Flying with a toddler, but DON'T want to take a car seat.

Murphy_The_Cat

Engadine wrote: »

If the airline say yes then the crew will have been trained in how to use it during their safety training

You and I would hope so -- but a quick search on flying forums will soon bring up multiple examples of conflicting advice/permissions that have been give by flight attendants.

lynnexxxo

I simply can't imagine my 18 month old being happily 'restrained' in this device while all the adults and other kids are free to get up and roam about.

Do many people buy an extra seat for their under two? Personally we are going on holiday early this year so he is still under two and hence don't have to pay for his seat - maybe I'm a cheapsake....

Murphy_The_Cat

lynnexxxo wrote: »

I simply can't imagine my 18 month old being happily 'restrained' in this device while all the adults and other kids are free to get up and roam about.

Do many people buy an extra seat for their under two? Personally we are going on holiday early this year so he is still under two and hence don't have to pay for his seat - maybe I'm a cheapsake....

I can now see where we are both coming from.
I'm the complete opposite to you and I wouldn't contemplate a flight without my infant/very young children being in a car seat, on their own paid for seat.
My son has flown transatlantic 3 (sometimes with 3 flights before our destination) times in his car seat before his 3rd birthday and each trip has been really relaxing. My daughter (who will be 14 months when we fly) will be having here first transatlantic flights in April to Nevada - and the idea of her flying on one of our laps never even came up. Its just something that we would never do.:beer:

But the car seats are bulky and are a bit of a pain to carry around - the CARES system is a great compromise fro parents who want their toddler to have his/her own seat, wants them to be safely/securelyrestarined, but doesn't want to carry around a car seat with them.

As for being a cheapskate, I don't think so - we all have our own ideas of what suits us.

jyonda

Murphy is right. Car seats for infants on planes are brilliant and we wouldn't fly without booking our 18month old her own seat either. Carrying our car seat is a huge pain in the bum so an alternative would be very welcome. However I'm not convinced CARES is a great alternative for 40 quid it's waaaaay overpriced and the benefit for our daughter in her own car seat is that it's familiar and comfortable. I think she would object to the strange straps and the whole thing would be a pointless waste of money. We will be flying long haul with First choice very soon and I'd like to take a car seat but First choice don'T let you for some reason. 25 quid and I'd buy a cares.

Murphy_The_Cat

jyonda wrote: »

Murphy is right. I never tire or reading that :rotfl: Car seats for infants on planes are brilliant and we wouldn't fly without booking our 18month old her own seat either. Carrying our car seat is a huge pain in the bum so an alternative would be very welcome. However I'm not convinced CARES is a great alternative for 40 quid it's waaaaay overpriced and the benefit for our daughter in her own car seat is that it's familiar and comfortable. I think she would object to the strange straps and the whole thing would be a pointless waste of money. We will be flying long haul with First choice very soon and I'd like to take a car seat but First choice don'T let you for some reason. 25 quid and I'd buy a cares.

I think that MTK travels long haul so well because he's very comfortable in his familliar car seat.
I found this link to someone who HIRES CARES
they list as posting into US/Canada, but an email to her and she may send over here (& still leave you plenty of change from £25) :j:beer:

Maybe an option ?

lynnexxxo

See your point Murphy,

Our far flung adventures have taken us to spain last year and exotic majorca this year - and as we have a 3.5 year old too, 3 seats between the four of us is fine!

I'd say the one bonus noone has mentioned is that you don't have to hire a car seat when you get there if you are hiring a car(and you also know your car seat has not been in an accident or anything)

Murphy_The_Cat

lynnexxxo wrote: »

I'd say the one bonus noone has mentioned is that you don't have to hire a car seat when you get there if you are hiring a car(and you also know your car seat has not been in an accident or anything)

Which for us on a 24 day US car hire works out at over $300 :eek::eek:

nej

It's interesting this CARES thing, but I'd still rather take a carseat for the simple reason that a 2-3 yr old will find it quite difficult to sleep on a plane seat, but in a carseat will be comfortable and used to it and will probably sleep easily.

I suppose the downside of a carseat is they may get fedup being in it after a few hours and want to sit on a normal seat for a bit.

Engadine

lynnexxxo wrote: »

I simply can't imagine my 18 month old being happily 'restrained' in this device while all the adults and other kids are free to get up and roam about.

Do many people buy an extra seat for their under two? Personally we are going on holiday early this year so he is still under two and hence don't have to pay for his seat - maybe I'm a cheapsake....

When I was Cabin Crew there were a few people who would buy an extra seat and bring their child's car seat, it didn't happen very often.

It really is up to each individual what they are happy doing, I think a lot of people if they are going to Europe don't think it is worth it for a couple of hours. More people on long haul flights would use a car seat

Murphy_The_Cat

Engadine wrote: »

When I was Cabin Crew there were a few people who would buy an extra seat and bring their child's car seat, it didn't happen very often.

I was the big fella with the toddler in a car seat who smiled a lot and drank loads of milk - do you remember me :rotfl: