Marathon airplane installation?

[keschy]

I will be taking my marathon on a plane soon and I want to make sure I know how to install it. I think I will need to do forward facing.Will I need a seatbelt extender? Any tips for installing? Isn't there a video of it somewhere? Thanks!

[wencit]

From the FAQ stickied above in this forum:

stillplayswithbarbies 11-13-2006

Installing a Britax carseat on an airplane (Marathon, Roundabout, etc)

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Rear facing is much easier, so if she is under the weight limit for rear facing, I would do it that way. The added bonus of rear facing is that toys etc. don't fall to the floor as easily. And you don't have to worry about her kicking the seat in front of her and annoying that person. And it is much safer.

Rear facing you just go through the same path as you do in a car, except don't lift the cover just run it overtop of the fabric. So much easier that way!

Forward facing, if you are right handed, it is easier to do if you are on the left side of the plane as you are walking back, so when you book your flight ask for seats on that side. Here is how I do it:

1. ask for a seatbelt extender as soon as you walk on the plane. Without it, it will be hard to install and even harder to undo later. Raise the armrest all the way up.

2. hook the seatbelt extender to the male end of the buckle which is on the window side.

3. turn the carseat almost sideways on the seat so you can see where to thread the seatbelt through and thread it. As you thread it through, rotate the carseat into place.

4. you want the buckle part of the extender to be behind the carseat, and you need to twist it so the part you lift to open it is facing the back. Otherwise, it will keep catching on something and opening up as you try to tighten the seat.

5. thread the male end of the seatbelt extender through the path and hook it to the female end of the seatbelt, which is next to the middle seat

6. find the end of the strap from the seatbelt extender and smooth it out. You are going to pull on that to tighten everything up

7. tighten the real seatbelt first. You want the buckle from that to end up beside the seat, not behind it, so you want to tighten it up a lot. (but not all the way, you are going to use that last inch to so to get it real tight later)

8. pull on the end of the strap from the seatbelt extender until you take up all the slack behind the seat. You need to be pulling straight out to the side, not at an angle up or down. Put your weight on the carseat while you pull and bounce a little to get it to go tight. If it starts pulling the other buckle into the path to go behind the seat, stop and tighten the other buckle enough so that doesn't happen.

9. finish up by bouncing in the carseat and pulling straight down on the strap of the real seatbelt. This is where the strength of your right hand is important and why you sit on the left side. I would never be able to do this with my left hand. I sometimes put my knee on the strap and use my weight to get it tight while pushing down on the carseat with my hand

10. stand up and wipe the sweat from your brow. It's a workout.

[keschy]

Thanks for the information. I knew I had seen it somewhere but couldn't remember where. This is very helpful! :)

[801kelle]

I have been traveling on airplanes with our Marathon for over 4 years. It is really easy to do .. forward and rear facing.. Just extend the airplane seatbelt all the way.. and install whichever way you want forward or rear.. Then tighten.. reclining the seat before install allows you to have a little more room to manipulate behind your carseat when threading seatbelt through and tightening.