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Thread: Best way to fly with booster seats?

  1. #1
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    Best way to fly with booster seats?

    In January we'll be flying to Hawaii with an infant safey seat, and 2 booster seats for our 3 children.

    Baby J will be using the infant seat on the plane, and we have a rolling safety seat carrier to haul that seat through the airport.

    But what about the 2 boosters? I understand they can't use those on the plane. Those of you who have traveld with boosters, what is the best thing to do with them? Bring them as a carry on? Gate check? Curb check? And if you check, do you put them in any kind of bag? Or just check them as is?

    Our First WDW trip is coming up... March 2016!
    Staying 10 nights at Wyndham Bonnet Creek, and 4 nights at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort!
    Me, DH, DS11, DS8, & DS5

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  3. #2
    Read Everything-Assume Nothing GusMan's Avatar
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    No, you cannot use a booster seat on the plane. In fact, you need to make sure your infant seat is FAA approved as well.
    They can be gate checked for free as-is. However, some have said that they use car seat bags as well.

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  4. #3

    If they're high-back boosters that separate the back and bottom, I've seen recommendations to pack the pack into your suitcase that gets checked, and carry on the bottom- that gives the back some good cushioning and protection from baggage handlers, and keeps the bottom portion safely with you (in case your baggage is lost!). If you've just got backless boosters, then I'd carry them on (assuring all the airline workers along the way that you're not going to use them *while in flight*, you just need to be sure they arrive with you at your destination without damage)- they should fit in the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you.


  5. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by GusMan View Post
    In fact, you need to make sure your infant seat is FAA approved as well.
    I can't think of a rear-facing car seat on the market that is not FAA approved; I can only think of two somewhat-current forward-facing harnessed seats (the Britax Regent and the Safety-1st Go) which are not FAA approved for use on aircraft.

    I avoid checking car seats because I value the integrity of the plastic and protective foam of the seats meant to protect my kid from a vehicle collision, and don't feel that the way airline baggage is handled respects that.

  6. #5

    Well I would think that your arms would get tired of flapping while holding the seats all the way to Hawaii, the boosters might even slow you down.

    I know, I know. sorry LOL

    WDW 2008 off-site, WDW 2010 Polynesian (Club), WDW Polynesian Dec 15-21 2011 (Club), WDW WL Nov 20-Nov 27 2014

  7. #6
    At home in the hills candles71's Avatar
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    When we flew with our booster, we checked it at the curb with the stroller. I sharpied our name, address, and phone number on it. One direction Soutwest just stuck the flight sticker to the plastic bottom, one direction (Ontario I believe) put the stroller and the booster seat into a large plastic (clear) bag and checked it as one item.
    You could put them into a duffle bag, if checking them is not an issue. Most carriers don't charge to check car seats.


  8. #7

    I think it is a good point whether it is a high-back or a bottom only booster seat. When we flew to Florida in May we just took the booster part, even though my son still uses a high-back at home. We packed it in our luggage for one leg of the journey and based on how it was packed, I didn't think it was too likely to be damaged by manhandling, though I agree that it is a concern. On the return, I discovered that there was extra room in my "universal" stroller bag so we gate-checked it in the same bag as the stroller.

    If you have two high-backed booster seats, especially if they have the backs that detach, I would recommend buying a stroller bag for them. Either an extra large one that will also hold whatever stroller(s) you plan on taking, or one that is just big enough for the seats. If they are bottom only, you have more options.

    I don't recall how old/big your kids are now. They still look little in your profile picture but I know pictures aren't always updated, especially when you have as cute a picture as you do right now. If they still fit into convertible car seats, many of those are approved for flight. Although you would then have to deal with lugging them through the airport and onto the plane, at least they would be strapped in securely for the whole trip.


  9. #8
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    This is how we did it:

    We needed the booster in the shuttle going to the airport and when we got to Orlando, we were renting a car. We carried them on because 1- we didn't want to pay more than we had to for checked luggage and 2- we didn't want to NOT have them when we got to Orlando. We had the kind of booster with a high back that separated. We took the booster apart and put it in a duffle bag.

    I would bring them in a duffle or a booster bag to carry-on or gate check. If they run out of room for carry-ons, they'll gate check them for free.

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  10. #9

    Oh! Also? If you have booster seats, and they happen to be Graco Turboboosters (and odds are high that they are), please make sure you've got the screws in the sides. This blog describes where they should be, and why, and how to order them (free, including shipping) if you don't:

    http://carseatnanny.blogspot.com/201...ur-screws.html


  11. #10
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    Oops.

    Our First WDW trip is coming up... March 2016!
    Staying 10 nights at Wyndham Bonnet Creek, and 4 nights at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort!
    Me, DH, DS11, DS8, & DS5

  12. #11
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    Thank you for all the replies!

    (Except you Tater. )

    Our boys wil be 4 1/2 and 7 when we fly, and both very big for their ages. Currence, at home DS4 does still use a large 5 point harness convertible, and I did think of just bringing that so that he could use it on the plane. But, that would mean lugging the huge thing through the airport, in addition to Baby J's Britax Roundabout (and all the things we will need to travel to a wedding in Hawaii with 5 people!); and I think another car seat over a booster may mean that we would have to rent a minivan instead of a "large sedan" when we arrived in Kauai, which would cost us a couple hundred dollars more.

    I think we'll go with the backless boosters that we already have at home as extras.

    It sounds like carrying on or gate checking is the way to go.

    If I bring them in a duffle/s, will there be any problem with gate checking them for free? I guess if I just open the bag/s to prove they're boosters, it shouldn't be a problem?

    And thank you Seashell, we do have the screws in.

    Our First WDW trip is coming up... March 2016!
    Staying 10 nights at Wyndham Bonnet Creek, and 4 nights at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort!
    Me, DH, DS11, DS8, & DS5

  13. #12
    MousePlanet Staff
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    Quote Originally Posted by wwomant View Post
    Currence, at home DS4 does still use a large 5 point harness convertible, and I did think of just bringing that so that he could use it on the plane.
    Heads up: They probably wouldn't allow you to use it on the plane if you did. They don't usually allow large convertible boosters, even if they're "FAA approved."
    Parenting in the Parks[/url]
    Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% what you do with what happens to you.[/b]
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  14. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by adriennek View Post
    Heads up: They probably wouldn't allow you to use it on the plane if you did. They don't usually allow large convertible boosters, even if they're "FAA approved."
    I am alarmed! Airlines need to follow FAA rules, and FAA rules allow child restraints that are approved for aircraft use.

    Over on the car-seat boards, I've heard of people having trouble with flight attendants over rear-facing their children, especially larger/older children (the flight attendants are wrong, but hard to argue with), but only rarely have I read reports of problems using appropriate forward facing, FAA approved harnessed car seats.

  15. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by adriennek View Post
    Heads up: They probably wouldn't allow you to use it on the plane if you did. They don't usually allow large convertible boosters, even if they're "FAA approved."
    Very good to know! Thanks.
    Our First WDW trip is coming up... March 2016!
    Staying 10 nights at Wyndham Bonnet Creek, and 4 nights at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort!
    Me, DH, DS11, DS8, & DS5

  16. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by wwomant View Post
    Thank you for all the replies!

    (Except you Tater. )
    I'm sorry, I just couldn't help myself. LOL
    WDW 2008 off-site, WDW 2010 Polynesian (Club), WDW Polynesian Dec 15-21 2011 (Club), WDW WL Nov 20-Nov 27 2014

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