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Original poster

Flying with a car seat

16 replies

barefootwalker · 11/03/2013 02:06

I am taking my daughter, who will be coming up 6 months, to Australia for 3 weeks and plan to take her car seat with us in the hold. Does anyone have any advice about protecting it? I'm worried that with no packaging on, it might get damaged but as I'm going to need to carry all the luggage plus baby, I don't really want to make it harder to transport by over packaging if its not needed. Any advice would be a huge help, thank you!

OP posts:
MrsPurple · 11/03/2013 10:50

Have you contacted the airline? We took our carseat to barbados when my daughter was 8 weeks old and the airline said that if they had spare seat on way we could take it onto plane and except for landing and take off my dd could use during flight for comfort. It made a very easy flight for us.

forevergreek · 11/03/2013 10:53

Are you taking it on the plane or in the hold?

We fly we the maxi cosi pebble on a seat. Otherwise I'm not sure it wouldn't get bashed in the hold and damaged ( without you seeing and therefore unsafe)

I would be tempted to hire one if it would go in hold

Original poster
barefootwalker · 11/03/2013 11:00

I'm flying out with BA and back with Quantas who have differing baggage allowances. Both allow a collapsible pushchair so I'm taking our M&P's Glide which will lie flat, I'm hoping that will help dd to be more comfortable at the airports and in transit. They will let me take it as far as the plane door then stow it for the flight. I have bassinet seats booked in both directions, so they provide somewhere for her to lie down during the flight. I was really impressed by how helpful they've been and feel much more confident about coping with her. BA said I need to check the car seat in but I haven't spoken to Quantas yet. Might be worth asking though, thanks.

OP posts:
MrsPurple · 11/03/2013 11:11

Most of all barefoot, have fun. Grin

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 11/03/2013 11:14

You can get big car seat bags to protect them - doesn't help if they're dropped but does make them much easier to handle.

I think ours came from kiddicare.

kelly14 · 11/03/2013 18:49

i would check your car seat is ok and legal to use in oz! they have very different requirments and dafety standards and all carseats have to have certain safety stamp! we had to ditch our car seat when we moved to oz as it didnt comply.

gregssausageroll · 12/03/2013 18:37

Your car seat is not legal in Australia. Leave it at home.

mimmymouse · 12/03/2013 18:39

Trust the above posts! I am an Aussie! They are NOT legal in Australia.

Original poster
barefootwalker · 12/03/2013 19:14

Thank you so much for all your replies. I've started looking into car seat hire which seems fairly straightforward so thank you. I would never have even considered that it might not reach the legal requirements for Australia.

OP posts:
gregssausageroll · 12/03/2013 19:33

You might be cheaper buying and then selling again on gumtree. This could work if you are staying with friends or family as they could buy for you in time for your arrival.

NoRoomForMeInMyBed · 13/03/2013 22:51

Just out of interesst what are the car seat regulations for australia? What are the main differences between Aussie carseats and UK ones? Sorry for hijacking thread but am interessted!:)

gregssausageroll · 14/03/2013 07:51

They have a teather strap from the headrest that attaches to a bolt in the boot of the car, they have their own kite mark equivalent. You could have the most up to date super duper model in the uk but if it isn't tested to Australian standards it is not legal.

There was an accident on the freeway about 5 minutes from where we lived in perth. A British family with a uk car seat were involved and their hire car insurance refused to pay out because of it. Thank goodness it wasn't a serious accident.

TSSDNCOP · 14/03/2013 08:01

Do not hire car seats. You will be met with a blank face at the rental desk, then an hour wait while they look in the Big Shed and then be given a mingling specimen growing its own mould baby.

Take your own, take the cover off and just store the seat and put the cover in your hand luggage.

Have flown with them in the hold all over. They are built to withstand a crash, even luggage handlers can't kill them. But anyway you book them in at outsize baggage after you check in so they're not with suitcases, more like golf clubs.

abbyfromoz · 14/03/2013 08:11

Just did the trip with an almost 2y/o. I also sis it when she was 8m/o. agree they sometimes allow you to take the carseat on the plane if not a full flight but you cant guarantee it. If you have original packaging for carseat and are putting it under the hold i would use that. Check in luggage for baby (as in cot/pushchair/carseat) is always free.

gregssausageroll · 14/03/2013 08:11

No point in this case TSS as they are illegal in Australia.

abbyfromoz · 14/03/2013 08:13

Btw Australia doesn't have the isofix regulated yet but any of the carseats with isofix (i.e maxicosi) can be fitted securely using the tether.

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