Help! Anyone checked in an infant car seat before?

[SarahP13]

We're off on holiday on Wednesday and have decided to take our infant car seat with us. We will have a hire car for almost two weeks and hiring a car seat too is ridiculously expensive. It would be cheaper to buy one but we arrive late at night and don't really have time to buy one the following morning either.

I just wondered if anyone has checked one in before and, if so, what did you do? I'm planning on removing the cover and putting it into our suitcase at the last minute but not sure what to do with the actual seat. Did you put it in a box? Or wrap it somehow? Or did you just leave it as it is?

Thanks ladies!

 

[Kitten-B]

We checked ours in for a flight from NI to England once. That and the pram (which we brought to the gate) were free. I didn't do anything to it except pop the shoulder pads etc in my hand luggage and tighten the straps right back so they weren't loose. Was totally fine but maybe got a bit grubbier. On subsequent flights have used a massive plastic bag (for the buggy this time). It can get wet coming on and off the plane if it's raining so I think that's definitely worth doing.

 

[SarahP13]

Good tip about tightening the straps and good to know that it was free!


Might see if I can find a huge carrier bag.

Thank you!

 

[Neko]

I'm in the US, but we just flew to Disney last week. We gate checked the stroller and car seat. The only problem is they just throw the stuff into the plane, so the canopy on the seat came off. If you leave your equipment uncovered, be prepared that they don't handle it carefully.

 

[anna_t]

We checked in our Erf car seat back in July and at the airport you can wrap it up in bubble wrap, not sure how much it cost (not too much anyway) and they wrap it up for you. This was heathrow airport so not sure if other airports does it.

 

[SarahP13]

We checked in our Erf car seat back in July and at the airport you can wrap it up in bubble wrap, not sure how much it cost (not too much anyway) and they wrap it up for you. This was heathrow airport so not sure if other airports does it.

Great idea, thanks. We're flying from Heathrow!

 

[aliss]

Here in Canada and you'll want to call to find out, they wrap it for you and it's free (because it's classified a safety device, even if it's not used in the plane)

 

[lovealittle1]

We checked ours from Fargo to Heathrow with a stop over in Chicago and they didn't have any wrap or plastic bags for it so I woul call to be sure or just get your own first. Our carseat arrived a bit dirty and had a small tear in it.

 

[Macmad]

We just flew long haul to France and took our car seat. I did the seat belt up and folded the canopy away. We managed to get it safety wrapped on the way out and on return leg Air France provided a plastic bag. I had already wrapped in plastic bin bag and taped up. No problems either way!

 

[SarahP13]

Thanks ladies.

Think I will take a couple of bin bags and a roll of brown tape with me just in case. As I said I'll remove the seat cover so it won't get dirty or ripped but I guess a bin bag will protect the shell a bit more.

Just got to worry about the rest of the packing now!