Airplane/car travel

Mommypooh

New member
Okay my IL's have changed the plan on me a little. Not sure yet when we are going, but my FIL is a fleet manager and he wanted to use the extra adults to help move some vehicles around. Well it means adding another day onto the drive to florida already it is a 2 day drive, this going to other states picking up vehicles and zig zagging all the way to Florida is not what I want to do with 3 kids in car seats. So they have offered for me to fly out on the 3rd day after they leave and arrive about the same time as them in Florida. I only have to have my carry-ons with me no luggage as they will take all that with them.

This means I am flying by myself with 3 kids. We would most likely be flying during nap time so comfort is important.

Stats are in my sig, the only other carseat I have that is not on there is a nautilus or a frontier. I have not purchased yet but I will have by that time as I need one of them for another vacation.

How do I fly with 3 kids by myself? How do I seat them? Which car seats do I take and use? I am freaking out about this. I have no one to fly with me. I can probably get my mom to help to the gate but otherwise that is it.
 
ADS

NVMBR02

New member
Will you need a car seat for your oldest when you get to Florida? Would she be okay in a booster?

If so I would take the carseats for the 2 younger children and put them on a luggage cart (i bungee corded 2 on a cart before) then have a booster for your oldest that breaks apart, like the turbo so you can take it on the plane with you. (I think the back would fit in the overhead bin...anyone know?) then I would have your middle child by the windo, your youngest in the middle, you on the aisle and your oldest on the aisle right across from you so you can see her and talk to her.

I will have to fly with my soon to be three by myself for the first time late next fall. I am already trying to figure it out. I will probably not bring seats for my two oldest on the plane though, since my sister can pick me up at the airport with her spares.
 

Mommypooh

New member
I could send a booster in the vans with my IL's, that way I don't have to carry any of it since I can't use it on the plane.

Can I have her sit on my lap when the seat belt sign is off? I think that would make her more comfortable. She is not big on strangers, so it could help if she knows when that sign is off she can sit with mommy.

I think a booster will be my best bet for her with the vehicle we all have to fit in. I have to get 4 adults 200+ lbs each and 3 kids in a 06 Grand Caravan. So it will be tight. I think I am also flying back but will have to do that the first day they leave and have someone else pick me up at the air port so I might have to carry a booster back unless my mom can be trusted to keep one safe in her house until she comes to pick me up.

Man this is nerve wraking to figure out.
 

NVMBR02

New member
If they wont let her sit on your lapp you could sit her next to her brothers and then sit across from them. I would think it would be easier for the take off and landing part to be in the middle of the kids but during the flight when you can stand up to tend to them I would be fine being across from them as long as I could see and talk to them. The aisles aren't very big anyway. Or put her in one of the seats next to you and hold the baby since they would probably have less of an issue with that.

I hope someone who has actually been there done that can respond because I would like to know what works too.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
At nearly six and over 40 pounds I'd put your oldest in the plane's belt, and either send along the Regent or a booster. If you haven't bought the Nautilus or Frontier yet what I'd probably do is have that bought in Florida by your family and have them meet you at the airport with it so you can install it. That'll take care of the four year old. Then bring the Boulevard on a Traveling Toddler or a luggage cart for the youngest. Do you think your four year old would do ok with just the plane's belt? At 33 pounds it may or may not work. What do you think? If you don't think it'll work bring along the other Boulevard (though I could see buying a Scenera and Uptown for your two youngers to make your life easier).

I'd put all three kids in a row together and get you across from them. You can keep an eye on all of them that way, an no one but you is sitting next to a stranger. Then if you want to put someone on your lap while the seatbelt sign is off (keeping in mind then that you will have an unrestrained child) you can sit in the middle and put maybe the four year old on your lap. Or the six if she'll fit.

Wendy
 

CTPDMom

Ambassador - CPS Technician
If it were me I wouldn't bring seats for the 2 oldest kids on the plane and send their car seats in the vehicles that will be meeting you. Only you know your 4 yo, though, so if you believe he absolutely will not sit in the seat then that would be a different story. My ds at 2y10m and 3y1mo did just fine last year for 2 different flights, one with just the belt and one with a CARES harness. CARES might be another option for your 4 yo if you can perhaps find someone to borrow one from. (I'd offer but the one I used was borrowed!)
 

Mommypooh

New member
I really fear my 4 year old freaking out in the plane in general. He is super sensitive and freaks out really easy. My 6 year old would be fine in the plane seatbelt. I think i will just take a booster for her and send it with the family. I most likely would want my 4 year old in a seat I know he has out grown the Scerena. Never seen an Avenue.

I would also be unrestrianed if I move over and put her on my lap as I would want to be able to buckle her in quickly if I had to and would not want to add time to unbuckel myself then buckle her and then buckle my self. I am a worst case senerio type person and prepare for every eventuality I can think of.
 

BW1426

Well-known member
Don't some airlines have rules about 2 child restraints being next to one another or is this only if they're both rearfacing? Or am I entirely making this up?
 

NVMBR02

New member
I have had 2 seats next to each other on several different airlines. They have a bigger issue when you try to sit in the middle of the seats since the seat could possibly block your exit. Also some airlines will make you put the rear facing seat by the window.
I know that it was in one of the links from the FAA that a carseat could be installed in the middle seat instead of the window as long as everyone is in the same party.

ETA: the link

on page 13
19. TRAVELING WITH MORE THAN ONE CHILD. In the event a parent/guardian is traveling with more than one child in CRSs or is traveling with several small children, only one of whom is occupying a CRS, good judgment should be used regarding placement of the CRSs. As long as these conditions below are met, the CRS could be placed in a seat other than a window seat. At a minimum:
• The CRS should be placed so it does not block any passenger’s (including the parent/guardian’s) egress to the aisle used to evacuate the aircraft
• The CRS should be placed so the parent/guardian can reach the child in the CRS to release and evacuate with the child, should an emergency evacuation be necessary


I haven't been able to find an airline that will allow a car seat in an aisle seat.
 

skueppers

New member
To make this more interesting, I wouldn't recommend trying to put any of the adults in the back of the Grand Caravan with 2 car seats. We did that with a snugride and some FF combination seat because we couldn't fit the 3 seats back there, and it was not pretty. The person involved was pretty average in size, and was wedged in there. So I think you'll need to do 3 across the back bench. We wound up using a booster, which was still pretty tight.
 

Mommypooh

New member
I know about that. We did a BV in the middle and my MIL outboard passenger, and me outboard drivers side and it was really tight. I rode like that for a 3 hour each way trip. I will never do that again. I am planning to try to figure out what will fit back there. I know Magnus will have to be in a well padded seat as he is a complainer. He rides in my friends tribute and cries the whole time. I was thinking of borrowing my friends Cargo maybe and using that plus the BV with a parkway or a FP booster. Would prefer the Parkway though so that my daughter has better sleep support since I figure she will get tired on the trips home. It will hold her up right mostly.
 

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