travel systems and planes?

[katzguk]

hi i'm going to italy in september and will have an 8 week old baby, we will need to travel from the airport to the hotel adn this is about a 45 min drive in a taxi, i am thinking that taking a travel system would be useful but will the plane let the car seat on? can it go in the hold or can it be cabin baggage the baby will not have a seat of its own?

I would speak to the airline... the airline reserved a spareseat for it but do do have to hold the baby while you take off and land and the carseat must be by the window seat! hope it makes sense!!

How about putting the carseat in with your other luggage? (We do this last minute, taking along a couple of binbags to put it in.) You could then carry the baby in a sling and take the pushchair up to the plane with you. They will then collapse it and put it away, ensuring (if you're lucky) that it is out ready for you when you arrive.
If the pushchair is one that goes flat you could put the baby in it as well.
Does this make sense?
I travel a lot, occasionally see a carseat, but don't think they are obliged to take it into the plane (unless you have paid for an extra seat.)

Believe me, this whole buggy/carseat malarkey can be a complete nightmare when you are travelling!

You were lucky hayley!

It was only a small airline air berlin but they were fantastic!

Most couldn't care less. Lost count of the amount of times I've been promised the pushchair at the door of the plane when disembarking only for it not to be there. Then it's a 1/2 mile trek to the bloody luggage carousel. NOT funny..

carry the baby on board inthe car seat - if there is a spare seat they may let you use it during the flight, if not for take off an landing - airlines can vary. Otherwise it can be stowed as hand luggage, under a seat or on a spare one in a different row. We kept other bags to a minimum ie. just one for dh and I and ds had his own allowance anyway but kept dd in car seat. Worked out fine for a short flight and we did it on 3 return fights before dd outgrew it. If they make a fuss they can always slot it in the hold for the flight with the pushchair.

Hi Katz,
I just wanted to warn you about taking a plush travel system on a plane. I took a M&P Pliko to Chicago when DD was 12 weeks old. United bent the frame of the push chair. No mater how much I tried, I never could get it back to the right shape. It was a bit wonky to push, and I never used it again. I would suggest taking a cheap pram for baby and carry your car seat. If they let you take it onto the plane, then great. At worst, they will ask you to check it below as you board, and you can get it back in time for the taxi at the other end.

I will never again take an expensive pram on a plane.

I took my Jane Powertrack chassis and matrix car seat as the carset/carrycot (this made a pram didn't have the pushchair bit on). The airline lost the matrix (lucky it was on the way home) but we had to travel across London on the tube with the chassis, 2x65lt rucksacks, a laptop, nappy bag and rucksack full of toys plus a 4 month old very unhappy baby at being carried when it was hot.

Be aware if you take a travel system and they lose half of it you are then stuck.

You could wheel the car seat through to the gate on the pushchair where it would be put direct into the hold, so you would only have to worry about the pushchair potentially being damaged in off loading. You may get reunited as you get off the other end (get a sticker put on to request delivery at aircraft), depending on airline, airport and handler.

I've had my Mclaran lost (briefly) on a BA flight. They directed us to a locker full of unclaimed rubbish umbrella pushchairs, and told us to borrow whichever one we wanted, until they found ours.

And I've checked a stage 0 carseat, a few times, with no problems.

thanks for all your advice, i'm going to buy a cheap one off of ebay just fro this trip so i'm not too concerned about it getting damaged, i guess i trust a second hand car seat just slightly more than i hire car carseat after seeing soo mnay reports about them being soo awful plus there is a fair probability of us using taxis.

Index does a system for £99 if thats any easier than e.bay. Make sure the seat is easy to get in and out and you both have plenty practice fitting before you go. Wouldn't fancy a taxi driver growling at me while Dh and I argue about which bit goes where .