Help with choosing carseat for trip!

Olga

New member
Hi everyone,

I'm new here, have done some reading in the past when deciding on a carseat for DD but only now registered to ask for your advice. DH, DD and I are flying to Poland next week (eek!). Some info about DD in case it helps: she's 6.5 months old, weighs around 21 lbs or so, not particularly tall just chunky. :p

At home we use a Radian and we have a Cosco Scenera at the in-laws (they are a plane trip away so it's easier to not bring our seat). Sorry, I don't know all the brand acronyms! Anyway we are flying to Poland (LOT airlines) and family will be driving us from the airport to our destination. I only yesterday (dumb me!) found out about what carseat they are planning to bring for us to use for DD - it belonged to my youngest sister who turned 16 years old this year, eek! I clearly recall that it only had a 3-point harness plus of course the age of it is ridiculous. I can't believe they even have it around still (and clearly think it's just fine to use).

So my options as I see them are:
1 - take the bus instead of accepting a car ride (this means some of our plans while there would need to change due to no car travel, plus a polish bus + baby + stroller + luggage is not my idea of fun)
2 - bring our Radian and hope we can bring it on the plane (we don't have a seat for DD) as I really don't want to check it since it's our full-time use seat
3 - buy a Safety 1st Scenera LX (currently on sale for $60 BUT it comes in a bag, no box)
4 - buy an Evenflo Titan (currently on sale for $80 and comes in a cardboard box)

We're in Canada so these prices are the lowest of the low IMO. I don't want to spend more than necessary since this is an unexpected expense. Also, I'm not sure if we will bring the seat back to Canada with us or leave it there for someone to use or for us if we come back perhaps (not with the Radian of course!). The car that we'll be using there is a late 80's model WV Jetta, I'm currently trying to find out if it has lap/shoulder belts in the back seat or just lap belts.

My plan was to go with option #3 but DH was very concerned that it doesn't come in a box and it could have been compromised even during shipping to the store. There is a possibility that we will need to gate-check the seat, though we booked the two aisle seats out of the center 3 hoping no one will want to sit in the middle of 2 people with baby if they can help it. :D Sorry for the info overload - just wanted to make sure I include all pertinent info.

So which option would you choose? Something I'm not thinking of perhaps? Please help!
 
ADS

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
I'd chose option #4, and next time buy a ticket for your baby so it isn't a concern. That way you can travel with a seat you know and love. And I wouldn't want to sit next to you (good choice in choosing seats, btw), because a 21 pound baby hitting me during a 150 mph runway emergency is over 3,000 pounds of force. Fatal to me and her.

Also, especially if she's crawling, imagine sitting on the sofa with her on your lap for the duration of the flight, getting up every two hours to use the washroom and change her diaper. Get a drink with her on your lap, try not to spill! And don't let her crawl around "when the seatbelt light is on", when someone is walking down the aisle, if the person next to you is sleeping, etc. For sanity's sake, traveling with a carseat is SO much easier. You can get up and walk without waking her, have a snack, have someplace for her to rest, and get the baggage allowance of another ticketed passenger. Even if it wasn't safer to fly with a carseat, it's easier.

www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/crs/

Did you know the safest place for your little one during turbulence or an emergency is in a government-approved child restraint system (CRS) or device, not on your lap?

Very first paragraph on that page.

But check that LOT allows for carseats at all, and rear facing carseats. Some international carriers do not, nor must they abide by the FAA.

Lap belts only are fine for carseats, unless they don't lock (VERY rare on North America, I don't know about that era vehicle in Europe). If it's got a tail to pull tight the carseat is golden. You and your husband are at serious risk of spinal injuries, but your baby would be fine.

I hope you can get a seat for her and use it on board. Definitely bring it home and hope for the best. And buy a ticket when you fly to the in-laws as well. A short flight still has a take off and a landing, the most dangerous parts of a flight.

Oh, you can potentially fold the Radian and put it overhead. It'll fit. But it'll take up space, and if you guys get on and there's no room you have to gate check it, which could mean it'll be lost or damaged enroute. But that's another possibility. Maybe you could beg closet space.

Wendy
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
Welcome to car-seat.org!

What about buying a bag for the Radian? I think it fits the carryon dimensions, and that way you would be almost guaranteed to have no problems bringing it on and stowing it, because they uh, wouldn't know what it was. ;)

I'm surprised to learn that you don't have to purchase a seat for her; in the US I think it's a regulation that you have to purchase a seat for infants under two on international flights (not on domestic flights.)

Whatever you decide, I hope your trip goes well!
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
I'm surprised to learn that you don't have to purchase a seat for her; in the US I think it's a regulation that you have to purchase a seat for infants under two on international flights (not on domestic flights.)

Not as of several years ago. A ticket, yes, but it didn't mean a seat. Piper had a lap baby ticket at 15 months to Europe. We had it changed to an actual seat before we went.

Wendy
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
Ooooh, that would make sense. I do know at least a few airlines require seats, though, at least that's what a friend was told when she travelled to Italy.
 

Eclipsepearl

New member
What airlines require seats for under 2's?? I've never heard of any. Virtually all airlines around the world allow lap babies under 2 years.

Lot may not even allow U.S. car seats on board. I've run into that issue before. :rolleyes:
 

Olga

New member
Unfortunately buying a seat is not financially feasible for us. Good question about the carseat being allowed, both rear-facing and in general. I've read in a thread on here that someone has used a carseat with LOT but I will try to get confirmation of this. Of course there is nothing useful on their website about this (other than being allowed to check it for free if there is no room on the plane...).

So the Evenflo Titan that comes in a box is a better option than the Scenera that only comes in a bag? Are both reasonably easy to install?
 

monica-m

CPST Instructor
The Titan is easier to install than the Scenera in most cases. You might need a noodle rear facing but it depends on the vehicle. You almost always need a noodle or 3 for the Scenera.
 

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