Traveling with a car seat on RYANAIR

[rabsdd]

I'll be travelling soon and need a car seat for my son to take with me. I'm struggling to find a car seat that is airline approved also fitting in their 42.5cm seat and that is forward facing.

Please really in need for some advice on which one you have taken if ever and how it was for you ?

Thank you in advance

Do you need it on board or could you put it in the hold? I've never used one in the aircraft or seen anyone using one either

I've never seen one used in the aircraft. Most people just hold their babies, particularly on shorthaul. And for long haul there's bulkhead bassinets.

I've always taken mine well-wrapped in a car seat bag and put it in the hold.

Just put it in the hold and hold your baby otherwise you're paying for another seat. I used a sling with dc in airport which worked well.

Put it in the hold and fly with someone else.

You don't need it in the cabin. Just put your regular one in the hold.

How old is your son? I used to take the infant carrier (maxi cosi cabrio fix) on the plane when I didn’t want to hold DD for the entire long haul flight, she was too long for the bassinet but couldn’t really sit or nap comfortably in the plane seat. For short haul I’d put the car seat in the hold and either hold the baby as a lap infant or book them a seat depending on their age.

How old is your child, what stage car seat are they in?

There are loads of airline approved infant carriers but Ryanair specify forward facing, and there are only two forward facing seats - Britax Eclipse and Diono Radian 5. Diono Radian 5 is really hard to get hold of now because it's discontinued, but it can be used rear facing in a car. Otherwise you could try to import an American seat because a lot of their seats are airline approved and both rear facing and forward facing.

If your child is too young to forward face, you could try contacting their customer service and asking about TUV-approved infant carriers (Joie Juva is an inexpensive option which has the approval, if yours doesn't - check your manual).

If you want to use a seat on board, get everything in writing and all the official certifications (you often have to buy the sticker separately for example) because the staff may try to argue about it when you get there.

Or you can take it in the hold, ideally in a travel bag packed with some kind of padding or in the original box is another option (fold box flat in car and bring packing tape).

Another option might be to rent, borrow or buy one when you get there and then donate or leave it behind when you leave.