Airplane travel with 2 kids - carseat or no carseat?

Re: Airplane travel with 2 kids - carseat or no carseat?

Kai is only going to be about 10 weeks then...so I could give him the seat and strap Daegan to me! Might be easier since Kai is likely to sleep the entire flight and Daegan will probably want to nurse!

The flight attendants won't let this "fly". I've tried it.

[madeintaiwan]

Re: Airplane travel with 2 kids - carseat or no carseat?

I flew to So Cal in July by myself with the 3 kids (7,3, and 6 weeks old). I always check our car seats. I have car seat bags for all 3 of them. Curb side check in!!! So worth the $1 per bag. In the past when I flew with just the two kids, I would throw Ai-Lan in the combi stroller (folds into nothing with one hand and has a carrying strap attached and is so light that you can throw it over your shoulder and carry your toddler too). When I flew in July, I didn't bring a stroller, I put Eó in a carrier and the other kids walked. I have only used a car seat on the plane a couple of times and found it to be a pain lugging the damn thing to the plane and started checking it thereafter. Snacks, DVD player, tons of DVDs, gameboy, leapster, coloring books, toys. My kids do pretty well on plane rides but then again they do well driving 18 hours straight from UT to KS [and STL to Aspen] only stopping for gas. They know we, as the adults, don't like being stuck where ever we happened to be "stuck," so complaining and acting up is only going to make things worse. We're flying to So Cal in March but E will be with but in May I'll be flying to Nor Cal alone, as usual. We'll see if Eó travels as well as his sibs do. We always had to make connecting flights when we lived in STL and flew out to CA. DFW is the worse. Stroller was handy there and J would just have to book it with me. Nobody wants to left behind. Magic boob to those who it applies during take off and landing. I have had mixed experiences with the carrier and metal detectors. Some times it flies other times I have had to pry my sleeping child out of the carrier. Stroller always had to be folded and sent through the xray machine. Little kids have to take shoes off.

I'm with Peggy, I think I'd stay at home, but that's just me. I had the kids when E did his 4 week away rotation in UT. Heck, he was on 4 consecutive months of ortho trauma hell for the first 4 months of Eó's life. He might as well have been out of state during those months. Back on track..... Hope your travels go smoothly.

[HouseofWool]

Re: Airplane travel with 2 kids - carseat or no carseat?

And for your layover - do NOT be afraid to ask for one of the airport porters to help you if you need it. When I traveled with C as an infant, we had 15 minutes to cross O fucking Hare. I begged the stewardess to radio ahead for one so I wouldn't miss my connection. (I was on a breavement flight - lots of special concessions for that). I usually put C in the sling on one hip, the carry on over my other shoulder so it was on my other hip and would often balance the carseat over my head. I looked like a freak, but it worked.

[Malpka]

Re: Airplane travel with 2 kids - carseat or no carseat?

I agree with Jenn. I look at a trip like this as something to be survived, and go into it anticipating that it will be hell.

I have flown from IA to FLA several times with 3 kids under 4. I conned my parents to buy carseats for the older ones (with the promise we would be moving closer one day and they would need them anyhow). Gate checked the baby seat. Wore the baby in a carrier, and brought lightweight single stroller(easy to fold at security). Gate check the stroller. Bribe older child with food/treats/new toys. Pack heavy on the diapers, light on everything else that could be purchased at the airport. Instruct parents to have the alkyhol chilled and prepped for immediate consumption upon arrival.

[KCwife]

Re: Airplane travel with 2 kids - carseat or no carseat?

I vote that you travel as light as possible. I always had the kids under two on my lap and checked the carseats. On another note... I read somewhere a tip that said to hand out homemade cookies and earplugs to those passengers around you. I thought it was cute and might save you some apologizing during the flight. :huh:

[peggyfromwastate]

Re: Airplane travel with 2 kids - carseat or no carseat?

No.

I have had mixed experience with carrying TenE in the front carrier. Sometimes I had to take her off, I think, but I don't remember. I think if I made it through the metal detector in the Bjorn they let me go. I think. Seems like it varies by airport. :huh:

I just went thru 2 security gates (outbound and return) and didn't have to take the baby out of the Bjorn. And the Bjorn has metal parts, so I thought I'd have to, but I was very happy to NOT have had to take it off...

[GrayMatterWife]

Re: Airplane travel with 2 kids - carseat or no carseat?

What have you done when traveling with small children who out number parents??

This is what I did, when I had to travel with DS (age 4) and DD (age 3 months) over the holidays:

1. Ahead of the trip, I made sure my folks had a stroller and two appropriates carseats. They did--I had purchased this stuff from amazon.com for them a couple of years ago when I was visiting with DS. Buying them a stroller, baby car seat, and toddler car seat (basic ones, not fancy) was actually cheaper for me than buying travel car seat gear. And amazon means not taxes and often free shipping.

2. I shipped (in a box) most of our clothes, shoes, and other necessaries to my folks, so they were there when we got there, and I did not have to schlep them. Granted, we had to wash all our clothes one or twice, because we had only three outfits each, but my parents didn't care...it's not like we were going to high-end social events!

3. I had ONE one-the-shoulder bag with me on the airplane. A diaper bag with a change of clothes for the baby, formula, snacks for DS, some books for DS--survival stuff. But I had no big heavy suitcase to handle. This is critical unless you are prepared to use a porter service at curbside.

4. I had some friends in our apartment building drive us to the airport. I placed the carseats in my friends' car and gave them our apartment key. They very graciously dropped the carseats off at our place after taking us to the airport. My husband then loaded them into the truck when he picked us up a week later. However, my friends said, had DH not been able to pick me up, they would have come back out to get us.

5. I walked through the airport holding DS's hand with the arm on which the bag was hung, and holding DD in the other arm. The biggest headache was the TSA security gate. I wore slip-on shoes, so that I could get in and out of the without stooping. The gymnastics related to getting my overcoat off. Lots of shifting of DD as a wormed my way out. But most people were sympathetic and patient. One woman even offered to hold DD...which I declined, but only because by that time, I had my coat pretty much off.

6. I tried not to arrive at the airport too early (the earlier you arrive, the longer you wait...). This was definitely the LONGEST portion of the trip--the waiting area. Once aboard, DH had his own seat on the plane, of course, and I held DD on my lap. It was very do-able (flight was only 1.5 hours). Honestly, DH quietly looked at books (and out the window, for Santa--it was late on Dec. 24) and DD slept. The flight was pretty easy.

7. I had my folks (carseats already installed) pick us up at the airport.

But, this would have been a lot harder if we had a layover somewhere, because I would have been holding DD a long time. And we would have been SCREWED if we'd run into bad weather and had to stay overnight in the layover city. We had toothbrushes in the diaper bag, but I'm not sure we would have made it by diaper-count...

GOOD LUCK. Traveling with kids is a lot of work! Pre-planning seems to be key. And not forgetting about bathroom trips! As soon as when got through security and made it to our gate, I took DS to the bathroom. I did NOT want that headache on the plane. And I COMPLETELY lucked out. DD pooped right before we got on the plane, so I was able to deal with that in the ladies' room. It got even better--a nice lady who had three kids (and, oddly, three itty-bitty DVD players that each kid was watching his own movie on)--offered to let DS watch movies with her kids while I ran to the bathroom to change DD. Since we don't have a TV in our living room (yet! one of these days...), my son doesn't get to watch much TV...poor kid. He thought those cheap little DVD players were the most amazing things ever.

Re: Airplane travel with 2 kids - carseat or no carseat?

Same thing with security. Toddler will have to come out (good time to distract/bribe with a lollipop) and sometimes babies have to come out of the bjorn.

Good point -- Daegan will need to go through security by himself, with you following right behind or you can go first and he follows you. This was always hard for Bryn at this age to either venture away from us or wait. For her, it worked better for me to go through first and have her come to me. You might want to explain this part of the airport experience to him beforehand. This is another benefit of the stroller and being able to short-cut the line. They might put you in a less busy line and then the metal detector thing seems less daunting (if it is the type of thing that would scare him).

I also have asked my mom to buy a booster seat to keep at her house. After a trip or two, it comes out to be less than renting through a car rental company. Another benefit is not having to re-install the carseats in the airport parking lot with tired kids who just want to go home (assuming you don't have a ride).

[Michele]

Re: Airplane travel with 2 kids - carseat or no carseat?

OK....Based on all of this awesome advice...

I'm gonna skip the carseat-on-the-plane thing. Doesn't seem worth all the hassle and especially since most carseats don't fit on the seats width-wise (not something I even thought about before). I'm either going to check them as luggage or arrange for my parents to have some (either rented, borrowed or pre-bought).

I'll use an umbrella stroller for Daegan, have him wear crocs for easy on-off, and pack lots of bribes.

Kai will be wrapped. I didn't have to take Daegan out of the wrap for security the two times I flew with him....but I was flying to and from small airports on a small carrier (Allegiant Air).

I think I may take you up on that bag offer DCJenn.....sounds like a two-shouldered bag is what I need and I actually don't have one of those anymore! It definitely would be easiest with Kai wrapped up.

Russ will be dropping me off at the airport and can totally carry the carseats and my bag to be checked in....My dad will be picking me up and then dropping me off for the return flight and would definitely be able to help me there. And Russ picking me up again in Shreveport....so at the checkin/out airports I will have help....the layover will be all me....but IF I can get by with just the diaper-backpack and the umbrella stroller, it shouldn't be too much to handle...both flights are 2h or less so I hope to be able to entertain Daegan for that long....I think I may need some new iPhone apps! We don't have a portable DVD player, but my laptop will play DVDs...Then again the battery life sucks....so maybe I'll look into a portable DVD player as well.

I haven't flown with a connecting flight in a while....yay Allegiant Air....but once you go through security at one airport, you don't have to go through it again do you? So if we fly Shreveport to Atlanta to Miami....do we go through security again in Atlanta?

Also I may rethink the final destination/airline. I'll ask my dad which airport is easiest (PBI, FtLauderdale or Miami).....Shreveport security is no biggie....there are so few flights that you could show up 15 min before takeoff and be fine. Miami is likely another story! At least Daegan likes being pushed in the stroller normally....of course I'm sure all bets are off when I need him to!

[Michele]

Re: Airplane travel with 2 kids - carseat or no carseat?

Instruct parents to have the alkyhol chilled and prepped for immediate consumption upon arrival.

Never a problem at my parents house!

Re: Airplane travel with 2 kids - carseat or no carseat?

I don't think the layover will be too bad for you. It is a nice chance to walk around a little and you don't have to do security or check-in or any of that stuff. I think the only issue would be a tight connection or the gates being on different concourses. On layovers I like to find a quieter spot for my kids to run around -- you can do "run and touch the window and come back" sorts of games.

[poky]

Re: Airplane travel with 2 kids - carseat or no carseat?

but once you go through security at one airport, you don't have to go through it again do you? So if we fly Shreveport to Atlanta to Miami....do we go through security again in Atlanta?

I've never been in an airport that made you go back out and back in when connecting. They'd have to be crazy to want to force more people though security, so I imagine that won't be a problem. The main thing to be wary of is short connecting times and long distances between gates..and they switch gates around on the fly, so you never know for sure how that's going to pan out. First order of business when you get off the first flight is to find out what gate the next one's at, and how far away that is, and in what direction.

[madeintaiwan]

Re: Airplane travel with 2 kids - carseat or no carseat?

but once you go through security at one airport, you don't have to go through it again do you? So if we fly Shreveport to Atlanta to Miami....do we go through security again in Atlanta?

I've never been in an airport that made you go back out and back in when connecting. They'd have to be crazy to want to force more people though security, so I imagine that won't be a problem. The main thing to be wary of is short connecting times and long distances between gates..and they switch gates around on the fly, so you never know for sure how that's going to pan out. First order of business when you get off the first flight is to find out what gate the next one's at, and how far away that is, and in what direction.

You have never changed flights in KCMO then. They once changed my gate after we had already been through security and I had to go through security again with 2 kids to get to the new gate.

[poky]

Re: Airplane travel with 2 kids - carseat or no carseat?

You have never changed flights in KCMO then. They once changed my gate after we had already been through security and I had to go through security again with 2 kids to get to the new gate.

No, I haven't! And looking at the interactive airport map on their website...I can't even figure out how security works there; that thing is laid out really...differently. Where IS security? It looks like the ticket counters and gates are right next to each other, not that the map has a whole lot of detail.

It does look like Atlanta is laid out more "normally", though; there are two security gates, and once you're through either one, you can get to any gate (and therefore to any gate from any other gate when connecting). So, to answer your question definitively, Michele, no, no worries about going through security at your layover. You might have a bit of a hike depending on specific gates, though!

[KCwife]

Re: Airplane travel with 2 kids - carseat or no carseat?

[quote="poky
Where IS security? It looks like the ticket counters and gates are right next to each other, not that the map has a whole lot of detail.
quote]

There is security at each gate... need to go to the bathroom? You must exit the gate and come back through security. It is screwy.

Michele- One thing about ATL that I have noticed is that they switch the gates on you last minute a lot. So, be mindful of that during your layover.