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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To feel discriminated against by jet2

65 replies

Smiler1972 · 28/06/2017 20:05

So I'm flying to Spain on Friday and want to take a car seat and buggy- you can, but only free if up to 10kgs anything over you pay excess baggage. No problem I don't mind paying.

My annoyance is i know these two items will be over 10kgs so I've asked if I can check one in - like you would if golf clubs or skis. They won't allow this....

So to take golf clubs is £25 each way. Excess baggage is £12 per kilo. So if I'm over 2kgs over (which I will be) I'm going to be paying much more than if I was taking my skis with me (I don't have skis btw).

I want to take a car seat so I know my to tear ikd is safe, rear facing and in a seat i trust.

So AIBU to be feeling a little hard done to? I've asked them if they advise I hide my buggy in a golf bag.

OP posts:
CeeceeBloomingdale · 28/06/2017 21:09

Airline staff here. You can only take them in the cabin if they are approved and you have purchased a seat fot the infant. Otherwise they go in the hold. There is no way I would ever put my own child in a car seat that had been bounced about in the hold of an aircraft, I'd rather use a cheaper second hand seat on holiday which is only a week or two long than compromise the seat I use daily at home.

TittyGolightly · 28/06/2017 21:10

Have you seen what happens to stuff they put in the hold?!

dementedpixie · 28/06/2017 21:11

They will allow forward facing harnessed seats on board that fit in the airplane seat and can be fastened with a lap belt. Otherwise they seem to allow 10kg for the items and then charge excess baggage. I've never seen that policy before as most airlines carry 2 items free of charge

lougle · 28/06/2017 21:17

Send the car seat by parcel to your apartment - €50 for 3 day delivery, then hire a car seat for the journey to the apartment?

LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett · 28/06/2017 21:17

I'm glad a member of airline staff has come on to say what I was going to say: by the time your seat has been bashed around in the hold, it will be wrecked. Or at least compromised, safety-wise.

Original poster
Smiler1972 · 28/06/2017 21:24

Now I'm feeling even worse my new car seat will be wrecked. Are they really treated that badly in the hold? This is a steel framed seat that won't be coming back to this country and will be packaged in a travel bag designed for this purpose.

Unable to hire a seat for the transfer as we have bought a car that will be waiting for us at the airport.

OP posts:
Ethylred · 28/06/2017 21:26

So you're resentful because people with skis have to pay less than people with carseats.

I think maybe this is the first-worldiest problem I've ever seen. Even on Mumsnet, which specializes in them.

SquinkiesRule · 28/06/2017 21:33

I'd ship it to myself at the apartment and rent a seat from the airport to the apartment.
Ship so it arrives after you. and pack it well.

Original poster
Smiler1972 · 28/06/2017 21:46

Ethelred- Maybe first world but why should a mum have to pay excess baggage charges that are higher than someone taking sports equipment?

This wasn't a 'woe is me how do I get my child from the airport to the apartment' it was pointing out a discrepancy in policy that I was (and still am) struggling to understand.

I'm sorry you feel my problem is 'first world' and in your opinion I feel resentful - perhaps I do and I think quite justly so. I'm a fair person and am WILLING TO PAY just hate one rule for one etc.

I can't hire a seat from the airport to the apartment as we are not hiring a car - my parents have bought one - I'm a single mum that has very fortunately had my flights paid by my parents but I'll be paying my own excess baggage charges which would be cheaper if I could check it in like a pair of skis. Otherwise I'd be like lots of other people and probably not be going on holiday as I wouldn't be able to afford it.

OP posts:
user1497480444 · 28/06/2017 21:50

can you buy a cheap buggy whilst you are there? A two year old isn't going to use it much, and the cheapest here are only about £15

Original poster
Smiler1972 · 28/06/2017 21:57

Hi user - yes that's an option. She still naps so buggy is still a lifesaver!

OP posts:
WowserBowser · 28/06/2017 22:02

Yes I was going to suggest that. Then you could keep it there with the car seat and not have all the pallaver next time.

PutUpWithRain · 28/06/2017 22:04

OP, have a google - there may be local companies that hire out baby/toddler equipment near your location, and can meet you at the airport to hand the stuff over - I used to do that when my DC were small and we always went to the same small Spanish town. Saved us a helluva lot of hassle in sorting out/packing milk, nappies, wipes etc, as well as not worrying about putting a car seat in the hold (we took a cheapy Mothercare buggy with us, because airports without one is a faff).

If not, do you know anyone out there who could lend you one?

AuditAngel · 28/06/2017 22:05

As the car seat will be in a bag, can you buy a second piece of hold baggage, not specifying that it is a car seat?

Original poster
Smiler1972 · 28/06/2017 22:07

Audit - that's a bloody good idea!

OP posts:
cestlavielife · 28/06/2017 22:08

Years ago but yes bought cat seats etc in big hipemarket in spain

Original poster
Smiler1972 · 28/06/2017 22:10

Putupwithrain - good idea. We are ok with supermarkets and Spanish brands so nappies etc are sorted but I didn't realise companies hired out other stuff (I knew car hire companies did but never fancied their seats- but now I have nightmares of cracked infant carriers Shock)

OP posts:
Original poster
Smiler1972 · 28/06/2017 22:12

Cestlavie- not a hipermarket near us as we aren't in a large town or tourist area but worth a trip out - i love a foreign supermarket.

OP posts:
Katz · 28/06/2017 22:15

Check the max dimensions for hold luggage but you car seat might fair better in its original packaging i.e. Cardboard box and book an extra piece of hold luggage.

Artesia · 28/06/2017 22:26

Not sure it's discrimination- I'd assume a steel framed car seat is significantly heavier and takes up more hold space than a pair of skis?

eurochick · 28/06/2017 22:33

I've flown with a car seat before and it was fine. There was not a mark on it. The next time we travelled, we tried hiring one. It was a crap seat. Neither of us was particularly happy about using it. This summer we are going to take ours again. It's a heavy two piece thing but we will wrap it well and hope for the best. If it gets damaged so be it.

lalalalyra · 28/06/2017 22:38

The only way I'd risk taking it would be in its original box and booked in as an extra piece of luggage.

I compromise on RF'ing and take one that DD can be strapped into on the plane as I don't trust them with car seats after seeing the state of the pram and luggage when we last went to Barcelona.

MuncheysMummy · 28/06/2017 22:40

Don't panic about your car seat...we've taken our DS car seat in it's an padded travel bag from the uk to Miami and back with Virgin and it was absolutely fine not a mark on the bag although I'm sure they aren't handled with kid gloves I really highly doubt they will break them as the airline would be paying out for replacements constantly!

BunloafAndCrumpets · 28/06/2017 22:43

We've just got back from holiday in Greece. We took a Joie every stage, wrapped in beach towels and then a lot a lot of bubble wrap. Then in a car seat bag.

I was hesitant as also didn't want seat wrecked in the hold. However, we were next to another family who had booked a hire seat. After a lot of negotiation they were offered a booster seat for their 1 year old. I was so relieved we had one - sometimes the local options are just not viable options. Our seat seems fine, had no visible damage, but hopefully we will never know if it is not fine. One has to just try to do ones best I think. There is no perfect answer to this conundrum! I looked at airline compliant erf seats. Britax two way elite is - but then it's not compatible with a lot of hire cars as it takes up a lot of space and needs long seat belt to fit apparently.

umizoomi · 28/06/2017 22:43

Jet2 have never checked anything baby related. We always took a group 1 car seat which are heavy and a buggy. They have always just labelled it. Leave child in buggy at check-in