Car Seats and airline travel

TnT's Mom

New member
My dh has a business trip to Oahu in February and he really wants the boys and I to go with him. So I am trying to figure out what would be the best thing for me to do carseat wise. The boys will be 6 years old and 2 years 4 months in February. The oldest rides in a high back booster in my car and a 5 point harness in dh's truck and the little guy is obviously in a 5pt harness. I know if we go I will take a 5 pt harness for the little guy but what should I do for my oldest? I hate to even gate check his HBB because I am afraid it will get mangled...my strollers always look worse for wear after gate checking...but I don't know if I can carry his HBB one on (it is a Compass and it folds...he has a Parkway too but I thought that would be even more difficult to take since it doesn't fold) because we will have carry on bags (gotta have snacks, books and toys for the flight!) and the little guys seat plus my dh will have his laptop bag and then also the stroller to gate check for the little guy. It seems like so much to handle along with the boys so should I just get a low back booster which would be smaller to carry on and should definitely fit in the overhead compartment? He has never ridden in a low back booster. We would be in a rental car from the airport to the hotel and then probably only from the hotel to Pearl Harbor (ds #1 wants to see the USS Arizona) and then hotel to airport. There is plenty to do within walking distance of the hotel where the convention is not to mention the beach :). And as far as my younger son...is the Marathon a pain to carry on and use on the plane? I could use his Century that I still have, it is lighter than the Marathon, but it expires in March so that is cutting it close I think.

Honestly the thought of roughly 11 hours of flying time (we live in Massachusetts) plus layovers with both of my boys panics me slightly so I am not sure if I will even attempt it but I really want to be prepared in case I throw caution to the wind and go! Not to mention doing the pool and beach thing with them by myself while dh works.

Thanks for any advice or thoughts on this!
 
ADS

Kellyr2

New member
What about folding the compass and packing it in your luggage? It should be safer that way than checking it outside of luggage.
 

LEAW

New member
Yes, you can check 2 pieces of luggage for each ticketed passenger (so 8 for you guys!) so why not pack the one in a suitcase, and use the other on the plane for your 2 yr old.

We flew 11 hrs to HI with my 14 mo. old this past March, and I went one way alone, dh flew home with us. It's a LONG flight, but there are always a lot of children, and they ALL get to the same level of crazy around 5 hrs into the flight. So don't feel bad, everyone else has cranky babies and bigger kids who want to run run run in the plane!

I'd try to get 2 rows at the window, rather than across the plane... put one parent with each child, the jumbos are 2 seats at each window and a middle section that is larger. They also show movies the entire way, including a kids chan. that usually shows Disney/Nick type movies, great for your older child.
 

TnT's Mom

New member
Thanks for the ideas! My concern about folding the Compass and putting it in checked baggage is that then I run the risk of it not arriving at our destination if the airline happens to misplace the suitcase it is in...even if it showed up eventually we wouldn't have it when we arrived for the rental car. And my oldest probably could fit in the Marathon since he rides in a Boulevard in his dad's truck (he will be using his Parkway in the truck soon though so little brother can have the Boulevard when he is in the truck too)but we were trying to limit the amount and weight of what we would carry on. Guess I will have to think on all of this some more :).

And Lisa thanks for the tip about the seats...that is a good idea because then they are both by windows and dh can have the joy of entertaining one of them for the whole flight as well :)! I forgot about the seat setup on the big planes...it's been forever since dh and I went to Hawaii!

Thanks again!
 

LEAW

New member
Ooh yah, if he fits in the seat, take the Marathon and the Blvd then! You could always gate check the Compass in a suitcase - that would reduce the chance of it getting lost, especially if you claimed it if you had a stop or to change planes...

FWIW, if you are island hopping, when we were out there I flew from Oahu to Hilo, back to Oahu to Kauai, back to Oahu... and my luggage didn't make it 2x, but the car seat made it every time, they knew I'd need it... the airports deliver the luggage when it shows up, which is nice, though a few hours later.

Best plane toys - hit your dollar store and get things you won't mind losing! Magnadoodle is a life saver too.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
What about the Boulevard and the Marathon and then two sets of GoGo Kidz? That way you can skip the stroller all together (buy a cheapie umbrella there if you want one). Also, then your 2yo can ride in the Marathon around the airport, and your six year old can either ride in his seat or walk. When we travel Piper carries a little backpack and that has her carryon stuff in it (she chooses, though I encourage crayons and paper and maybe some small playdoh packages, and STICKERS!). That's her responsibility, and it doesn't take up a lot of space. If you had little backpacks for the boys to carry their own stuff in then they can hold them on their laps while they ride in the seats, then you just need your backpack or diaper bag or carryon. If your 6yo is walking in the airport he can help pull something. Maybe his own seat or if that's too big then maybe a smaller carryon.

Maybe you could rig a way for the compass to be pulled along on a rolling bag in the airport and then stow it in the overhead compartment on the plane. Then you'd have the Marathon with your 2yo in it, your 6yo walking, and then someone dragging a carryon bag with the Compass attached to it. Or attach your 2yo to the rolling bag (our daughter simply hangs on and rides, but I've seen a little seat that attaches that they can ride on from onestepahead) and put the compass on the Marathon and wheel them both around. Or find a backpack big enough for the compass and toss it in there and carry it on board.

Have a great time!

Wendy
 

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