NSBR: Airlines and Baby Gear

[Genevieve]

We are flying out to visit my MIL, who has no baby stuff, so we've got to bring everything with us, including the car seat. DD is 11-mo, so she's sitting on our laps for the flight and we plan on checking the car seat(which is an infant carrier and base--yes, she still fits in it--she's pretty tiny--LOL). My question is, if you've traveled with baby gear and checked a car seat, does it need to be packed IN something, or can you just check it as is? TIA!

[saxon]

Bring a garbage bag (black one) and after they check the seat, you can have them put it over it and tie it in a knot. I usually gate-check ours and that makes it so much faster. Consider that option. Also, most with the base don't actually need the base, so you may not need to bring that piece. Check out the new policies though as I flew last week and liquid is out of the question. I had a bottle with water in it already but not formula and they wouldn't let me take it that way. I had to put formula in it. Also I had a teether that had water in it (on eof those gel ones you freeze) and I had to give it to them ....

[Rachel Solenberg]

you can check it in as is... or babies r us (or similar) has a decent cover that has a zipper, wheels and a handle... i got mine a while back for like $25... it has made several flights with me and held up wonderfully. it will also fit a bigger carseat once you stop using your infant seat.

[Inkspots]

We just checked ours as is. Also, the airlines we flew, Northwest and Alaska, didn't count it as part of our luggage count. You should call the airlines and see what their policies are. Another thing that we did too with the grandparents, was when we got there, we got a cheap playpen to leave there. Not only could our son play, but it was their bed too, even as they got older too. Hope you have a fun trip!

[JanetPhillips]

Just flew a few days ago (and we travel a lot). When you get to the luggage counter you can ask them to bag it for you (it's free). But, like many said, you can check it at the airplane door. It all depends on whether you have room in your checked luggage.

Yep, liquids are out. You can have formula (but not water) and any other gels, etc. have to be in a quart sized zip lock bag and declared. So pack all your meds that way.

[meems]

I don't know if this would be too much of a hassle for you, but I would gate check the infant carrier/base. I have paranoia of checked luggage getting lost. I'm assuming you'd need that carseat when you land and would not want it lost. Plus, in my experience, luggage tends to get thrown about and I wouldn't want anything to happen to the carseat.

have a good trip!

[ljcrochet]

Another option is for you to rent stuff at your MIL. WHen we visited my FIL, he rented car seats and high chairs from a company (I think it was baby away).

[Genevieve]

Anyone know if they'll let me take baby food(like the stuff in the jars) on the plane? Seriously, if they expect us to go all day without feeding our baby, they are nuts!

[ditzyscrap]

I'm not sure about baby food. But if she's 11 months...do you still have her on that cereal/pablum? If so, take that to be safe (unmade), they'll have hot water on the plane that you could mix it up with in the air...

I've also heard that if they have extra seats on the plane, they may let you take the infant seat aboard with you. Most you can strap down without using the base.

For baby food, consider the gerber plastic containers. I don't see how they could confiscate that. The boxed cereal is another option. They sell single serving packets of cereal too. There's always cheerios and biscuits, etc. Or, maybe those Gerber "TV Dinners." They are completely plastic.