Traveling with 3 in Britax Marathons.....or other options?

Hi,
I have three kids in britax marathons (FF 4.5 year old twins on the sides and an 11month old RF in the middle) in our Suburban (all in the second row--snug, but a great fit). We travel every few months from Nevada to Texas or Ohio by plane/rental car (about 9 hours of travel time with layovers, etc.).

The 3 marathons are a pain to manage in addition to the twins' stroller, and then having the baby carried, plus all the suitcases, etc.

We always rent a minivan just because I'm not sure how the seats would all fit in any other rental car. Does anyone know if three across (2 FF MA, 1 RF MA) would fit in something like a Ford Explorer?

I'm looking for options for seats that travel well (smaller or able to fold up), especially for the twins. Can they go into some type of booster? Or is that not safe? I'm looking at getting one of the travel vests for the baby since we don't have a seat for her (is that unsafe too?).

I have seen the SafeGuard Go Hybrid (a friend has one) and it looks like it would work well for travel, but are there any options that are a bit less expensive (twins=twice the cost! LOL)?

Thanks
Mariah

A vest is not safe for the baby. The baby needs to stay rear facing.

I'll let others comment on the rest.

Travel vest for the car won't work for your baby. She's not big enough, and she needs to be RF anyway.

If you're referring to a travel vest for the airplane, like the Baby B'Air, those aren't safe. They're not even FAA approved. You can only use them when the seat belt sign is off, so you can't use it during takeoff, landing, or turbulance.


If your twins are at least 40#, they're meet the bare minimums for booster use. We'd rather see them in harnessed seats, but if you're set on boosters, you can get boosters. The SafeGuard Go would actually be a pretty good option for you, though. You might call stores and ask about a twin discount if they're a little pricey for you (but still in your budget). How much do your twins weigh? There might be other options out there for you, too. (In fact, the RideSafer Travel vests would probably be better than boosters.) If you get boosters, travel vests, or even the SafeGuard gos, you won't be able to use them on the plane. Only child restraints w/ both a harness & a hard shell can be used on the plane.

Are you planning on checking a seat for the baby? Are you wanting something lighter than the MA? If so, I would look at the Cosco Scenera or Safety 1st Avenue. I would also bring it to the gate w/ you. If they have open seats on the plane, you may be able to use the car seat for your baby. If they don't have any open seats, you just gate check the seat. Most of the new Sceneras and Avenues come in a plastic travel bag, so that would be a bonus if you get one of those seats.

Thank you for your help. Will a MA fit rear facing on a plane? The seats (southwest) seem so close together. I was referring to the Baby B'Air thing for the baby only for the plane. I won't get that though...didn't know it wasn't safe.

I forgot to add: The twins are only 35 pounds, so I don't think they meet the booster requirements yet (and I'm not looking to put them in boosters full time until they completely outgrow their MAs). I haven't really looked at boosters at all yet. I was just wondering if there was anything I could do to make the traveling issues a bit easier.

If you want to look at boosters, some come apart and work better for travel. We have turbos. The base would fit in your carry on and the with your clothes.

Do your twins really NEED a stroller when you travel?

It seems like maybe you are bringing too much stuff and making it more difficult than it has to be.

If I were you, I would look into buying 2 radians for your twins. You could bring a single stroller for your 11 month old to use at your destination, but put the 2 radians in the stroller and push those around the airport.

Get each of your twins a child-size rolling suitcase to keep their toys/activities/snack box in. Give them the responsibility to pull them through the airport. When 4 year olds are given a "job" they are much more cooperative. :twocents:

Then, on the plane you can use the radians (the sit low enough so that your kids will be able to use the tray on the airplane seat to color, eat etc.

I would use a good baby carrier (ergo etc) to wear the baby through the airport.

I would really highly recommend that you consider buying your baby a seat on the plane. It is a huge safety benefit (just go to youtube and search for Sioux city crash).

The marathon will fit rearfacing on Southwest planes. We just flew this month with my 4 year old rearfacing in his marathon on a Southwest flight.

I'd get RSTVs for the twins and either bring a Marathon or a Scenera/Avenue for the baby.

And to answer your question, yes, a Marathon will fit just fine rear facing on a plane. It's actually much easier to deal with rear facing than forward. Forward you need a seatbelt extender so you don't get the buckle in the middle of the back of the seat. Rear facing you just pop it through the cover holes for the beltpath and away you go! Just put the armrest up, and keep your baby rear facing on the plane until 35 pounds, just like in the car. Because in addition to dropping out of the sky, which RARELY happens, you're much more likely to be involved in a runway emergency. In the last month there have been two in the US that made the news. Both Continental, I think? Northwest? I cant remember. Anyway, two planes less than a week apart had runway emergencies. They're just like road crashes except at 150 mph instead of 30 mph (the speed of a sled test for a crash test). As I know you wouldn't dream of having your baby unrestrained if we asked you to help take part in a sled test, I would guess you wouldn't want your baby unrestrained if we increased that five fold and asked you to put your baby on a 150 mph sled test.

In the past they've asked that unrestrained babies get wrapped in blankets and put under the seat in front of you. As horrid as that sounds it IS the safest thing to do with an unrestrained child.

Also, you're not only posing a danger to your child. Force is simplied for us to weight times speed. So if you have a 20 pound baby and you're in a 150 mph collision that baby weighs 3000 pounds. No way are you going to be able to hold on tight, and the person who gets hit with the 3000 pound baby isn't going to appreciate it a whole lot either. Even the coffee pot gets restrained on a plane. I'm shocked the FAA hasn't yet mandated that every living person should be guaranteed a seat and the safety restraints that come with it, either a seatbelt or a carseat.

I like the RSTV idea for your twins. We just got one for Piper last week and we'll be traveling with it for the first time tomorrow. It's pretty cool. It's not used on the plane, but hopefully at 35 pounds their little tushes would fit in the plane's belt. Piper's finally does at 38 pounds! Woo hoo! LOL So then you'd have one Marathon for the baby rear facing and then two RSTVs in your suitcase for the twins. If you got a Traveling Toddler you could put your baby and your carseat all on the rolling luggage, so that would ease up a lot of space. I agree about maybe having the twins walk with their own backpacks or roller bags. Then your DH gets another bag and you guys should be good to go.

Here, I also wanted to show you this. http://www.zoomda.com/Trunki-Kids-Rolling-Luggage-Ride-on-Suitcase-p/1031-tr003.htm I don't know if those would work for you, but I wanted to toss it out. We only have one child right now and so when we travel Piper holds on to our luggage. She runs from one bag to the next if we're both traveling. She's getting a bit long for this. I don't know what will happen next. But since you have more kids than I would guess you do roller bags it would make more sense for maybe you guys to each drag a bag with a child, then one of you have a roller bag with the carseat and third child. Just get ready to get some comments and stares. Piper gets stared at ALL the time in the airport.

Wendy

I agree... I'd get the vests... but for the 4yr olds... and I'd take the baby's seat.

Not to get into any debates but to just clear up a few things. I was a flight attendant for nearly 10 years and was the supervisor of flight attendant training for several years.

"In the past they've asked that unrestrained babies get wrapped in blankets and put under the seat in front of you. As horrid as that sounds it IS the safest thing to do with an unrestrained child."

This happened in the Sioux City crash but this changed after that. There is a brace position for babies being held by a care taker. No not as safe as a seat but they are not placed on the floor at any of the 4 airlines I've worked for. This is no longer the preferred method.

"If you're referring to a travel vest for the airplane, like the Baby B'Air, those aren't safe. They're not even FAA approved. You can only use them when the seat belt sign is off, so you can't use it during takeoff, landing, or turbulance."

They can be used for turbulence and anytime in flight just not taxi, takeoff and landing. I actually think they are a bit safer than just on your lap during turbulence.

Thanks for letting me chime in.

Several have mentioned the Scenera for travel and I love it for that purpose. It's inexpensvie ($40-$50) and very, very light weight. It may even work for the twins since you said they are 35 pounds. It's a 40 pound seat but I've heard many outgrow it by height first. My 5 year old still fits in it height wise but is over 40 pounds now. For the price it's a great travel seat.

I've always placed the Scenera on the stroller and strapped my kids into it. For me it's worked like a charm.

I now use a high back booster for travel for her but she is over 40 pounds.

Thank you for all of your suggestions and advice
I can't take less stuff. The twins have medical problems and can't walk very far. We go to TX and OH for medical treatment, which is why we have to go every few months. Believe me, I'd LOVE to have them walk and carry their own stuff, but they can't.

I will work on getting a ticket for the baby too. I know it is the only safe way to travel.

I think it's sad they even sell the baby b'air things since they aren't safe. It's kind of misleading.

Done.. Baby has a seat now on the flights. I'm looking into the scenera seat for her, but may just take along her MA, since she loves it anyways.

What about the CARES for the 4.5 year olds on the plane and then their MAs in the rental car? We just stopped using their car seats on the plane, but I know that's probably horrible too :thumbsdown:

If you're taking the car seats, you should take them on the plane. It's quite possible for a car seat to be damaged when checked (it's happened to me. And to other people on this board.) Then you are stuck without a safe seat.

If you don't want to carry car seats for the twins on the plane, I really suggest the Ride Safer Travel Vest. It tests like a five-point harness in the car, but it's not bulky. If you travel a lot you could get a lot of use out of them. If you are uncomfortable without your kids harnessed on the plane, or if they need help remembering to sit correctly on the plane, the CARES harness could be used in conjunction if you wish. Planes are so much different from cars, I think most of us are okay with kids past a certain age and weight on the plane without a seat; we only use our seats on the plane (at least, many of us) because 1) it's often more comfortable for a kid to be in her own seat and 2) it saves us having to check the seats, as I mentioned. So you could use CARES on the plane, RSTVs in the car, everyone safe and 2 less bulky seats to lug.

If you didn't have a lot of luggage you could even save money by renting a sedan, since I have no doubt that a rear-facing Marathon (or Scenera) would fit in a rental car with 2 kids in RSTVs.

Yup, what Ketchup said. The RSTVs don't expire (my brand new one has a DOM of 3/2005) and so if you have two you can use them for your twins until they're too big or in boosters full time, and then the baby can use it when she's big enough as well. So for $100 a pop you'll get a TON of use out of them.

So twins in stroller, baby in carseat on rolled luggage (either MA or Scenera) with a Traveling Toddler. RSTVs safely in your luggage, CARES (if you feel then need them) in their baggies in your carry on. Would that be easier for you?

Wendy

I second (or 5th) the RSTVs for the twins. I have them for my two middle girls and we have used them several time sin the last year that we have had them. They save tons of time and are much easier to carry than 2 marathons!

We ALWAYS put our babies in a seat on the plane. We fly fairly regularly and it is worth it both in safely and convenience and for everyone around you if the baby is in their own seat. And MA will defiantly fit RF on a plane, just ask for a belt extender and it wall make it MUCH easier to buckle and unbuckle.

A few more questions:

Are the RSTVs comfortable for kids who like to sleep in the car? Do they support their heads at all (the pic I found of them looks like there's some sort of pad for the head)?

If it were you, would you buy a Scenera (like are they a lot less bulky, lighter, etc. than a MA)?

Thank you all for your help! I really, really appreciate it!

Mariah

I'd way rather take a Scenera through an airport than a MA. However, I'd splurge the extra 30 bucks or so for an Avenue, especially if you're used to a MA. Still lightweight, easy to use, but much more plush and nice.

The RSTVs or GOs would work for the twins, or even just highback boosters. But, if they have a hard time walking, is it a muscle tone issue? If so, definitely need harnesses. Otherwise, at 4.5 for occasional use, there is nothing wrong with a HBB. Compass makes folding models that might be easier.

There is also the option of buying the baby a SafeSeat1/SnugRide32 instead of a convertible. WAY easier to travel with in all respects, and by the time she outgrows this, she can be FF for those occasional trips, and you could also get her something lightweight like a GO (not sure on the minimum, I think it's 30). While RF is of course best and I generally wouldn't recommend a vest for a child that young (or even FF for a child that young), we also live in reality and reality sometimes dictates sacrificing a bit of safety for a lot of convenience.
I wouldn't sweat your twins on the airplane seats without a car seat. Really, I don't think there is anything wrong with it. I also probably wouldn't fuss over a lap baby, but many here do. Is it borne out by real life events? Well, I personally don't think so. That said, my kids get their own seats just because I don't want them on my lap for hours!

I realize this is a lot of money you might be shelling out, but by being able to rent a smaller vehicle, it'll come close to evening out in the end, and the convenience definitely be worth the cost!

I would get a Scenera for the baby and either the RSTV for the 4.5 year olds or if they need a bit more support than that I would look into getting them Radians. The Radians are expensive x 2 but you could possibly sell your Marathons and use the Radians for them full time to make up for some of the costs.

If you twins are able to the RSTV would probably be the easiest for travel, esp since they are so lightweight. I don't have one, but I am thinking about getting one for dd in the near future.

The RSTVs come with a head cushion. It's not structural-- you still need support behind the head-- but it's there for comfort and napping in the car. I've never heard of a kid complaining that the RSTV was uncomfortable in the car, but your daughters' particular issues may impact that.

I too would shell out for the Avenue if I could afford it. It would last a lot longer, yet takes the same space up rear-facing, comes with a carry bag just like the Scenera, and is just more padded and nice.