Chicco NextFit for flying??

MamanMag

New member
Hello!

I need to find a convertible seat for one of my twins and after browsing through the forum I saw that there is a Chicco convertible coming soon... It looks great especially with the 9 recline positions!! We travel sometimes by plane to go to Europe and the seats have to be FFing. It looks like the Nextfit would be great because we can recline it while FFing... But will it be easy to haul through the airport? Has anyone seen it and could tell me if this seat seems like a good seat to travel with? If it is, I will wait for it to come on the market and use it also as our everyday car seat! I just hope that it does not keep the heat like the Keyfit does... I really like the Keyfit but our babies sweat so much in them :(

Thanks!

Mag

PS: I know that I'm really overdue for changing my twins' car seats so I may buy a Scenera just for the time I have to wait for the Chicco to arrive... Right now I don't drive with them until I have the seat that will fit!
 
ADS

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
They don't have to be forward facing by any means if you're on a US carrier. The seats are FAA approved to 40 pounds rear facing.

The NextFit isn't super big or huge, it should fit on planes just fine. But it may be a bit bulky. Kind of like traveling with a Britax. It's not the biggest thing out there, but it's not amazingly light or thin. I think two would fit next to one another, but it may be easier to have them in separate rows.

Wendy
 

MamanMag

New member
Thanks Wendy for the info! So it's doable but not necessarily the easiest to use on an airplane... I just really like that you can recline it FFing!

I checked the United Airlines website again and it states: "Please note the following infant car seat placement restrictions: on one-aisle aircraft, car seats must be placed in window seats, on two-aisle aircraft, car seats must be placed in window seats or the middle seat of a center section. Car seats are not permitted in rear-facing seats on any aircraft. "... What do you think? I think I saw somewhere that the FAA allows it but not sure... The only thing that I see with RFing in an airplane is that the person in front of you cannot recline... Technically, they bought the space that includes the reclining position, so they should be allowed to recline... And the issue with bulkhead seats is that you cannot move the armrests making it sometimes impossible to install a car seat :(. BTW would the NextFit fit in the bulkhead row?

TIA
Mag
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
That means you can't install on rear facing airplane seats. You can rear face carseats on forward facing airplane seats. I did it on United in January for Laine. We had enough leg room for her True Fit to go rear facing, so I did for a bit (more comfortable for sleeping on a long haul flight).

I don't know if they'd fit in the bulkheads. I think the seat *might*, but you'd have a dandy time trying to install it and have the skin on your hands intact.

People buy a ticket from point A to point B. Not all seats recline. The row in front of the exit row doesn't recline. The last row in a cabin or section doesn't recline. So no, they're not guaranteed a reclining seat. I will do what I can to make that person comfortable because that's being considerate, but I will also make my child comfortable and safe. So there's some concession on both sides.

Wendy
 

MamanMag

New member
Thanks again Wendy! You're right, I should have read the sentence a little better :eek:

I will definitely RF the little ones on the plane when I get the convertible seat (They were always RFing before because I had them in the Keyfit) I just hope that the person in front of the seat will be understanding... It's never easy to fly with little ones anyway :rolleyes:

Thanks again Wendy! I truly appreciate your professionalism, knowledge and common sense!! :)

Mag

PS: which CS do you prefer for traveling? That's comfortable, light and narrow ;)
 

Jeni-GAcpst

New member
I'll let Wendy tell you about her favorite for-flying car seats.

I just wanted to say that when you install a RFing car seat on a plane, the passenger in front of you can't recline. That's true. But if you install a FFing car seat on a plane, most toddlers will kick the fool out of the seat in front of them if their legs are long enough.
If I were in front of you, I'd rather sit up while your baby sleeps quietly than be kicked while your baby screams due to being unable to fall asleep ;-)

And one more thing, you can install car seats side by side in a window row. It makes it sound like only window seats are available. You simply cannot block someone in. But if you're traveling with two car seats, having them side by side isn't blocking someone else.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Since you need something anyway, I'd get a couple of Sceneras for right now to fit them and then continue to use them for travel later.

Wendy
 

MamanMag

New member
Thanks Wendy!! I was thinking about buying the scenera but after looking at it, it really doesn't look comfortable :-( and the flights we have are usually long so I really would like something more plush for my skinny little ones :)... But the scenera is definitely a light, easy to carry seat!! Great to travel! Just not comfy enough :-(
 

nataliem257

New member
The nextfit has built in lock offs -- that would be a plus if you travel overseas, at least it would be for me because I hate locking clips
 

MamanMag

New member
The nextfit has built in lock offs -- that would be a plus if you travel overseas, at least it would be for me because I hate locking clips

Yep I hate locking clips too!!! I can't wait to see the nexfit but I'm afraid it will be too wide to place in a plane and to go through x-rays machines... I just have to wait to see it... 3 more months to wait... It looks great :):):)
 

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