to worry about my children about to travel in a Spanish taxi without car-seats?

[parakeet]

I've never been abroad with them before so I don't know how it normally works. But we'll be arriving at the airport late at night and we'll have to get a taxi. My children are four and two - the taxi is never going to have car-seats is it? What can I do?

get a bus?

take car seats?

order a car collection from a dedicated company specifying car seats?

hire a car with car seats?

if none of the above are possible you don´t have much choice - how long is the journey?

I've travelled in a taxi with no car seat, driver was the height of consideration, although I did spend the whole journey with my arms around DD (also 2) next to me, belted in. I know you really want a car seat as did I, but sometimes if there's no choice you may well be ok! Mind you, we only drove about 10 mins.

You can hire car seats in some areas of Spain - here
www.all4kidshire.com/products.php?productcategory=5&productsubcategory=4

www.malagacar.com/uk/car/car-hire-malaga-airport-rates.html

www.doyouspain.com/conditions.htm

having just travelled to Germany with a booster in our luggage - we were highly amazed that EVERY taxi we got into had a built in booster seat in the back - Wonder if it's German efficiency but they were all Mercedes cars and they did something to the seat and a booster raised up out of the seat - have to say was very impressed. It was fine for our 4 year old, but I think I'd bring car seats with me if you aren't sure

I think that might be Germany shoofly - carseats aren't even mandatory in spain unless the children are in the front seat

The plane ride is a greater risk than a short taxi ride without child seats. This may or may not reassure you.

Belt them in with the two year old sat at the side of you.

I think you will find it's safer statistically to travel by plane than car.

Travelling by plane is the lowest risk form of transport.

you can actually buy blow up booster seats for travelling. not sure if that would be any good for a 2yo but belted in with a booster is better than nothing.

Oh, and YANBU. Having to travel with some random stranger driving and no car seats is just one of the many neuroses I suffer when going abroad with kids.

I don't think you have to have a car seat to travel in a taxi in this country do you?

By 'this country', I mean UK.

not in a black cab but i think you are meant to have one in a mini cab, though we've gone to the airport in a van without one.

If you book the taxi in advance you could maybe request car seats.

I hate taking taxis abroad particularly in Paris as some of the drivers are so fast.

Would it be worth hiring a car with car seats for your holiday?

I bought a Boostapak from Trunki for this very reason. Going to New York next week and am not lugging car seats for the sake of two taxi rides. So I thought this might plug the gap.

not german efficiency but law. all taxis have to carry at least a booster seat.
if you dial a taxi you can even get one with an infant seat, taxi companies usually have them in their office.
re spain: book a taxi in advance with car seat or maybe hire car seats from car rental companies.

No, you don't have to use a car seat in a taxi in the UK - but the law in Spain applies to private cars as well so I doubt the taxis would be equipped with boosters as standard.

My DS, when he was 8, was wedged between the driver and the front seat passenger on the airport run in Antigua

You're going to have to take boosters with you or relax and get on with it. I have done both, in countries with "interesting" traffic situations. It will be fine.

Thanks for all the replies. I think I will try to get Trunki travel booster seats or blow-up ones for future, but I've left it too late for this time, as they only seem to be available on the net. Guilt guilt...

We're just back from staying with friends in Spain - and they were certainly of the opinion that car seats in private cars are compulsory.

see here

can anone point me in the direction of the blow up boosters? thanks