Pushchair and car seat

[Cal]

Hopefully flying to Italy over Easter on BA avios tickets – 2 adults with a lap infant (first time flying with baby). We are planning to take a car seat and collapsable buggy as our checked in child items. Looking for some advice on how best to package these – not too worried about the buggy as we are taking a spare one we were given, but how do people usually package car seats to avoid damage? We’d rather take our own than hire one with the car. A friend told me that you can sometimes take them on the plane and they will be stowed in a locker. Advice based on experience with BA appreciated! Thanks

[Carlos]

I have seen a video where someone took a car seat as (FREE) hold luggage (as well as a pram)
Can someone verify

[Rui N.]

Yes, that’s free to check in. I think the OP was asking about how to better protect them.

[can]

We bought clear big thick plastic bags from ebay and put it there when checking the car seat in.

One thing I’d do now is to wrap the seat with industrial size palette cling film, which is also very affordable from eBay and you can use it for your luggage, too.

While wrapping the seat with the cling film, try to put some padding too: old T-shirts would do.

You can even do it at the airport parking after you unload the baby

[can]

And I never paid for extra luggage fee for my push chair or car seat when I checked them in.

And if they damage any of those even little bit, immediately get a report when you land, at the baggage collection.

Airlines have special insurance for baby stuff and you can get full refund quickly and easily. No need to use your travel insurance or Amex insurance.
So keep your digital receipts for car seat and pushchair.

[George K]

We’ve only travelled with a car seat twice, but when we did, we just put the seat in a cellophane wrap (basically a big supermarket bag) and the luggage tag on the handle of the car seat. No need for anything else. I’ve also seen car seats show up in the reclaim carousel with no wrapping or protection whatsoever.

For the buggy, we used to check it in and collect it at the aircraft door as that worked best during the first two years. We now check it in at bag drop, and use a nylon cover with handles to wrap it up.

[Michael C]

Maybe not for this trip (as you’re already sorted), but we used a Yoyo
pushchair on many trips: folds down (with one hand!) into over cabin size,
so no need for anyone to take it off you to give back later.

[Rui N.]

I have an yoyo and I confirm it’s great. And, surprisingly, everyone at the airport seems to know about it, so always hear the “oh, it’s an yoyo, you can take that into the cabin” – first time I travelled with it, I though I’d had to argue to take into the cabin.
I can’t close it with one hand though!

[elguiri]

We first took our foldable pushchair as is and handed over at gate, picking up at the plane’s door on arrival. It was a little dusty on the outside where it had been in contact with the hold.

However, depending on airport, airline and what the employee had for lunch, you sometimes have to pick up the pushchair at the luggage belt / bulky luggage area. As such I would recommend having a light full size nylon bag to place it into (with nametag) as it keeps it nice and clean, which saves you having to wipe it down before your kid puts their face against it. Make sure when you check in, they put the orange buggy tag on the bag if the pushchair is inside, otherwise the handlers don’t know what to do with it.

On our second holiday the brake bar was twisted during transit which we didn’t realise until we got to the hotel, and spent the holiday having to unlock the brake every 50m. Luckily claimed online afterwards (was a simple form), and after going through to external claims company (due to not accepting their first proposed settlement amount) got enough to cover buying a new one. But you do need proof of price paid (receipt) otherwise they will assume it’s old and not worth much.

For the carseat we took a 5-foot roll of bubblewrap (screwfix I believe) with us in the car, and when arrive at parking, unclip child seat and wrap the bubbles around until a good 2 layers cover it. A roll of masking tape is useful here. Then put it in a nylon bag (can get them in suitable sizes on amazon) to keep everything together. To be honest it is a bit of a faff, but with carseats you need to be sure no structural damage will occur, otherwise they no longer provide as much safety, which I thought was worth the effort. On arrival collect at oversize luggage area, take to rental car on trolley and unpack, putting the rolled up bubblewrap in the boot.

On our last trip we got carseat included in hirecar price so didn’t bother taking ours. However, it was dirty and didn’t fit well, so for our next trip we have actually just bought a HiFold Fit and Fold High Back Group 2/3 Booster Seat. We won’t be doing long journeys in the hire car, but is suitable for nearly every country (note most European car seats aren’t legal in the US), and folds to fit under your seat in the plane – so I can make sure it doesn’t get damaged (or if it does, I know about it).

[Cal]

Thanks for the advice! Bubble wrap and a bag look like the way to go! Also going to look into the yoyo pushchair for future use!