Car seat on planes?

[JordieC]

In April we're going to QLD - yeah!! Stupidily we booked through Tiget airways - bit nervous about going - not because they're unsafe but I have heard some stories about cancellations and charges - anyway, I was wodnering if anyone had flown with them and taken large luggage?

We booked a seat for DD even though she won't be on it - we just wanted the extra 15 kg luggage allowance. Can we take her car seat as part of that allowance? We're going to borrow a porta cot up there and also buy a stroller up there so just want to take normal suitcases and car seat.

[~breeze~]

Hi, I've only ever flown to QLD by either Qantas, Jet Satr or Virgin since having DD & they count the baby items as 5kg of your allowed weight but that includes... pram, car seat & porta cot all at the one time & all only taking 5kg of your weight. I dont know if it includes anything else but thats what we've previously taken.

I'm sure your chosen airline would have something similar.

I know with Virgin you can look up the web site & it explains it all there (thats how I found out about ours) maybe check the website for your airline?

Have fun on your trip. We're heading up there again on the 10th April for 10 days

[Olive]

having recently flown tiger, the car seat will be included int he 15kg allowance, they are very strict, they even charge for the stroller regardless of weight, iwas told $35 each way for this alone!!! we hired everything in QLD, cot, stroller, carseat as it was cheaper.
have read however that as a car seat is a safety item they should fly them for free, but i doubt tiger would honour that!!

ETA i noticed your going to buy a stroller, it is very cheap to hire, around $20 a week for a layback

[melbel]

if you have booked a seat for your bub you can actually take the car seat on the plane and use it in the seat for take off and landing and it is not counted as luggage at all. Most airlines actually encourage this as is it actually safer for bub this way. they strap the car seat in using the existing lap belt and put bubs in the car seat for take off and landing. if you wish to carry her in between thats up to you but isone way to get past the luggage allowance thingy. I Know Qantas encourage this for sure so maybe check if that is possible seeing as you have booked the extra seat. I am not sure if it works for capsule type seats but definitely for other types of car seat that are erect.

[~breeze~]

if you have booked a seat for your bub you can actually take the car seat on the plane and use it in the seat for take off and landing and it is not counted as luggage at all. Most airlines actually encourage this as is it actually safer for bub this way. they strap the car seat in using the existing lap belt and put bubs in the car seat for take off and landing. if you wish to carry her in between thats up to you but isone way to get past the luggage allowance thingy. I Know Qantas encourage this for sure so maybe check if that is possible seeing as you have booked the extra seat. I am not sure if it works for capsule type seats but definitely for other types of car seat that are erect.

Wow, I never knew that!!! Could have come in handy for me back when DD was younger, she could have slept in it too!! (My poor dead arm from having a sleeping baby on it for hours!)
I'll definately remember that for number 2.

Melbel, Do you know if thats just domestic or is that for international aswell?

[melbel]

Danielle,

this is what i found on the Qantas website. it was in the general section so not specifically domestic or international. So I guess ring and ask is the best option.......

Quote:

Child Restraint Device

The safest way for an infant to travel on an aircraft is in a Child Restraint Device (car seat). Carriage of a lap held infant is allowed however research has demonstrated it does not provide the protection of a child seat.

To purchase a seat for your infant and obtain pre-approval for the use of a child seat contact your local Qantas Office (pre-approval must be obtained a minimum of 24 hours prior to departure).

Note: Approval cannot be obtained on departure at the airport.

[~breeze~]

Great, thanks for that!

[melbel]

Okay I did some googling:

jetstar and qantas say yes to a car seat provided you have booked a seat for the infant.

Tiger Air and Virgin Blue say no.

Hope that helps

I'd be booking jetstar or qantas from now on!!

[Kailz]

I'm a Guest Services Manager for Virgin Blue, and our policy does not allow Car Seats on the aircraft, but you can take your pram with you up until boarding time and the crew will check it in from there.

We also do the 5kg allowance, so in your 20kg baggage allowance, 5kg of that is baby items, such as car seat, pram, portacot etc, and the other 15kg is for normal luggage.

I assume Tiger would be similar?

HTH

[JordieC]

Wow - thanks guys!! Some very helpful info. I would ask Tiger specficalyl but getting in contact with them is VERY hard!!! I will def fly Qanta next time - but ohw ell - the tickets were dirt cheap - $50 each way each person! I don't mind buying a stroller cause I'l just get one of those umbrealla ones that are quite cheap and if we can't bring it back this time I can leave it at my aunty's - we'll see when we get there!

[Saffi]

I'm a Guest Services Manager for Virgin Blue, and our policy does not allow Car Seats on the aircraft, but you can take your pram with you up until boarding time and the crew will check it in from there.

That is interesting. We flew back from Cairns yesterday on VB. I saw that Qantas do loan strollers to use within the airport and asked if VB do the same. The reply I got was "we don't do that". At no time were we told we could take our pram into the departure lounge and then would be checked in when we board. I will definitely be doing this in future especially as DS is getting too heavy to carry.