Boostapack carseat thingy - for a four year old?

[DuelingFanjo]

We are going on holiday to spain and won't be hiring a car but a family member will be picking us up from the airport and taking us to our hotel.

Are those trunki-boostapak things suitable for a 4 year old?

Also do I need to use a seat/booster on the plane. last time we took him he didn't get a seat of his own and sat on my lap.

Plane - no, he will just sit in his own seat. A booster seat would not work with an airline seatbelt.

Car-seat - technically a trunki is ok, but a full seat is always going to be better. Can you take yours in the hold?

Mine have used them on holiday from that age. Obviously a high-back booster would be better, but to have one of those your options are either

(a) take your own with you in the hold and hope it's looked after properly by baggage handlers, or

(b) hire one at destination (can often be done in Spain even if you aren't hiring a car) and hope it's a newish one that's been looked after properly.

I worked on the basis that at least with a Boostapak I knew where it had been and that it hadn't been in any previous crashes or dropped from a height onto tarmac.

Not only do you not need to use a seat/booster on t he plane, you aren't allowed to (for takeoff and landing, anyway).

I think we could get family to provide a carseat but was just wondering about the suitability of a boostapak - I guess he is too young. He's also not tall nor hefty so probably a bad idea.

I used a Boostapak with DS from that age when he went on hols or stayed with grandparents etc with no problems and also used it for my DN occasionally aged three. I think they're great.

the trunki seats are supposed to be ok from 3, although check height/weight.

you'll need to buy him his own seat on the plane as he is over 2.

many thanks, I did think that a carseat was ok for taking on the plane but it seemed a bit of a bother if we are not going to be in a car much. We've already got his seat. When we fly, if he feels like sitting on my lap, will they allow it?

I would think it would be fine for him to sit on your lap once the seatbelt signs are off. x

Whoops! Didn't mean to send the 'x'!! Just sent a text to my DP and got carried away!!

Yes should be absolutely fine.

On the plane he needs to be in his own seat when the seatbelt signs are on but when off he can do what he wants.

It's 15kg minimum, I don't know any 4 year olds who weigh that little.

He'll be 4 in December, we fly in April.

He weighs 13kg, maybe he will have put on the extra 2 kg by then.

I would rather use a full car seat. They don't seem to offer much support. My 3 and 4 year olds are both only just/ just over 15kg also

I've bought trunk carseats for my 4yo DTs, they're absolutely fine. I've rented locally before and this time I was going to be charged EUR15 per day per seat, and the seats are usually awful (dirty and battered) that I decided buying was still cheaper!

We've used them for the last few flights/car hire abroad for the same reasons as playftseforme gives.

They're great as well as the kids can choose what they keep in them to amuse themselves on the flight too.

Hmm that is quite small. According to WHO growth charts he'd be just below the 9th centile now which translates to just under 15kg at 4 years 3 months.

You'd be looking at a Group 1 still then, which is a pain, they're the most cumbersome to travel with.

Although the boostapak or a cheap booster would be better than nothing for a one off trip.

I think I will ask relatives who are picking us up to borrow a group one seat, they borrowed one last time we went (but unfortunately fitted it incorrectly which indidn't notice until we were on the road and it was a bit tricky teling them so I changed it when I thought they weren't looking and got rumbled lol - I so didn't want to cause offence).