Jet2 private transfers - no child seats

[googledidnthelp]

Last September we booked a holiday to Gran Canaria and paid for private transfers as in our party there is a 1 (nearly 2) and 4 year old and we arrive late at night so decided this was worth the convenience to get to our hotel quicker.

They have just sent our tickets through and all travel documents and in the small print it explains that children under 135cm must have a child seat for private transfers but they are not included.

I am really annoyed that the travel agent, who we booked in person with and knew we wanted the transfer for convenience because of the children never said a word.

The inconvenience of having to take two seats in additional to all luggage and a pram is such an overwhelming stress.

I'm wondering what experience people have of using the jet2 shared transfers with specially a small toddler and whether we should just cancel the private transfer and not worry about the seats as we don't need them on the main transfer bus.

We do not intend on hiring a car when we are there so do not need the seats any other time.

I can't anywhere online easily if the seats are as compulsory as the agent is making out or if we don't cancel the private transfer we will not be able to get on it anyway and then lose money and risk not enough seats on the main bus

Any advice and wisdom appreciated.

Take a Bubble Bum, they are a great inflatable travel seat that folds small and much safer than a booster cushion as it has a bit to secure the seatbelt at the shoulder.

Bubblebum definitely won't be suitable for a 1 year old and is barely suitable for a 4 year old. But, if the 4 year old is nearer to 5, then you could use a bubble bum for them and take your infant carrier in the hold for the 1 year old.

If that's not possible then I'd cancel and get the coach. A car without car seats is dangerous and also illegal in the EU (only legal in situations where it's a last resort/emergency and it's possible they'll say this doesn't fall under that as it was forward planned). A coach is much safer, statistically less likely to have an accident.

When the small print says not included are you sure it doesn't mean price wise? So if you get in touch you can arrange for seats to be provided at cost, rather than taking your own seats?

Is it illegal if it’s a taxi? Presumably not as it’s not very practical the same as with coaches

I've used a Bubblebum since mine was about 4 and it's great, however with the younger one it is not suitable so i would cancel the private transfer and just take to transfer bus with the younger one on your lap

It’s not an overwhelming stress it’s taking a couple of car seats with you. You can take them to the gate and it just isn’t a problem. I think you’re over stressing this.

Can you hire car seats at the airport?

We paid extra for our private transfer taxi to provide a car seat for our 18 month old. It was a bit grubby/old looking but it was fine for 40 minute drive and less hassle than taking a bulky car seat along with pushchair and everything else as like you we weren't hiring a car once there. Is that an option?

We have a private transfer with Jet2 because of a late night arrival and hotel is 2 hours away but for another holiday we are only 20 mins away so rather than wait for the coach we booked with sun transfers and they quote from airport to hotel and you can request car seats. We don't need car seats now but when we first used them we did and found it really convenient and not outrageous cost depending on distance.

The jet2 booking system was pretty clear about carseats when we booked (not for pricate transgers) so the agent should have mentioned it.

Anyway, you are where you are. I'd take a seat for the youngest, and get a travel seat for the oldest. We used Trunki seats. Others have already mentioned Bubblegum.

thanks everyone, we have decided to cancel the private transfer and use the bus.

It not your place to decide whether something is stressful for another person or not.

This happened to us. I cancelled the private transfer and got the balance back, then booked a private transfer with another company. No way I was travelling without car seats, or indeed taking a car seat with us.

We used suntransfers last year and they supplied the car seats :)

How is lugging a couple of car seats around an airport not an overwhelming stress?

Have you checked whether you can pay extra for them OP? That's what we're doing with suntransfers.

Also, depends on the car seat you have whether it's even suitable. My 3 yr old is still in an isofix 360 spin seat, I'm not buying a new seat for a week's holiday.

You could book your own private transfers. Just go on trip advisor forums for the location you're going to and search transfers that provide car seats. I no longer need car seats for my children but I've never been charged for them.

We have looked into sun transfer and similar bath due to the size of our party it's going be approx €200 which would be a lovely bit of spending money.

So we are going to stick with the free shuttle bus and remember in future to check these things before paying for the upgrade!

Just so relieved it was at least in the small print, would have been super pissed to arrive late at night and be turned away

You can generally rent them when you get there. But I see you are sorted now.

Even with a bus you should surely have a suitable car seat for small children? I never took mine on buses or in taxis unless we had a car seat when they were really little. (So buses were a no for a few years).

When I went abroad with my 2 year old I got an airline approved rearfacing car seat plus a travel bag and anchor straps. Worked really well.

Hahaha, blatant spamming there @nilukasandamali 🤣🤣🤣 on a zombie thread too. The shame

We had a similar experience and had an 18 month old at the time. We were in Tenerife and had paid for a private transfer. She had to sit on our laps during the transfers to the hotel. Wasn't hugely happy about it.