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Holiday transfers if you ERF

27 replies

EnchantedToMeetYou2 · 26/08/2025 06:50

I’m hoping there may be others here with better car seat knowledge than me who can give advice on this situation.

DC currently 4y9m, 21.4kg and 112cm. Tracking between 75-91st centile on charts since birth. Exclusively rear faces in a Minikid 4 Max.

We will be going on holiday when DC is 5.5yo. Transfer is 50 mins direct, or up to 1.5hours by Jet2 coach. I’m struggling to work out what is safer when looking at transfer:

  • Coach - likely lap belt only and I don’t believe any car seats are tested on coaches so we have no idea how they perform. But statistically coaches are much safer than cars - plus local driver drives the route regularly
  • Hire car/private transfer - Take our Minikid 4 - DH is the only driver and feels unsure about driving somewhere he hasn’t driven before with DC in the car. Also we travelled to Paris earlier this year (train transfers) and when landing back in the UK we saw 2 families whose pram and car seat had been left in Paris. We have a 2 hour drive home from the airport in the middle of the night and would have no way of getting another seat if this happened.
  • Hire car/private transfer - Buy a HBB for the trip and then keep it for when DC outgrows the Minikid 4. Would eliminate the risk of not having a seat when we get home. But DH is still unsure about driving and I’d likely feel more nervous with DC in a HBB with someone who doesn’t know the roads driving.

What do other ERF families do when travelling? Any help is appreciated!

OP posts:
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Readyforslippers · 26/08/2025 06:59

I'd either book a transfer with car seat or buy a hbb to take with you in the transfer car. Your child will be even taller by then and 50mins isn't a very long journey at all. I don't like coaches as they stop and start with all the drop off and can be really stuffy if not well air conditioned.

NameChange30 · 26/08/2025 07:03

We're on holiday now and youngest is very nearly 5. She's in a rear-facing seat at home (Britax Max Way Plus). We went for coach transfer and brought our Trunki Boostapak with us.

I think it's a balance between safety and practicality. At 5, a high back booster would be fine. You can get folding ones (we have one) although they're still bulky.

NameChange30 · 26/08/2025 07:04

PS We're with Jet2 and the coach was air conditioned with 3 point seatbelts.

toastofthetown · 26/08/2025 07:23

At 5.5 I’d be happy with a HBB, especially at that height and weight. The other risk is the car seat you have gets damaged while travelling. I’d try to find one like the Cybex Solution G which folds (or the Axkid Up if you have lots of money to spend). But maybe I’m biased because if my baby keeps on his height centiles he’ll be 125cm about that age anyway. I’d rule out a hire car because a nervous driver is less safe.

Not sure where you’re going, but the other option is to see if there’s public transport where you’re going? We’re going on holiday and getting the train in.

EnchantedToMeetYou2 · 26/08/2025 07:35

Readyforslippers · 26/08/2025 06:59

I'd either book a transfer with car seat or buy a hbb to take with you in the transfer car. Your child will be even taller by then and 50mins isn't a very long journey at all. I don't like coaches as they stop and start with all the drop off and can be really stuffy if not well air conditioned.

@Readyforslippers Thanks. I’m not really bothered about the comfort on the coach. We can manage that for a short journey ☺️ just more concerned with the safety!

OP posts:
EnchantedToMeetYou2 · 26/08/2025 07:37

NameChange30 · 26/08/2025 07:03

We're on holiday now and youngest is very nearly 5. She's in a rear-facing seat at home (Britax Max Way Plus). We went for coach transfer and brought our Trunki Boostapak with us.

I think it's a balance between safety and practicality. At 5, a high back booster would be fine. You can get folding ones (we have one) although they're still bulky.

@NameChange30 Thank you! I spoke with Jet2 and was told we wouldn’t be allowed to use any type of booster and that it would likely be a lap belt 🙈 Where are you if you don’t mind me asking? We’ll be heading to Majorca.

OP posts:
Readyforslippers · 26/08/2025 07:37

EnchantedToMeetYou2 · 26/08/2025 07:35

@Readyforslippers Thanks. I’m not really bothered about the comfort on the coach. We can manage that for a short journey ☺️ just more concerned with the safety!

Fair enough, I always feel safer in a car, but it's your choice, I just said what I'd choose.

EnchantedToMeetYou2 · 26/08/2025 07:39

toastofthetown · 26/08/2025 07:23

At 5.5 I’d be happy with a HBB, especially at that height and weight. The other risk is the car seat you have gets damaged while travelling. I’d try to find one like the Cybex Solution G which folds (or the Axkid Up if you have lots of money to spend). But maybe I’m biased because if my baby keeps on his height centiles he’ll be 125cm about that age anyway. I’d rule out a hire car because a nervous driver is less safe.

Not sure where you’re going, but the other option is to see if there’s public transport where you’re going? We’re going on holiday and getting the train in.

@toastofthetown We’re off to Majorca. The public transport to our resort would be a bus so I don’t feel like it’d be much different from a coach?

Ill take a look at the folding HBB options, thank you 😊

Also - is your name a TS reference? ☺️

OP posts:
toastofthetown · 26/08/2025 08:19

EnchantedToMeetYou2 · 26/08/2025 07:39

@toastofthetown We’re off to Majorca. The public transport to our resort would be a bus so I don’t feel like it’d be much different from a coach?

Ill take a look at the folding HBB options, thank you 😊

Also - is your name a TS reference? ☺️

Edited

Yes it is! Inspired by an outfit I saw at the Rep tour when someone was dressed as toast! I love seeing other TS usernames in the wild 🫶

ShesTheAlbatross · 26/08/2025 08:27

toastofthetown · 26/08/2025 08:19

Yes it is! Inspired by an outfit I saw at the Rep tour when someone was dressed as toast! I love seeing other TS usernames in the wild 🫶

👋

OP, we did ERF, but I think at that age and height/weight (in 9 months time) I’d have been happy with a HBB. And I wouldn’t want my ERF seat lost or damaged.

PrimeVinegar · 26/08/2025 08:36

Travelling by coach would be the safest option imo, even without a car seat, compared to a nervous driver abroad. That said at 5.5 and not low centile i would personally be relaxed about a HBB too.

i understand your nerves about the coach, its just unpredictable you might end up with a 3 point seat belt or not. May DC is older, but tiny, and personally i do the same as a pp for transfers - take a Trunki Boostapak as hand luggage and then use that if it’s a 3 point seat belt. If it’s 2 point then I just hate it and grit my teeth for an hour 😅 but there is no perfect answer when abroad like that really. Jet2 won’t be able to tell you what type of seatbelt it is, they won’t know that level of detail - more and more coaches are switching to proper belts ime but there is no guarantee. Also no one will care if you use a booster or not. Coaches are generally very safe though.

EnchantedToMeetYou2 · 26/08/2025 08:44

@toastofthetown @ShesTheAlbatross 🫶🏻 My people ☺️
Dressing as toast is a classic 🤣 There were some crackers at the Eras tour too!

@ShesTheAlbatross Yeah I do agree about our Minikid being lost/damaged. That would definitely not be ideal!

OP posts:
EnchantedToMeetYou2 · 26/08/2025 08:47

PrimeVinegar · 26/08/2025 08:36

Travelling by coach would be the safest option imo, even without a car seat, compared to a nervous driver abroad. That said at 5.5 and not low centile i would personally be relaxed about a HBB too.

i understand your nerves about the coach, its just unpredictable you might end up with a 3 point seat belt or not. May DC is older, but tiny, and personally i do the same as a pp for transfers - take a Trunki Boostapak as hand luggage and then use that if it’s a 3 point seat belt. If it’s 2 point then I just hate it and grit my teeth for an hour 😅 but there is no perfect answer when abroad like that really. Jet2 won’t be able to tell you what type of seatbelt it is, they won’t know that level of detail - more and more coaches are switching to proper belts ime but there is no guarantee. Also no one will care if you use a booster or not. Coaches are generally very safe though.

@PrimeVinegar Thank you ☺️ I am leaning towards the coach I think. And I will look into the Boostapak etc and see if there’s something we can take to help with belt positioning if it’s a 3 point seatbelt.

I feel like being a parent is just constantly second guessing yourself 🫠 And trying to be as safe as possible while trying to give them life experiences!

OP posts:
PrimeVinegar · 26/08/2025 08:57

EnchantedToMeetYou2 · 26/08/2025 08:47

@PrimeVinegar Thank you ☺️ I am leaning towards the coach I think. And I will look into the Boostapak etc and see if there’s something we can take to help with belt positioning if it’s a 3 point seatbelt.

I feel like being a parent is just constantly second guessing yourself 🫠 And trying to be as safe as possible while trying to give them life experiences!

Absolutely. I’m a lot less smug about taking our own seat on the plane rather than borrowing/renting ‘those awful seats they have in the car hire place’ these days than I used to be after I was at an airport once and watched a car seat being loaded onto a plane tumble down from the loading bay to the floor, be casually tossed back up by the person loading, only to fall again 😱

TheLette · 26/08/2025 09:04

My daughter is about the same age as yours and is normally in an Axkid Minikid. We just bought a Cybex Solution G2 for holiday. She fits nicely in it (but to be fair she is quite sensible and wouldn't mess about in the car, and is around average weight/height). The fit was good. I wouldn't have risked it when she was younger though; the last holiday we took a rear-facing seat. She will use this seat as her normal seat when the Axkid is too small. However we were driving around quite a bit. Personally if you are only doing one return transfer, I'd probably just go with the coach without a car seat.

EnchantedToMeetYou2 · 26/08/2025 09:06

PrimeVinegar · 26/08/2025 08:57

Absolutely. I’m a lot less smug about taking our own seat on the plane rather than borrowing/renting ‘those awful seats they have in the car hire place’ these days than I used to be after I was at an airport once and watched a car seat being loaded onto a plane tumble down from the loading bay to the floor, be casually tossed back up by the person loading, only to fall again 😱

@PrimeVinegar Oh absolutely 😳😳 We were in Paris in March (and used the train instead of relying on car seats thankfully!) and the way I watched car seats being thrown onto the luggage belts or thrown onto the belt to be loaded into the luggage hold was awful!
We landed in Paris to see one family who’s HBB had actually snapped 😔 and then back in the UK there were two families who’s car seats had been left behind!
I don’t want to be travelling with anything that leaves my sight! 🫠

OP posts:
EnchantedToMeetYou2 · 26/08/2025 09:21

TheLette · 26/08/2025 09:04

My daughter is about the same age as yours and is normally in an Axkid Minikid. We just bought a Cybex Solution G2 for holiday. She fits nicely in it (but to be fair she is quite sensible and wouldn't mess about in the car, and is around average weight/height). The fit was good. I wouldn't have risked it when she was younger though; the last holiday we took a rear-facing seat. She will use this seat as her normal seat when the Axkid is too small. However we were driving around quite a bit. Personally if you are only doing one return transfer, I'd probably just go with the coach without a car seat.

@TheLette Super sensible DC here too. I know I can trust that there will be no messing around with belts etc.
Definitely won’t be travelling around while there. Will just be too and from the airport. We’ve specifically picked a hotel where everything is walkable and we’re just having a relaxed beach/pool trip 😊

OP posts:
NameChange30 · 26/08/2025 09:48

EnchantedToMeetYou2 · 26/08/2025 07:37

@NameChange30 Thank you! I spoke with Jet2 and was told we wouldn’t be allowed to use any type of booster and that it would likely be a lap belt 🙈 Where are you if you don’t mind me asking? We’ll be heading to Majorca.

Crete. The coach driver didn't pay much attention, we just used the booster and no one checked! I guess it might be the luck of the draw as to which coach you get and whether the driver or rep check. I am struggling to see what the issue would be unless the coach was full and a seat was too bulky for a passenger to sit next to it - but in that case you could just not use it.

Anyway, if you want to be sure I think your best bet is to book a private transfer and request a car seat or take your own.

NameChange30 · 26/08/2025 09:52

PS our coach was 2/3 empty so we had a row of seats each! It was a bit ridiculous tbh Grin

NameChange30 · 26/08/2025 09:54

FWIW, I really recommend the trunki boostapak. I bought it second-hand thinking we wouldn't use it much, but we've actually used it loads. For things like lift-sharing for older children (DC1 is 8) as well as taking it as hand luggage on a plane then using it for short journeys the other end.

BarnacleBeasley · 26/08/2025 09:59

We ERF and honestly, I wouldn't care that much on a holiday - we do it because statistically it is safer, but if you weigh up the tiny tiny risk per individual journey, I don't feel the need to go to massive inconvenience just to avoid two 50-minute coach journeys. I'd also be fine with forward facing for some short journeys in a hire car on one holiday - these are not the cars that my children spend most of their driving time in.

Mumof1andacat · 26/08/2025 10:00

I'm just home from majorca and thr children of various ages just sat on the seats with lap belts on.

EnchantedToMeetYou2 · 26/08/2025 12:28

Thanks all 😊

@Mumof1andacat How was Majorca? 😊 Where did you stay?

OP posts:
NameChange30 · 26/08/2025 12:49

Return transfer is a minibus rather than a coach and has 3 point seatbelts.

BertieBotts · 26/08/2025 13:11

Coaches often do have a 3 point belt these days. I'd be happy to use a high back booster or even a backless booster on a coach personally. Because coaches are that much bigger and heavier than most other vehicles, they tend to absorb less of the impact in a crash so there is less need to be rear facing. Rollovers can be a concern and a closely fitting seatbelt is helpful in a rollover situation, but this is also incredibly rare.

Maxi Cosi have a folding HBB called the Tanza. I agree a loose one can be prone to breakage - we had this happen once with a Britax HBB (so nothing flimsy!) but if it's folded up and in a travel bag, it should be more robust to any impact or may fit into cabin luggage size guidelines.

The Trunki also has a plastic shoulder belt guide which can help with comfort. I would not add anything which pulls the shoulder belt down by pulling the lap part of the belt up - these are really bad for accident performance. You want the lap belt to be snug on the hips or top of thighs as far as possible.

Retractable lap belts are arguably completely pointless for anything at all - if using a lap belt it should ideally be static and adjustable (like a plane belt or the old style lap belts you used to get in the middle seat in cars). I've never seen this in a coach, though. TBH if a retractable lap belt is the only restraint, I would still use it.

When backless boosters were first invented in the 70s and 80s, they did originally say they could be used with lap belts only. Some research/crash tests in the early 90s found that this was not advisable because with the lack of upper body restraint, a child positioned higher in the seat tends to move further forwards, which is why backless boosters since that point have advised never to use with a lap belt, only a 3 point belt. There was another study done in 2009 which looked at real world accidents and found the opposite effect IRL - that boosters with a lap belt very slightly improve outcomes over a lap belt alone, and they put this down to the fact that the small reduction in head excursion due to sitting on the seat itself isn't enough to prevent impact on other items in the car. However, it wasn't significant enough to change advice mainly due to the small numbers in the sample (only 2% of the children over a 10 year period of accident data had this restraint combination). So it's basically unknown whether a backless booster with lap belt is better or worse than just a lap belt on its own.

If you end up with a child on your lap at any point, remember a seatbelt must only be used for one person, so the heaviest person should wear it and carry the child on their lap if there is no separate seatbelt for the child.

Sorry if this sounds doom and gloom, I tried to stick to facts but that can come across a bit focusing on the worst case scenario. Overall, I totally agree with the fact it's a tiny proportion of the time they spend travelling in any vehicle and it doesn't help to be overly risk averse. Sometimes you just have to do what you can to reduce a risk, but let go of perfection and basically say you know what, it's very unlikely anything will happen - let's focus on the holiday.