has anyone taken a back pack carrier instead of buggy?

[PrincessScrumpy]

dh and I are taking our 18mo dtds on a flight to Canada to see db. db can organise a buggy at his end but as we're visiting the Rockies, glaciers etc we want to mostly use out Littlelife carriers (leaving us hands free for dd1 - 4yo - and bags). The airline allows a pushchair per child but I'm wondering if anyone has been allowed to substitute for a carrier - I can only find people taking about the baby carriers like the Bjorns when I google and they'll be too big for those).

To me it makes sense and won't cause the airline extra hassle but the person dh spoke to seemed confused and said "no substitutions such as travel cots etc..." well it's not a travel cot it transports a baby like a buggy and takes the same space (if not less).

Trying to get head round the trip and really quite scared. Trying to make it as easy as possible with twins. Advice greatfully received.

My little life carrier looks like a rucksack zipped up, couldn't you use it as your take on baggage? (I have never flown longhaul so don't know the rules sorry).

I have never been on holiday with the buggy, I always take a carrier instead and ds is two now.

What I will say though, is that the little life carrier was awful, I was wishing I'd brought my mei tai, ohSnap or even the lifft sling within about half an hour! It hurt me everywhere and ds wasn't comfortable in it.

Obviously if you use it all the time already feel free to ignore me .

Yes, we took DD1 to Australia with only a backpack and no buggy and have since done the same with 2 DDs and backpack/ergo combination to South Africa a few times. We carried the DDs onto the plane in their carriers (watch out for head room!) the cabin crew took the backpack and stowed it at the back for us. They returned it to us upon landing, normally once most people are off the plane, which meant there was no rush or push to get off the plan.

We fly with Virgin or Emirates normally but have also flown with BA - it was just labelled with a hand luggage tag.

We have the bigger littlelife carriers - voyager - so much taller than a back pack.

We went to Canada with back carrier (bushbaby). Our airline let us check it in and lent us a buggy (in Glasgow). You don't need a buggy at the Canadian end - airport trollers in both Calgary and Vancouver have seats like a supermarket trolly! Genius! And it's much easier to get a kid about on the Athabasca glacier and up the Jasper tramway with a carrier

Also only took the carrier when we took the children backpacking in central America (did I mention I'm totally off my head??). One of the highlights of the trip was sitting in a town square while a bunch of indigenous ladies tied their carriers on me while they took turns with the bushbaby!

And ... Sorry to presume ... But if you are spending any time at all in Vancouver the book "Vancouver with Kids' from Frommers is amazingly good. We didn't get one bum recommendation in 3 visits there (BIL and SIL used to live there. Sadly they came home!)

We took our Macpac carrier to South Africa, India & Nepal with DD. We always checked it in as if it were a rucksack, & used the Ergo in the airport with no hassle whatsoever. But we only travelled with one backpack, one baby backpack & one hand luggage so no weight issues.

Check with the airline. I just flown Air NZ long haul and the baby has a carry on luggage allowance of one piece of hand luggage, a pushchair and a car seat. Your carrier might just fit the size of the one piece of hand luggage as I can't see it being bigger than a little trolley case!

Yes otherwise, you'll have to check it in like others say.

I have never had to check my lighter life carrier or Bushbaby in in the 4 years we have used it when flying (about 20 longhaul flights) I wear DD at check in and they are happy for me to carry it onto the plane, we all still had our normal carry on and a carseat for whichever DD was still in her group0+ seat. So do check when you get to the airport.

Little lifenot lighter life stupid phone!!