3.

That said...how mature is your 5-year-old? Would he be able to sit in a high-back booster properly during your trip? If so, I might look into packing one in your luggage or having someone buy one of those in advance for you. If you're not comfortable with the HBB, you could also look into a Ride Safer Travel Vest.

Are you sure your DH will be able to help you get to the gate? (As far as I know, airports still require non-ticketed people to get special clearance to go past security.)

I'd add:

Call the airline to see if you can arrange for some kind of special needs assistance during your layover to get you from one gate to another.

Be sure to print out both YOUR airlines car seat policy AND the FAA policy and have them in your purse. You never know when someone might give you a hard time!

My sister is an airline pilot, as is her husband. They use CARES now for all flights with my nieces and my sister loves them. If you want to go that route and would like to talk to someone about how to use them feel free to PM and I'll put you in touch with her. Before she had CARES, though, she traveled with *2* MAs......and somehow she managed...I'm sure you will too!

I would also go with #3.

Last year we flew to Europe with 2 kids, one baby with stroller and 2 on-plane car seats. It was a royal PITA to lug all this around. This year we went back and my 2 oldest (then almost 5 and 3½) used the plane's belt and did great. The baby was in his seat and the whole trip was much smoother.

You might want to print this :http://www.airsafe.com/kidsafe/faa_brochure.pdf + bring it with you if you choose to bring a car seat on board.

Thank you all so much. The more I think about it and read your responses, the more I am also leaning toward #3. Our extended family will have no problems purchasing the NA, so that makes that part of the decision that much easier. I am still considering borrowing the CARES vest for the airplane ride. Do you think it's worth it? I was thinking it might encourage my oldest to stay in the seat more than just the plane lap belt. WWYD?

Also, I was really concerned with being able to install the Frontier in the cars we will be riding in (1999 Suburban and a 1998 Toyota Camary). I am confident that I will be able to get the NA installed regardless of what car we end up in. Neither of the two vehicles have tether anchors. Is this a problem with the NA? And can the NA hang over the seat edge at all?

Thanks!

KelliBella said:

Also, I was really concerned with being able to install the Frontier in the cars we will be riding in (1999 Suburban and a 1998 Toyota Camary). I am confident that I will be able to get the NA installed regardless of what car we end up in. Neither of the two vehicles have tether anchors. Is this a problem with the NA? And can the NA hang over the seat edge at all?

Thanks!

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Most carseats allow up to 20% overhang on the seat where it is installed, but I recall that the nautilus is an exemption here. It does not allow any overhang. I know in my camry, I have a regent installed and it doesn't hang over the seat at all. I doubt you would have any trouble with the camry or suburban with overhang. Now in my extended cab truck though, the nautilus won't work since the seats are not very big.

For me personally, I don't think I would use a cares harness on a 5 year old. My DD#1 has flown several times in just an airline seat when she was 4-6 and she sat very well. For those trips, we either brought along a booster for her to use or she had a seat waiting for her at her destination.

Make sure you are not sitting in the exit row or the row in front or behind it as carseats cannot be installed there.

You may want to print off the official FAA regulations for carseat use so that you don't have any issues with using your seat on the plane:
http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgAdvisoryCircular.nsf/0/60d70126cf679d5a8625723b007841e7/$FILE/AC%20120-87A.pdf

During layovers when traveling by myself, I was usually the last off on the plane and had my cart and seats all ready strapped on and ready to go. Usually the flight attendant would help me get them off the plane. Once off the plane, I would get the kids in the sling or backpack carrier and get moving to the next gate.

I was able to have my DH help me at the departure gate. He just had to show some ID at the ticket counter to get a pass through security.

I agree with choosing alternative number three. I've flown a lot with my kids, many long transatlantic flights and always bring my Swedish rf seats. We don't gate check them and instead used special padded car seat bags with extra padding of clothes, diapers, etc. So far no problems after 50 or so flights. It might be safer doing a gate check but sometimes the luggage ends up with the regular luggage anyway.

I would not want to see my seats dropped 12 feet on the round but keep in mind new seats are also shipped to the store where you bought them. They go by boat/plane/truck/rail and are most likely not treated with kid gloves.

I would focus on keeping your kids safe in the car at your destination and not worry about car seats seats on the plane. Looking at all statistics, your kids could sit upside down without any belt and still be thousands of times safer than sitting in a car with the best car seat on the market. Anyway you look at it, a child (or adult) getting injured on a plane by turbulence etc. is incredibly rare:twocents:

Best of luck with your trip

Adventuredad said:

So far no problems after 50 or so flights.

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Whoa, is that frequent flying or what?
Seriously, you must rake it the miles. Soon you'll have enough for a free trip to the moon!

Are those all transatlantic flights?
I fly to Europe about twice a year on average to visit DH's family and it takes me about a week just to get over jet lag. We might go more often but just getting there with three young children is exhausting!

Many trips are vacation trips to US or Mexico from Sweden. We first went to US when my son was only 3 months old. So far, we've only had one "bad experience". It was a 24 hour trip to Mexico which was fine but with some interesting complications. Our flight was 3 DAYS late to start with . Showed up at airport at 6 am and were told snowstorms made it impossible to fly. Can you come back in three days? First leg to NYC, my 12 month old daugter got diarrhea and pooped 5 times. Three of these were poop up to her shoulders, I'm not joking. Had to change all her clothes. Since wife has poop trauma I did the changing. Wrestling with an unhappy toddler in a the worlds smallest bathroom when you're a big guy is interesting

Son also got diarrhea for some reason and needed 6 visits on the first 8 hour leg. Then we had 3 hours at immigration which actually was quite alright. The kids couldn't nap for some reason so we all got kind of tired. My daughter then broke her eardrum on the second leg down to Mexico.

It was an interesting experience.... All other flights have been fine, hard work but no problems.