Will car seat survive plane journey in hold?

[cornflakes5]

We are taking a short domestic flight within the UK shortly, and need to take a toddler car seat with us.

Will it have to go into hold? Will it survive?? Do we need to package it up? Or is this whole thing a terrible idea?

Btw it has to be a flight for lots of reasons, we can't just drive.

[cornflakes5]

Anyone please?

[FlaviaAlbia]

We've taken ours on flights. You do the straps up tight so it can be lifted by them and it was fine at the other end. We didn't package it up because it was easier to lift that way and we dropped it off at oversized baggage after check-in.

[whitesoxx]

I'd worry about it getting damaged. They smashed up several of our cases!

Either carry it on or buy one at the other end? Probably cheaper than paying for a hold bag?

Have you seen the trunkii car seats? Double up as a carry on bag

[teaandbiscuitsforme]

Best advice - pack it in the original packaging if at all possible. Box and polystyrene!

[MrsTerryPratchett]

The problem is that a car seat that looks perfect after a crash should still be thrown away, because it can be damaged and look fine. If it gets thrown, dropped, treated poorly, that would worry me.

[FinallyGotAnIPhone]

I’ve taken car seats on planes. I think IIRC I bought a used one on eBay (maxi cosi priorifix) So I wasn’t worried if it got damaged. As it was it was fine.

[cornflakes5]

Thank you. I hadn't considered they'd charge for it! I thought families were allowed an item in hold for free, and we don't intend to bring the buggy. Maybe not. We will be flying with Flybe.

[BertieBotts]

They can't use a trunkii if it's a toddler seat, trunkis are booster seats.

I am really wary about car seats on planes. We took a high backed booster once and it came back absolutely battered. The cover on the headrest was off on both sides and the polystyrene was cracked on one of them. It was so late and such a long day when we got in that I didn't bother to complain - it was only a £30 Britax one so we just replaced it. I've also seen videos of them being chucked around. It might be worth getting one of those car seat bags and padding the seat out with something like a duvet or loads of bubble wrap (I've seen nappies suggested).

What age/weight is the child? Perhaps it would be worth getting a cheap seat to use while there?

Or you could hire one - various companies deliver to airports. For example if flying to Scotland: www.babyequipmenthireuk.com/car-seats/4538456068

Or London: www.tinytotsrentals.co.uk/carseats-carriers

Britax First Class Plus is available with both of those companies and will do an under-2 rear facing or an older toddler forward facing.

[BertieBotts]

Flybe allow a free car seat. You can't usually carry it on unless it's flight approved and the child has their own seat on the plane. If you did want one which is flight approved you're looking at the Britax Eclipse, Britax King, Diono Radian 5 or one of the Kiddy seats with impact shield. (Eclipse is by far the cheapest).

[cornflakes5]

I'm now a bit worried - a PP makes a good point that it could look fine but be broken. Not worth it. I'll probably just arrange one to be available the other side. Thank you everyone.

[teaandbiscuitsforme]

It's got to be properly packaged otherwise it's likely to be damaged and you wouldn't be able to see cracks until it's in a crash.