Seat for airline travel

[khalloc]

We will be traveling with my ~10month old daughter in September. If her infant seat still fits her I will bring that. She is 14 lbs now and 25". I know the Graco Snugride says 26" tops, but isn't there another rule? Like the top of her head should be 1" below the top of the seat?

Anyways, if she is too big then I will need to get her a new seat. I have a MA, just purchased today, but there is no way I am lugging that with us. Its huge and she is tiny! We need another seat anyways for DH's car. We might go with the Cosco Scenara, based on recommendations here. Will that go on a plane? how big is it?? If not I might splurge on a RA.

Any tips? My kid is tiny! I would like something we can use in DH's car and for the plane. Something on the smaller side I think.

Thanks!

[Kat_Mom2D_J_andRuthie]

I'd get the Scenera... it's taller than the RA so will last longer for rearfacing... and much lighter weight, which is good for travel.

Kat

[kellyotn]

I'd also recommend a Scenera 5 point. Very inexpensive, very tall (slots and shell), very light, pretty narrow, easy to use in a variety of cars. Ideal for travel.

My oldest used one in my husband's truck until 3.5 years. She's pretty tall and a Roundabout would have been outgrown quite awhile ago.

Of course, an RA would be "nicer", but for a secondary/travel seat, I love the Scenera. :)

[AddiesMom]

My DD is the same age and we just bought a Marathon for my car, but DH gets tons of frequent flier miles so we bought the Scenera for travel. On the plane I was on last month (US Airways Shuttle) it fit, but only forward facing. Rear facing it fit but no angle at all. It did great for travel, I can't imaging lugging a larger seat throught the airport. The only issue I had was that rear facing in the rental car (Toyota Highlander) I could not get the proper angle. Next time I will bring something to tilt the bottom to get the angle if needed. Just practice with the Scenera first, the LATCH is much easier to use on the Marathon and on the Scenera you have to feed the belts through different areas depending on forward or rear facing.

[khalloc]

So its OK to let her FF on the plane, right?? Even though she will be less than a year? I am thinking yes, just because plane travel and car travel are so different. Its not like the pane is going to get rear-ended.

[Momof3Labs]

No, you should use the car seat on the airplane as you use it in the car - which is definitely RF for a child under the age of one (and, in the Scenera, hopefully for most kids under 35lbs that aren't too tall for RF).

[stillplayswithbarbies]

no, it has to be the same way you use it in the car.

On a plane, rear facing is even more important. Notice that the flight attendant's seats are all rear facing? It's safer.

By the way, I have always traveled with my Marathon. The ease of use trumps the weight for me, and it's always on my stroller anyway, so the weight is a non-issue.

[khalloc]

Ok, thanks for setting me straight!

[khalloc]

Hmmm...I haven't installed my new MA yet, but it doesnt seem that easy to use so far. I have stuck my DD in it twice in the living room and she cried both times. I have to remove those padded cushions because they are way too big for her and I read that its OK to remove the HUGS things when they are RF so I think I will remove those too for now. She is just so small and they are overwhelming on her.

I still can't imagine carrying the MA on the plane. I was hoping to get a smaller carseat that wouldn't take up so much space on the plane. I can only hope she will still fit into the Snugride at 10 months.

[Kat_Mom2D_J_andRuthie]

if she doesn't, the Cosco Scenera weighs less than the infant seat.