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Original poster

Putting car child seat in hold

21 replies

Libra · 22/03/2006 13:39

We are flying down to Heathrow during the Easter holidays and need to take our child car seat with us for DS2, who is 3. I have never tried to take a child car seat as baggage before. Does anyone know whether it is counted as part of your baggage allowance? I rang the airline (BMI), but the woman I spoke to didn't seem to know the answer - actually she didn't seem to know what a car seat was. She did say that I could have it put in the hold if it was in a big plastic bag. Any ideas where I can get one from?
Many thanks.

OP posts:

dejags · 22/03/2006 13:41

Why don't you just attach it to the aircraft seat? We are shortly leaving on a round the world trip and all the airlines have said we can use DS2's carseat on board. The obvious pre-requisites are - to have paid for a seat for them and that the seat actually fits.

You'd need to check with your airline what the seat configuration is like.

LIZS · 22/03/2006 13:43

Usually not but the budget airlines might take it into account as they tedn ot be mroe restrictive. However your ds will have a lugggage allowance himself so it should fall well within that.

littlerach · 22/03/2006 13:43

With Flybe you can take it as extra.

check the website.

LIZS · 22/03/2006 13:44

She proabbaly emanta bin liner ! Do you have a local baby store or Halfords who may be dumping such packaging or a large carton from a supermarket will take it.

iota · 22/03/2006 13:46

when we flew with Virgin, they gave us a huge plastic bag for the pushchair as we checked it in as oversized luggage. It was much stronger than a bin-liner.

Original poster

Libra · 22/03/2006 13:47

Gosh so many replies so quickly! Thanks.
I was wondering about a bin liner, but was worried that it would be too flimsy. Not many large shops around here I am afraid so don't think I can go down that route.
The car seat would have to go in the hold - I wouldn't like to man handle it on to the aeroplane and then hold up the queue for half an hour trying to fit it to the seat!!

OP posts:

Blu · 22/03/2006 13:48

Is it to use in a hire car when you get there? Becuase you can hire one with the car...

LIZS · 22/03/2006 13:48

Check if the airport you are flying from offers shrink wrapping or buy a large roll of bubble wrap.

Original poster

Libra · 22/03/2006 13:49

No, not a hire car. We're house swapping and car swapping as well. The family we are swapping with threw their car seat out years ago because their children are older, so we will have to take ours with us.

OP posts:

iota · 22/03/2006 13:54

we took a booster seat for ds2 who was 3 at the time - bought a cheap one for about a tenner from Argos, which was very lightweight - just a polystyrene block.
We put it in a suitcase on the way out and on the way back ( case full of shopping) they just stuck a luggage label on the base and bunged through with the suitcases.

iota · 22/03/2006 13:56

\link{http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3753378.htm\here} it is I think

Original poster

Libra · 22/03/2006 13:59

Iota
Did you find that your three year-old was less secure sitting in such a booster seat? We used one of these last year when we exchanged in France and DS2 was a complete pain with it. May be he's grown up enough now, I'm not sure.
It's a good idea though and would really solve my problems.

OP posts:

iota · 22/03/2006 14:04

well I guess they are less secure - his proper seat at the time had a 5 pt harness - but I thought it was better than nothing and he was good at not trying to undo it or mess about with the seat belt strap.

Original poster

Libra · 22/03/2006 14:05

Oh a good three year-old! How did you manage that!!
Have emailed DH with the suggestion so many thanks. (Actually I have just realised that my email suggested that we should the seat for 'DS2' so will get a puzzled email any minute)

OP posts:

iota · 22/03/2006 14:06

I'm a very fierce mummy when it comes to car seats and seat belts

NannyL · 23/03/2006 09:36

i wouldnt put a 3 yer old on a booster (which now officially arnt recommended until 6 years old)

Could you live with your self if there was a crash and your child was injured cause you couldnt be bothered to put them in a proper car seat? or have the "hassel" of taking it on a plane?

i couldnt!!!

Not that its an issue here but i would not use one from a car hire country here and most definitely not abraod either!

dejags · 23/03/2006 09:53

I disagree NannyL. If I have understood the regulations correctly - a child has to use an appropriate restraint to the age of six or 5ft tall.

My son is nearly five years old. He would be totally unsafe in a forward facing carseat because his head is way over the top of the seat.

He is actually much safer in a high-back booster seat and has been since he was about three years old.

Gloworm · 23/03/2006 09:57

i flew to florida with virgin and the car seat(big-ish britax freeway, not booster) went in the hold, free of charge. looking at the luggage on arrivals it looked like all the carseats and prams were all together in the hold. some were in big bin bags, most were in nothing.

we have flew ireland-england with ryan-air loads and again the carseat just went in the hold, free again.

I would double check with your airline again. I found the ryan air website had a lot of info on terms and conditions, more info than over the phone.
or if you phone again you might get a more helpful person next time.

what weight and height is your son? DS moved into booster with back at age 3, he was well over the weight and height as he was as big as 4yr.

Michaelangelo · 23/03/2006 10:08

We have flown with Easyjet and Lufthansa and both let us put car seat in hold, no need to put in a bag. In theory they count it as your baggage allowance but in practice they didn't weigh it with our other baggage. Other friends have found the same

NannyL · 23/03/2006 10:44

dejags i think you have misunderstood me!

A normal forward facing child seat only fits up to smallish 4 year olds anyway and i agree that alot of children are too big at 3!

I was referring to booster cushions which iota got a cheep one from argos for about a tenner

wouldnt put a 3 year old on that!

I didnt mean a 5 point harness car seat necessarily... but a proper age / weight car seat which full high backed booster seats are.

The new law is actually up to 10 years old or 5 ft tall.

The recommendations for safety are 11 years or 36kg or 5 ft tall.
An older child (over 6 years / 22kg) should be on a booster cushion until he or she reaches that height (5ft) or weight (36kg) (basically like a small size adult for an adult seat belt)

Booster cushions (like the £10 ones in argos) are NOT recommended until a child is 6 years old. Before that they need a full "seat" which offers more protection.... be that one with a 5 point harness (that fits most 3 year olds) or a high backed booster seat which offers side and head protection as well, for the slightly larger child including some large 3 year olds!

Then there is the debate of how many of those seats are not very safe anyway... but that has been debated to death in loads of other threads anyway

iota · 24/03/2006 17:29

Upon reflection, I think my memory has failed me - we put our then 5 yr old on the booster cushion, not the 3 yr old - 3 yr old was in a proper car seat which the car hire co provided.

Sorry for the confusion

Have to say though, that 3 yr old has been on the booster cushion a few times in emergency situations, such as when dh drove off with the car seats in his car and when the car seat didn't fit in the courtesy car when my car was in for a service.

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