Can you bring a graco rear-facing car seat on an airplane?

Question

I will be taking my infant on a plane in a couple of months, and was wondering can you bring the car seat (i have a graco safeseat rear-facing) directly onto the plane or does it have to be checked? I am just worried it will get lost or damaged if I have to check it -- we will need it when we land? Also do i check the stroller that it goes with or do i check that at the gate?

Thanks,

Answer 1

you have to check it just like baggage

Answer 2

you can always ask them when you get to the counter where you check your bags. when we flew across country with our daughter..we asked the lady that was checking our bags if there were any extra seats on the plane. we flew southwest and there arent any assigned seats. luckily there were a few extra seats...and we were aloud to use the car seat on the plane. it was a tight squeeze but it came in hand when she was sleeping. minding you that the flight was over 5 hours long.and we just pushed her up in the stroller right to the gate and they put it in the belly, and then had it waiting for us when we got off the plane..which was also very nice.  

Answer 3

If you purchased a seat for them then the airlines require you to use a car seat.  If you did not buy a seat you will have to check the car seat and hold the baby on the plane.  You can buy a cover for it to be checked in so it doesn't get ruined (don't forget the base too!)

You can check the stroller at the gate.

Answer 4

longer flight have a cot thing on board and do not allow large objects like that to be carried on..

but you'll have to call your flight operator to check, even if people say you can, better than having a suprise on the day =]

Answer 5

yes you have to check it unless you purchased a seat for your baby to use it in.  You can buy cover I think.    You can check the stroller at the gate so if the car seat is one that fits in the stroller, you should be able to wheel it right up to the gate, check it and then they should have it right at the gate when you deplane.  

Answer 6

Yes you can, and actually, you should. You are only guaranteed to be able to use it if you have purchased your baby a seat. If you did not, then you can ask if there are any empty seats to install the car seat in, but there may not be, and even if there is, they aren't required to let you use one. You are absolutely right to worry about the seat getting damaged - and what's worse than damage to the cover and such that you can see, is the damage that you don't see that could make the seat not perform as it should in a crash. Check out this informative link:

http://flyingwithchildren.blogspot.com/

You aren't required to, but its a really good idea to take one. Kids do better when they have their seat on the plane, same as in the car. They are less likely to want to run around and such since they are used to being put in a car seat whenever traveling.  And believe it are not, they are safer. Should turbulence happen, they are less likely to be injured or scared.

Another thing to consider: will you be doing any traveling by car once you get to your destination? Then you will need the car seat anyway, or you will have to purchase one when you get there. Do not rely on a car seat from a rental company! Its dangerous. Car seats expire 6 years after the date of manufacture, and are not safe if not taken care of properly. It must never have been in a wreck, never dropped, include all the original pieces and manual, and be installed correctly, something the rental staff will not help you with. On that note, remember too, that it is better NOT to check car seats as luggage. Think of how your luggage gets banged around - well, if your car seat gets banged around, it is no longer safe to use. A car seat is only made to withstand being dropped/in an accident once! And if it gets dropped and you don't know about it, you unwittingly put your child in danger. Better all around to take the seat on the plane.

And the airline is very unlikely to replace the seat if they do damage it. Just check to make sure that your car seat is FAA approved for aircraft use, should say so somewhere on a label on the seat.

Also - if you are planning on having your baby as a lap baby, you should know the truth of what can really happen, check the links below. Flight attendants refer to lap babies as MISSILES!!!! That's right, b/c missiles is what they become when there is heavy turbulence or other problems or rough flights. They give the count as "127 pax (passengers) and 3 missiles". Is a missile what you want your baby to be?