Checking in a baby car seat and iso fix base

[Sunrise888]

We are going on a short haul flight within the UK and are driving to the airport and checking in our baby car seat as PILs are picking us up.

We bought a padded car seat bag that has plenty of room. Question is, how best do we pack the car seat and base?

1. Do we fix them together and put them together in the bag?
2. Do we bubble wrap the base separately and put it in the bag with the car seat (possibly also wrapped)?

I prefer 2). I think 1) might test the locking mechanism and risk damaging it if it's flung about. DH thinks it's designed to lock together tight so it'll be safe.

Also if the car seat or base arrives damaged, will the airline be liable?

DOnt know how best to pack but who are you flying with? BA ripped a tiny chunk from my pushchair handle and I got a whole new pushchair from them (I ignored their calls to ask me what colour I wanted as I had forgotten about the damage)!

Flybe. It's my first time travelling with them.

Afraid they are not so good at replacing stuff. Can PIL borrow a seat from someone reliable they know? Far easier ime...... and I’ve travelled by air a lot within uk.

Or leave the base behind and use the seatbelt to strap seat in? Then you don’t have the heavy bit to bash around on the seat bit.

I don't think PIL know anyone, and it would be good to have the car seat to use for the week so we can drive to the beach etc.

Maybe we could consider strapping the seats in - is it less safe than the base? Both DH and PIL are fast (but careful and confident) drivers and we use some fast roads to get to their home. I was nervous when I was first driven by them, now I'm used to it, but first trip with lo I am feeling nervous again.

Safety of just using the seatbelt depends on your seat. Mine is a cybex Aton 2 and we specifically got it as base fit/seat belt fit got virtually identical which reviews. You’d have to look up your seat to check but I’d imagine it’d be absolutely fine. Reread the instructions of the seat too to check you’ve strapped it in right and got any handle up/down etc instructions right.

What do you mean by "fast"? Do they break the speed limit?

If you have any safety concerns at all then I'd take the isofix base to ensure maximum protection for your DC.