4yo and plane travel- carseat still safest way to go?

[Kyras mom]

We have always bought our dd a seat, and always used carseat when flying. Now we are planning a trip soon. She is 4.5 yo, 40", 34 lbs.

Is the carseat still the safest way to go? We will need it at the other end, so we will bring it no matter what. I'm trying to decide if we should check it as luggage, or just use it on board.

Thanks!

[Joolsplus2]

Problem is, if you check it as luggage, you have a one in ten chance of them losing it :(. At least if you bring it on board, you know it's safe. :)

[egoldber]

you have a one in ten chance of them losing it

Is this a real stat? I'm curious where it comes from.

[Joolsplus2]

Apparantly I got it from lying or stupid media outlets doing bad reporting :32: (I saw it on a news blurb last monthish)... the numbers are actually not that high http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/reports/2008/June/200806atcr.pdf (page 26). Baggage complaints are only 6 per 1000. (Gotta be higher in my airport... about half our bags have been lost here, it's incredibly irritating...you would believe 1 in 10 got lost if you flew here, lol )

[egoldber]

I was curious because we fly a LOT. DH is a million mile flyer with United so flies a ton for work. We have had bags misplaced only a couple times well over a decade of frequent travel.

One trick we learned once was to check yourself that the luggage tag attached to your bag has the right airport code. Once we were checking in next to a couple flying to a different airport and their tags got onto our bags. He caught it and we were able to prevent a mix-up. :) Since then we make sure to look at the tag ourselves before they send the bag on. We've caught one or two errors since then (about 12 years ago).

I can well believe its probably higher at some airports and with some airlines, but not as high as 1 in 10. ;)

[melissaflorida]

My dd is 4 yo and we just gate check the seat since she sits just fine on the plane buckled in now. When we de-plane her seat is always waiting for us.

HTH,

Melissa

[801kelle]

My DD just turned 5 weighs 40 lbs and is 42 inches tall and I still take my carseat on the plane.. As long as she can sit in a 5pt harness I will continue to take the seat. She is comfortable, can sleep and I can contain her. I have always told her she has to be in her carseat on airplanes just like everytime we ride in a car she has to be in her carseat.

Also another thing to think of about checking the carseat as luggage. All these airlines are coming up with new rules about how many bags you can check for free and then charging for excess. So I would check if you are considering checking as luggage.

Your other option is if you don't want to take on the plane take it to the gate and gate check it!!!!

[LaurelC]

One thing to consider- if your DD is 40' tall, when she sits in her carseat, her feet will be directly within kicking range of the seat in front of her. They will be touching the seat, and she won't be able to help from kicking it, and I guarantee you will be stressed out the entire flight.

Have you considered the CARES harness? www.kidsflysafe.com

[JBaxter]

Not if you have a radian :) Those are great to travel with you can actually USE the tray table

[stillplayswithbarbies]

The depends on the seat you have. The Radian leaves plenty of room for her legs and feet.

I'd be more stressed over the danger of not being in a car seat than I would be over my kid kicking the seat in front of her.

[brianaw]

I never even thought about the seat being too big. I'm going next month in a plane with the two kids (newborn and 2.5 year old)... I didn't think twice about taking his Bitax Blvd... will it even fit on the airlplane seat? Hmm, I know its kinda big.

[bubbaray]

CARES harness for the plane and RideSafer vest for car.

[stillplayswithbarbies]

yes the Britax Blvd will fit in a plane. It's the same footprint as the Marathon and I've had the Marathon on planes of all sizes. You may want to avoid the bulkhead row since the armrests don't lift up there and it may not fit side to side between the rigid armrests.