Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Car seat in taxi while on holiday?!

29 replies

Herts501 · 07/09/2023 21:40

We are looking to go to Mallorca in a few weeks with our three year old and are planning on getting a taxi from the airport (and for days out) but what do we do about a car seat?!

OP posts:
KickingEAP · 07/09/2023 21:47

Following with interest.

We're going to Tenerife with our four-year-old and don't know what to do. I haven't left the country since 2010!

For us it'll just be taxi transfers to and from the airport in both countries.

parietal · 07/09/2023 21:51

If the child is big enough, buy an inflatable car seat to take with you. The type that is just a booster seat.

BendingSpoons · 07/09/2023 21:54

When I went to Menorca with a 6mo and 3yo I was able to book a taxi transfer with car seats. (I booked a taxi but they sent a minibus on the way and a coach on the way back!)

This holiday they were 4 and 7 and we used the taxi without car seats. Same with the coach transfer. You can take car seats with you too but that is a lot of hassle and potentially expense.

Frodedendron · 07/09/2023 21:55

We have a Trunki boosterpack, it's a booster seat that doubles as a backpack. It's not as safe as a proper car seat but it's not feasible to lug one of those around so that's the compromise.

denpark · 07/09/2023 21:58

I took an airline approved car seat so that we could take it on the plane (no worries then about it being damaged in transit) then I could pop it into any car

denpark · 07/09/2023 21:59

I would never put a young child in a taxi without a car seat so that was the best way.

HerMammy · 07/09/2023 21:59

Same as a taxi at home, you don't need a car seat, it's likely to be short journeys.

PerspiringElizabeth · 07/09/2023 22:02

We’ve travelled with young kids a fair bit and everywhere we have hired a car and car seats, the car seats have been terrifying! (that includes the US!!). Greece awful too, not unusual for locals to have kids on their lap in the car so they just don’t get it/care. We have also taken car seats with us which is easy enough and good for peace of mind, just make sure your hire car is big enough! (Hire a car, if you’re planning day trips then surely that’s more convenient!)

welshweasel · 07/09/2023 22:05

Take one with you. Depending on weight the joie stages could be a good idea.

elm26 · 07/09/2023 22:30

HerMammy · 07/09/2023 21:59

Same as a taxi at home, you don't need a car seat, it's likely to be short journeys.

Please ignore this OP.

Why would it be a short journey? We are in Surrey and still takes us an hour to get to Gatwick. You can get hotels 20 minutes or 4 hours away from the airport and even on short journeys, car accidents happen.

ShadowPuppets · 07/09/2023 22:32

When we went to Menorca I booked a private transfer via Expedia and they were able to provide car seats. It was very straightforward.

HerMammy · 08/09/2023 07:58

@elm26
Please ignore, that's very rude, it's a fact you do not need a car seat in a taxi.

Original poster
Herts501 · 08/09/2023 14:14

Thank you for all the replies and they have confirmed what I was thinking. It's just not realistic for us to take his car seat from home with us and so I think our best option would be to look for some kind of alternative like the trunki. Luckily he is very tall for his age and already weighs 16kg so does meet the requirements for the trunki so that seems to be the best option. Not ideal but it seems like there aren't really that many options.

OP posts:
elm26 · 08/09/2023 15:46

@HerMammy it might be a fact as in the law, but you're still in a vehicle that can collide with another! Why would you ever want to take a risk like that???

Sprogonthetyne · 08/09/2023 19:22

Boostapak are great, especially if your travellinghand luggage only. Most airlines will also take it for free as baby/child equipment, but you can fit a suprise amount in.

denpark · 09/09/2023 00:03

HerMammy · 07/09/2023 21:59

Same as a taxi at home, you don't need a car seat, it's likely to be short journeys.

So accidents don't happen on short journeys? Seriously?! If a child should be in a car seat it's irrelevant what vehicle they are in. Your job as a parent is to ensure they are correctly protected.

denpark · 09/09/2023 00:03

HerMammy · 08/09/2023 07:58

@elm26
Please ignore, that's very rude, it's a fact you do not need a car seat in a taxi.

Just because it's a fact doesn't mean it's a safe option

wishIwasonholiday10 · 09/09/2023 13:59

HerMammy · 08/09/2023 07:58

@elm26
Please ignore, that's very rude, it's a fact you do not need a car seat in a taxi.

It may be legal in many countries but doesn’t make it safe. You are just betting on the low probability of having an accident.

Ultimately each parent has to make their own decision about risk versus inconvenience. Would you just bung your kid on your lap for a short trip to the park or supermarket at home? Best option would be to book a transfer with seats provided if you can get away with not using taxis while there or book a car hire and take your own seats.

PerspiringElizabeth · 09/09/2023 19:38

Also unless you’re staying right by an airport (fun holiday!!) then your transfer likely to not be a short journey.

I saw a kid (in England) on a woman’s lap in the front seat of a car earlier this week, could not believe my eyes!!! Probably ‘just’ popping down to school but unsurprisingly the driver was not driving carefully at all. And as such no I didn’t report anything as they were gone as soon as I saw them.

needanotherhol · 09/09/2023 20:15

Not sure where you are heading to on holiday Op bit have you looked at pre-booked transfer companies like suntransfers/ holidays extra etc. we always pre book and select the option to add a car seat.

Original poster
Herts501 · 13/09/2023 22:06

Hi all,

Thanks again for all your replies. Another option we've looked at is hiring a car. On the websites for hire cars they offer a child car seat option (different ones depending on the age/weight of the child) but are they safe? Has anyone used a car seat from a hire car company?

OP posts:
wishIwasonholiday10 · 14/09/2023 11:35

You could ask them what sort of car seat they provide? I asked a car rental company and they didn’t know what type it was but sent a photo of an old looking seat which I couldn’t identify so didn’t fill me with much confidence and we brought our own instead.

Car hire companies are notorious for providing old and possibly dirty car seats that might be missing inserts etc and are probably a relatively cheap model in the first place that might not score well on safety. They also may not know how to fit them properly and you can’t be sure if it’s not been in an accident. Some are probably fine but it’s a bit risky, especially with a smaller child.

TheBirdintheCave · 14/09/2023 11:41

We just book a taxi with a car seat 🤔 We've never had to take our own before.

TheBirdintheCave · 14/09/2023 11:42

@Herts501 I get them to show me a photo of it before hand so I can Google the make and weight/height range etc myself.

welshweasel · 14/09/2023 13:01

We made the mistake of hiring a car seat once. Never again, they were filthy and totally unsuitable, they also weren't allowed to show us how to fit the seat.

Honestly just take one with you. A 3 year old would not be safe on a boostapak, but they are a good option for kids 5 and over.

Swipe left for the next trending thread