carseats & luggage allowance

[alexandra uk]

Hi everyone

This may seem like a silly question to some, but I really dont know the answer

We plan to take our 14 month old's carseat on the plane with us. Would this be included in our luggage allowance ? I know his stroller will, but Im not sure about his seat.

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[Janice]

Just giving this a bump for you Alex to see if we can get you a reply - I haven't travelled with small children so have no experience but I am sure we can get some advice for you

 

[BevS97]

Hi Alex

Neither your carseat or your stroller count as luggage - we have checked both, and have also used the carseat on board - they don't weigh them or count them at all.

Your stroller can be taken right up to the gate of the plane, where they will ask you to fold it, then they will put it in the hold. At the other end, it is usually returned to you at the gate, although occassionally we have had it come off the carousel (but never in the USA -always at the gate there)

If you are paying for a seat for your son, then he will also get a baggage allowance.

One important question - you are flying with Airtours right? Have you confirmed which brand of car seat they allow on their flights?

I had a LOT of bother with this when we flew Airtours last year. The agent at Newcastle was adamant that they would only allow a Britax car seat on board, and there are only a couple of styles of Britax that will fit. We had quite a fight and in the end we had to check the carseat.
Strangely, the American agent on the return journey was more than happy for us to use the carseat, in fact she suggested it. (It was a Klippan).

I would ask for something from Airtours in writing, if possible, because I had checked with Airtours 3 times, and was told that it had to be forward facing and less than 15in wide, which my Klippan was - but they still wouldn't allow it on. I was told it wouldn't fit- which was odd since it worked a treat on the return journey.

I wouldn't worry about luggage allowance at all - with 3 tickets, you can check 6 bags, a stroller and a carseat, plus carry on 3 bags, plus briefcase, purse, baby bag - so you should be well within the luggage limits.

Bev

 

[matty624]

Have to agree, car seats and push chairs don't count towards baggage allowance. However, last year we flew with BA from Manchester, via Gatwick. When we got to Orlando, we found that not only did our seat and pushchair come off the carousel damaged, but our second car seat (we have two small children) and pushchair never even travelled. It took two hours and repeated trips to lost baggage to find this out. A complete nightmare. Happy to say however, that we've travelled three times and this has been our only child equipment related problem!
Only two weeks to go!!!
Ian.

 

[BevS97]

I have flown loads of times, and only ever had problems when I have a connecting flight - sometimes there just doesn't seem to be time for 'ackward' luggage to make the connection.

if you take the stroller to the gate and then retreive it in the airport for use to the 2nd flight you can avoid this problem (although no help for carseat). When I took my dd to NY via London, the only thing that made it was the stroller and baby bag, and that was because I had used it in Heathrow, no other bags made the connection. Fortunatly, my friend was bringing a carseat to meet me, or I'm not sure what we would have done - perhaps hired one from a carhire place?

Bev

 

[alexandra uk]

Thanks Bev for the carseat/Airtours tip

I'll get on to airtours and check our seat is okay to use.
I'm also going to have to check if it conforms with U.S standards.
I hope so. Its gonna be a bit of a pain if I can't use it. I don't really want to buy another one, but I want ane for the flight.

We're lucky that we have got a direct flight to Sanford, so we have'nt got to worry about getting a connecting flight.


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[BevS97]

I think our carseats are all ok in the USA - in fact, I think that we have a higher standard than they do
(except that we can use those high backed boosters from a younger age ) - but as long as your carseat has integral straps you should be ok.

Airtours - now they are a nightmare - like I said, try and get confirmation that your brand is ok, in writing.

bev

 

[alexandra uk]

Thanks Bev I'll contact Airtours later, once I've checked what brand of carseat I've actually got ( cos I'm not too sure )

If they say its okay then I'll ask for conformation to be sent to me.

I was worried about if it coforms with U.S standards because, I read a post saying that it was important to check, as even though sometimes ours are of a higher standard, if they do'nt conform with U.S standards then they won't let you use them.
The post also said " basically its just the car hire companys trying to make a quick buck ".

I've just tryed to find the post, but I've already cancelled it off my email. It was on The online Guides message boards.

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[BevS97]

We have never even had the car hire place look at our car seat - I tend to wait outside with the luggage, and Phil goes into get the car.

I do know that the high backed boosters that just use the cars seatbelt, rather than their own straps are not allowed for children under 4 - whereas in the UK you can use them from 9 months, but I don't like them for small babys anyway, so we didn't use one until this last trip (my dd is 4 1/2 now).

Bev

 

[alexandra uk]

Thats okay then.

Dp can wait for the luggage, and I'll go ahead and sort the car out. ( I'm dreading the driving )

Do they ask you if you have your own seat, or don't they bring it up at all ?


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