Getting to the Airport with a Baby
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Getting to the Airport with a Baby
May 2004
Does anyone know of a shuttle or taxi service that will provide
a car seat? We want to leave our car seat at home when we take
an international trip later this year. The question is, how do
we safely travel to and from the airport with our 2.5 year
old? (For shorter trips, I drive to the airport and leave my
car there, but that would be too expensive for this trip.) Any
suggestions are welcome. Thanks.
Eden
Yellow Cab Express (848-1234) and Direct Airport Service (841-
8294) both offer car seats.
I use a towncar service, Limozone, and the owner Mr. Singh will
provide a carseat on request. You need to give him advance
notice so that he can get it installed before he arrives. His
towncar has a shoulder belt in the front passenger seat, two
shoulder belts in the back seat, and a lap belt in the middle
back seat. He would install the carseat in the back on one of
the shoulder belts. His number is 510-506-5039. As a general
matter, Mr. Singh is an extremely reliable, honest person
running a great car service. I use him for every ride to the
airport that I take as do many of my friends and family. He
also has boosters available if you need those. But again,
advanced notice is needed. Good luck and enjoy your trip.
Shannon
You might want to try the Tote 'n Go Portable Car Seat. Here is
the catalog description:
The ''Car Seat'' you can fit in a Diaper Bag! Never get caught
without a car seat again! This portable travel vest is ideal for
vacations, taxis, and carpools, and makes a great second car
seat for grandparents and caregivers. Converts ordinary seat
belts into an instant five-point safety harness. Machine
washable cover, with a padded backrest and impact-absorbing
stress plate. Weighs just 4 lbs. Meets all auto safety
standards - not approved for aircraft use. For kids 25-40 lbs.
or up to 40'' in height. Not FAA approved
drama mama
We always use Babes Airporter (510-317-6983). The owner has
young children and can supply carseats if requested, and he is
very carseat ''friendly'' so we always use him even if we are
bringing our own carseats. The price seems the same as Bayporter
or less, and he is flexible and reliable.
- Charis
Carseat for Airport Shuttle?
Sept 2002
I will be traveling by plane with my 13-month old son for the
first time and have many questions about how to go about this.
I found answers to many of my questions on the archives, but one
I haven't found is regarding using the shuttle provided by
rental car companies to get you to and from the terminal and the
rental car. Do I have to strap my son in a carseat for that
short ride or can I just hold him in my lap' I'm trying to
recall the shuttle that Hertz has and I don't think they even
have seat belts available. I know I sound overly worried, but I
would appreciate anyone offering their experience doing this.
Thanks!
Kris
We have travelled a lot with our 19 month old and found the
easiest thing to do in rental car shuttles is to leave him in the
stroller and lock the breaks. Of course, we also hold onto it
in case it's a wild ride, which you know they can be. We've
never had any problems with this. The added benefit is one less
time in and out of the stroller - flying days have lots of these,
at security, for nursing, to board the plane, etc. Good luck and
have fun on your trip!
Signed, a travellin' mom!
We have traveled many times with our son since he was an infant,
and we have always just held him on our lap on the shuttle rides
to the rental car and parking lots. There are not any seatbelts
to attach a car seat. Now that he is two, he actually looks
forward to the bus rides, probably because he doesn't have to
wear a seatbelt!
Ann
June 2002
Has anyone had any good experiences w/ airport shuttle services who have
safe infant carseats (that were not recalled) as well as being prompt?
I'm getting nervous b/c no one I call could or would tell me even the
name brand nevertheless the model of the infant car seat they propose to
use for my child. We're leaving in a few days so I may or may not see
your responses. Thanks in advance.
I thought I was reading my own request for info regarding
airport shuttles with a baby car seat which I wrote about
8 months ago. I called nearly 10 shuttle services in the
East Bay including Bay Porter who didn't even provide them
and all had no idea what , nevertheless, the name brand
it was. From their response, it was obvious this is not a
frequented question. I too was trying to make sure they
weren't recalled. Once I negotiated with one of the taxis
to take us to the airport and then drop the seat back to
our home. One thing I've learned the hard way is that
if you're planning to rent a car with a car seat at your
destination, they charge you for it although they often
don't say so upon booking. I've seldom regretted bringing
my own carseat and airlines used to not count them as
luggage items. I don't know after 9/ll.
Susan
Jan 2002
I would like to know how people usually get their infant baby to
airport (before a long flight), --I have looked up at the web site of
parents.berkeley.edu, there is something under this topic, but not
the detail I would like to know: if to take BayPorter, how people
deal with child safety seat, if I don't plan to take a car seat on
airplane, since it won't be very useful at the destination anyway
(Beijing, China). I have asked people at BayPorter, they told me
they don't provide a car seat, however, if I want to install mine, it
is okay with them. It seems to me that a car seat is not required
by law for a van, and they suggest me to hold my baby on my lap. Or,
if I don't take a car seat with me, I have to give up using a shuttle
(such as BayPorter) altogether?
This is what I've done:
Hold the baby in lap for cab ride to airport.
Check the companies that offer limo/cab service. For a family, the
fare can be less than the total of individual fares in Bayporter and
the like, and I remember (although it's been years since my daughter
was that young) that we had located at least of couple here in the
East Bay that had child seats available.
Norm
My daughter is barely 2 and we have already been 6 times to Europe:We
took the first trip when she was 4 months old, last time this xmas... guess this
makes me a sort of expert.
We very often used Bayporter to go to the airport and taken our carseat,
Bayporter will make you pay for an extra passenger, but not full fare. The
suggestion of carring an infant on your lap is idiotic and bayporter should be
reprimended for that.
Infants must be on carseat,regardless of the "style" of the vehicle. You say
you will not need the carseat in China: is it because you will not need to drive
anywhere or because in China is not mandatory? Even if not required by law
you should still keep your baby in a car seat.
And here, how would you take your baby to the airport without a carseat?
The carseat can be check in, as luggage
As an alternative, you could get a car service. Delancey Limo for example
provides a carseat, so you will not need to take yours along.
From berkely is about $70
When making the plane reservation, ask for a bassinet.The airline will sit
you in a bulkhead seat and after take off will attach a bassinet in front of you.
call the airlines to confim your basinett. Then call again and reconfirm
again (and again).
On my last trip there was this poor 8mos pregnant woman with a 15mos
baby, squeezed in one seat with no bassinet.... the plane was packed and she
was absolutely miserable!
Maximum load for the bassinet is 22lbs (all airlines): my daughter was a big
and long girl and by her second trip she was already spilling out ot it but it
still did its job. From than on we got her her own seat and used the carseat.
Travelling with an infant is very easy.... it gets a little more complicated and
tiring when they start to walk...
Just make sure you have extra supplies (nappies etc) in case you get delayed.
Some airlines are great and helpful (Virgin/Lufthansa/KLM) some other are
horrible (United/Alitalia) so you better be prepared. Breastfeed or give bottle
or something to suck to your baby during take off and landing: helps to ease
ear tension.
A thought about the car seat: if by chance you have a separate seat
on the plane for the baby, then I would by all means take the car
seat. We had a seat for our son on the flight, and he slept half the
way there and all the way home in his familiar car seat on the plane.
Well worth the cost of the ticket.
Karen
I don't see it on the web, but I read recommendations for Babes
Airporter (510-317-6983) on this list last year and used them
and was very pleased. The price seemed the same as Bayporter
or less, and he was very flexible and reliable. Tell the owner
that you need a carseat and how old/big your child is and he
will provide one.
As a follow up to few posting re: how to get child to airport.
Please be aware that it is ILLEGAL in California for children to ride in
ANY vehicle (that includes taxi, vans and other commercial -and farm-
vehicles) without the proper restraint system. While exceptions might be in
place in other states, California requires the use of an appropriate (for
age/weight)car seat/booster in all vehicles.
Please refer to California Vehicle Code
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/
and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov
I am not sure how to get your infant to the airport
without a car seat. Considering how some (not all)
airporter van drivers drive, I think I would definitely
want a car seat. I recommend you take the car seat.
Even if you don't feel you will be using it in Beijing,
you may end up finding it a handy place to put your infant
on the airplane (if there is a spare airplane seat) or while
traveling around Beijing or visiting family and/or friends.
About the car seat: I would definitely take it with you. You can then use
it on BayPorter (after being in a rear-end collision with my baby, I would
never drive without using a car seat). We take the car seat with us to the
gate: if there is an empty seat on the plane, your baby will get it, and
you can use the car seat on the plane. If not, you can check the seat at
the gate.
We had a terrible experience in LA when our flight got cancelled and
we were re-routed to Burbank AFTER we had turned in our rental car.
The local "bayporter" sent a HORRIBLE driver to take us across town to
the airport (we even got into a fender bender on the way). I held my
9 month old in my lap and clenched my eyes shut. I had tears
streaming down my face by the time we made it. He drove way too fast
in commute traffic (carpool lane) and my husband was *this close* to
asking him to pull over and letting him drive. I will never travel
without a car seat ever again. Maybe you could have a friend drive
you to the airport or park your car in economy long term parking -- it
might work out to roughly what you would pay to get there and SO worth
the extra cost. Or maybe they have large enough lockers at the
airport to store it until you get back??
Felicia
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