How bubble wrap and a roll of Sellotape has saved me £100s on family holidays

LilElvis

No need for all that faff. Buy a Trunki Boostapak (got ours for about £40 on Amazon) - it's a backpack that is also a car booster seat. Our daughter puts her tablet and toys in it and takes it on the plane as her hand luggage - no worry about it arriving damaged after going through the baggage system. When we're not on holiday it lives in my car boot - handy for those times when you unexpectedly end up with an extra child in your car. Paid for itself on the first trip away.

LilElvis

Takmon wrote: »

I've saved even more money by not having to buy bubble wrap or Sellotape.... do many people actually bother wrapping car seats up?

You've obviously never witnessed the crying, angry parents at baggage reclaim when their expensive buggies and car seats emerge on the carousel with bits broken off them, bent frames etc. Travel bags cost a few pounds and make it far less likely that they'll be damaged yet I seldom see them being used.

I would never have put an early stage car seat in the hold. If you are supposed to replace them if they are dropped or involved in an accident and advised not to buy them second hand as you don't know whether they have sustained impact damage then why on earth would you put them through all the inevitable bumping and bashing that is involved in the baggage handling system?

mattyprice4004

cubegame wrote: »

It's not very MSE to promote the fact that airlines are discriminating against those of us who don't have car seats by not charging for them

So you think it's not MSE to help out the thousands of members with families paying for seats abroad, just because you don't need to take one?

Are you high?
Also, you need to look up the definition of discrimination

LSW

Definitely use towels or other bulky clothes to wrap car seat (inside not at all swanky, v low cost, ideally second hand, and considerably more reusable car seat bag). Saves on weight, better for the planet and the car seat bag can be sold on or donated to charity for even more reusing rather than producing more plastic waste.

We really need to think about this rather than encouraging plastic use given the climate emergency. Cutting down on flights would be great too! :T

malkie76

LilElvis wrote: »

You've obviously never witnessed the crying, angry parents at baggage reclaim when their expensive buggies and car seats emerge on the carousel with bits broken off them, bent frames etc. Travel bags cost a few pounds and make it far less likely that they'll be damaged yet I seldom see them being used.

I would never have put an early stage car seat in the hold. If you are supposed to replace them if they are dropped or involved in an accident and advised not to buy them second hand as you don't know whether they have sustained impact damage then why on earth would you put them through all the inevitable bumping and bashing that is involved in the baggage handling system?

100% this. Your car seat is technically no longer fit for purpose after a journey inside an airplane.

Save a few quid, or properly protect your child. Your choice.

Westin

LSW wrote: »

Definitely use towels or other bulky clothes to wrap car seat (inside not at all swanky, v low cost, ideally second hand, and considerably more reusable car seat bag). Saves on weight, better for the planet and the car seat bag can be sold on or donated to charity for even more reusing rather than producing more plastic waste.

We really need to think about this rather than encouraging plastic use giventhe climate emergency. Cutting down on flights would be great too! :T

Perhaps do away with the car and car seat then as well and get the kids to walk everywhere.