Car seats and taxis to the airport???

[IlanaK]

We are travelling to Australia in November and we live in central london. We need to get to heathrow and will probably take a taxi as we have two children (one a baby) and lots of luggage. The problem is that we are not taking either car seat (booster for 3 year old and rear facing for baby) as we are visiting inlaws who are renting a car for us with carseats fitted. So what do we do about getting to the airport? I have been in a black london taxi before with them for short trips and no car seat - but I am not happy to do this all the way to the airport as it is a long way.

Any ideas?

We're going to Heathrow on Tuesday, via minicab. We're using our car seat for the ride; the minicab company is holding on to it for us whilst we're away, and then will bring it to pick us up.

I would book a local cab firm and arrange with them that they look after your car seats for you while you are away and then use them to come and pick you up again afterwards.
Either that, or ask a friend to take you to the airport in your car.
Or go by tube.

Hi,

Sounds just like us, we too are travelling to Australia (Sydney) end of October, are staying with relatives who are arranging a car and seats in Oz. We have a baby and a toddler and like you lots of luggage. I have rang a taxi firm who will hold on to our seats for us. The problem that I did encounter was that as we are going for 1 month a lot of taxi firms were not keen on holding on to the seats for so long. Not to keen on leaving the seats with a taxi firm but we dont have much choice, we live in Hertfordshire and fly out on a Friday, when all the people we could ask are working. So trying ringing around a few taxi companies.

Could you get the taxi company to hold onto the seats until later in the day and then they could maybe drop them off at a friends house for you?

I don't know exactly where in Central London you are but Would it be possible to get a taxi for a short journey to a stop on the Picadilly line and then go straight to Heathrow on the tube? Might not be possible with 2 children and lots of luggage of course but just an idea.

We have used a car company in London that was able to show up with car seats to take us to the airport. I think they charge and extra £3 per seat. I can't remember their name but their phone number is: 020.7249.9999. They had a nice modern car and it was half the price of a black cab. We didn't use them for the return (friend picked us up), but they did say that they could guarantee a pickup with the car seats (not all companies will do this).

Have you thought about meet and greet parking? Drive to the airport in your own car - valet meets you at departures and drives your car off to a secure compound. Then on the way back - you ring them from the baggage hall and by the time to get through customs - your car is waiting for you at arrivals....avoids the car seat hassle completely. We've done twice now and whilst it costs slightly more than long term parking or a return taxi - the lack of hassle is so worth the extra cash - approx £80 for 8 days at Heathrow or Gatwick....

I don't live in London but we used an airport taxi firm that supplied car seats,just be sure they are the correct type of seat as my ds was a little small for the car seat they arrived with.It was one of those that use the actual car seatbelt around the child and he was only ten months old.Technically they are legal to use in that age of child but he didn' tlook comfy or safe to me.

Thanks everyone. I will look into the suggestions about taxi firms that will hold our seats or will provide them.

I can't take the tube as we will have too much stuff.

I did consider the valet servie at the airport as we have used this before. The problem is that after travelling back from Australia, I am not sure I would be awake enought to drive safetly.