Question Carrying backless boosters on a plane....

We're flying Monday and plan to take the bottoms of our 2 SR/C's for my almost 6 and 9 year olds to use in our rental. I just tried them in our carry-on luggage and they don't fit

I was really hoping not to have to lug them in a bag. Is there a better way to tote them? I'd really rather not check them, but I don't want to deal with a million loose things and keep up with 4 kids either. We're taking the Radian for the 3 yr old, and I think I'm going to let the 11 yr old go without for the trip

Maybe in a duffle bag on a luggage cart? I'm not sure how that would end up size-wise with all the rules....

Can't help much with the carryon but we have the bottom of the SR/C for my 9 yrs old and I just put that inside a stroller bag (with the baby's stroller and 7 yrs old's Ride Safer Travel Vest). The travel bag is a Maclaren single stroler bag with wheels. It's spacious and with room to spare for beach towels, crocs, etc.

Maybe a duffle bag for 2 SR/C bottoms?

Are the kids responsible enough that they could each carry and keep track of their own booster seats? DS (who was almost 6 at the time) was quite proud to have this responsibility. I really didn't have to do much to keep track of it, and he's a kid who loses everything at home, but he enjoyed being a "big helper" on the trip.

hipmaman said:

Can't help much with the carryon but we have the bottom of the SR/C for my 9 yrs old and I just put that inside a stroller bag (with the baby's stroller and 7 yrs old's Ride Safer Travel Vest). The travel bag is a Maclaren single stroler bag with wheels. It's spacious and with room to spare for beach towels, crocs, etc.

Maybe a duffle bag for 2 SR/C bottoms?

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So do you just gate check your stroller bag? I guess gate checking could be another option if I can't get them in something small enough to carry on.

momto2boysinOnt said:

Are the kids responsible enough that they could each carry and keep track of their own booster seats? DS (who was almost 6 at the time) was quite proud to have this responsibility. I really didn't have to do much to keep track of it, and he's a kid who loses everything at home, but he enjoyed being a "big helper" on the trip.

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Did you just have him carry the booster loose or could he manage it in some kind of tote? I had planned for my 9 yr old to keep up with his and probably let my 11 yr old carry DD's. I was thinking they'd just be pulling a small suitcase though. It's funny how small a backless booster seems compared to a car seat until you try to pack it

They're not really that heavy, but they're definitely more substantial and heavier than most backless boosters so I worry about the kids having to carry them if we ended up walking terribly far. We do have some other lighter ones we could take, but I especially prefer the fit of the Starriser on DD. She's never ridden in a backless before so I'm also hoping we can squeeze the back in our big suitcase.

Thanks for the ideas....I'll figure something out before Monday!

I rigged up a strap for carrying one of ours. The boys took turns, for the most part. Sam (2nd-oldest) carried his all the time and was fine without a strap; Thomas (oldest) helped out Fighter (3rd kid) when he got tired, and that's the one I put the strap on. It made a huge difference!

BTW, both seats fit great in the overhead bins, even on the really small plane we were on. I think dh had to tilt the TB armrests to get it into that one, but it fit fine once it was in. No problems at all with the FPSV booster (which I believe is similar to the SR/C?)

Could you strap them to the rolling luggage?

Wendy

You can ask for the big airline plastic bag and gate-check them if you can't find anything.

This time, I cargo-checked the stroller bag. And because it's long, it goes over to the 'oversize luggage' with the golf bags, skiis, etc. I also asked for a couple of 'fragile' tags to put on the bag.

Each of mine already has his/her wheeled backpack with things they want to bring on board, dh has the camcorder/camera bag (and lunch), I have the baby in a sling, her diaper bag, laptop and purse, so there was just no way we could lug the stroller/carseat/booster through the airport easily. And not to mention the baby's infant seat on the Micro Mover luggage cart.

hipmaman said:

Each of mine already has his/her wheeled backpack with things they want to bring on board, dh has the camcorder/camera bag (and lunch), I have the baby in a sling, her diaper bag, laptop and purse, so there was just no way we could lug the stroller/carseat/booster through the airport easily. And not to mention the baby's infant seat on the Micro Mover luggage cart.

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Yeah, that's the issue although thankfully at least I don't have a baby to tote. They will already have their backpacks, and I had them try today and the booster is just awkward to carry in hand for very long. DS2 tried to be innovative and hang the armrests over his shoulders and carry it on his back LOL! I'd have to go out and buy duffles or totes because they won't fit in anything we have.

I think I'm going to go with Wendy's idea and just bungee them somehow to our rolling carry-on bags for transport. I assume if we pop them off at the gate and have the kids carry them in hand onto the plane, they can then count as their carry-ons.

So DH will have the Radian and DD2's hand, I will have my purse, DD1's hand, and a rolling carry-on (I can put the cameras and netbook in there), DS1 will have his backpack and the other rolling carry-on (with a change of clothes and absolute necessities for everyone) and then DD1 and DS2 will just have to have their backpacks. Hopefully that won't be too bad.

Thanks so much everyone for your ideas!