# Does a Britax Marathon fit on a coach airplane seat?



## happy2bamama (Apr 29, 2006)

I'm going to be flying with my 17-month-old DS next week (alone) and I am planning on schlepping it all the way so he can have it on his seat in the plane.

First, does anyone know if this car seat fits on a coach plane seat? A friend brought up the fact that not all do and so I'm a bit worried. We are flying Southwest.

Second, I am torn between using the car seat on the plane or not because DS is such an active guy, but he loves to sleep in the car, so I'm hoping that he'll nap on the plane and the car seat seems like the best way (and we're flying at nap time). But... I am worried that he will be so pumped up that he won't want to sleep at all and then we'll basically have rendered his seat useless since the car seat will be in it and what if he doesn't want to sit in there? Does anyone have any thoughts about this?

Lastly, we are flying Southwest and they have that policy where you have to wait in a line to pick your seat, so I am already stressing about this - how will I wrangle a toddler and wait in a line at the same time? Has anyone pre-boarded on Southwest before? Do they allow it for people with kids?

BTW - I am going to be nursing DS on the flight, so I'm thinking about telling that to the person who choses to sit next to me in case they're not okay with that and in which case they can find another seat









TIA


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## sweetkid (Feb 5, 2008)

We traveled with our then 18 month old this winter and I kept my ergo strapped on and let her jump all over the seats, she loved it. I really was way too worried about losing our carseat or having to carry it all over so I packed a super fun bag of stuff instead. she fell asleep on me and I just strapped her on and transferred she slept right through customs and would have throuh security but they made me take off the ergo..REEEEEEAAAAALLLL nice.We have a britax too and if you take off the base it gets much smaller on the bottom and is still 5 star safe.


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## TypingMJ (Nov 10, 2005)

I'd check the car seat. When my son was 15 months old we flew cross country, and he was fine in the regular airplane seat. The plane was packed and the other travelers were so grouchy that I'm glad we weren't struggling with our big Britax during boarding.

For the standing-around-and-waiting part, I wore my son in a mei tai. He wasn't thrilled, but it worked. Have a nice trip!


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## pinky (Nov 21, 2001)

a couple of things--

a Marthon will definitely fit, even rear-facing. I've used ours many times, but it is big.

If you have the seat, your child has to be in it for take-off and landing. If they have their own seat with no carseat, they have to be buckled in for take-off and landing.

Personally, it's totally worth it to me to have the car seat, especially with a really active child. My younger dd is 3.5 and a few months ago we finally flew without the car seat for the first time, and I wouldn't have wanted to do it any sooner. The car seat is so familiar, it just makes it easier for them to stay in their seats, I think. At least for my kids.

good luck!


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## delicious (Jun 16, 2003)

IME, the marathon is an incredibly tight squeeze. doable, but...

for southwest, check in exactly 24 hours in advance online so you get to be in group A, and get to the gate early and line up, if you want to get first picks of seats. usually people are pretty decent about moving seats for you, though. esp with a baby! i think they do preboarding with kids under 4, but i can't really remember.


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## Mandynee22 (Nov 20, 2006)

First- Don't worry about waiting in line. You *can* check in the second it's possible to try and get an "a" OR you can board with the "people with small children" between "a" and "b". They used to preboard people with littles but don't anymore. It was actually better to me because we didn't have to wait for wheelchairs and stuff. They've changed the whole boarding thing anyway. Even if you do get "a" you could be at the end of the "a" line.
IDK about the carseat. I took on a Graco Comfort Sport (Metropolitan). But it's a different seat and a different size.
Andrew likes to sleep in the car too but didn't sleep on the plane either way.
I don't think he was in his seat at all on the way up but he did sit in it for a short time on the way back. I was glad I had it though at least for the extra room.
I was going to tell you that they'll make the carseat go in the window seat so prepare older kids for the disappointment but it doesn't look like you'll have that problem.
Have a nice trip


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## RufusBeans (Mar 1, 2004)

I flew with a marathon 4 times. The fifth time I said enough, and just let her sit in the seat (she was 3) big mistake, she flopped all over the seat and it was hard to keep her from running around. On the way back, I stole my mom's seat..a cheap target brand much much less shorter and chunkier and the difference strapping it in was substantial.

The marathon is hard on a plane. no doubt. If you are unlucky enough to get a not nice flight attendant who refuses to give you a belt extender (this was the final straw with me) you have to practically rip the skin off you hand --no I take that back you _will_ lose some skin; maybe get gashes--because you have to reach inside the seat to buckle/unbuckle, and the hole is small and jagged--and I have small hands!

btw, I am flying with my four year old tomorrow, and I am taking the cheap target seat again, and her beautiful dog bone/paw print marathon will stay in our car waiting for her.

I wish you a fun trip!

eta that wasn't the final straw. The final straw was an overnight flight from Seattle to Cleavland in her Marathon. the seat stuck out soo far. I couldn't get the belt tight tight tight because of the reach hand inside thing, and the plane took off, her seat slid forward an inch, the mom in the row in front reclined her little boys in front of my girl's seat, wedging her legs hard between her seat and his seat. both the mom and the boy fell right asleep couldn't be roused. I had to chisel out my sobbing child's leg, and she had to fly with it cocked over the side of the seat for the 5 hour flight.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Fits fine









Safest way for a toddler to fly.

-Angela


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## PassionateWriter (Feb 27, 2008)

i have flown with a Blvd, which is basically the same size as the Marathon. i woudl never fly w/o a car seat. its really dangerous, not only for your child but also for other passengers. if you check out the Family Safety forum, there are some links about injuries during turbulance (not actual crashes..just turbulance).

i would also not check the car seat. you never know how your car seat is being handled and they are NOT gentle. they could seriously damage your seat w/o your knowledge.

most kids i know who have flown are really great about knowing how to behave in their car seats...and most will fall asleep in them. my son was a little over 2 last time we flew and i had him in the Ergo until i got his seat installed (FA's were NO help whatsoever). I was traveling alone w/ the toddler, Boulevard, my carry on and his backback. It was interesting but doable. I flew Delta and they "didnt do" pre boarding either.









good luck and have fun!


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sweetkid* 
We have a britax too and if you take off the base it gets much smaller on the bottom and is still 5 star safe.

Yikes NO! You can't take the base off.

OP, yes it fits fine. Both my kids are in car seats every time we fly and we have never had a problem







If you are installing FF, make sure to get the seat belt extender.


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## PassionateWriter (Feb 27, 2008)

at 17 months he's probably still RF'ing right?


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## LeslieB (Feb 17, 2006)

We used our Marathon fine in coach last time, but make sure you get a seatbelt extender to use. Ours got stuck and took forever to get out.

The carseat was nice, but it was also a pain. I'm going to check it next time and use one of these instead.


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## Shelsi (Apr 4, 2005)

We fly Southwest and American a lot. I've never had any problem fitting the marathon rfing or ffing on the plane









Might I suggest though, if you've got an extra $50, that you go and buy the 5 pt scenera and use that on the plane and while traveling instead. It's SOOOOOO much lighter and easier to carry around that it's completely worth the money if you've got it to spare. Last October I traveled alone with my then 3 yr old and 3 mos old and I brought both their seats with me and installed them. If I could do it with a toddler and an infant by myself with their 2 seats, I promise you you'll do just fine!

What worked for me: 1) buying the scenera and using that in place of the marathon. I could carry the scenera with one hand. 2) I hate strollers so I had one those leash things for my 3 yr old (only time I've ever used one btw). I had the baby in the baby carrier...if it had just been me and my 3 yr old I would have had him in the carrier. I STRONGLY suggest a carrier of some sort. If you have one that has no metal on it at all you can often times convince them to let you through security without removing it.

On Southwest, like the pp mentioned, they don't have pre-boarding anymore. Your best bet is to make sure you check in 24 hours before online to get an "A" or just do their kids' boarding which is between A and B. Are you traveling alone? If you are going with someone what I do is have dh go on first with the car seats. He installs them and gets everything situated. Meanwhile I let the kids run wild to burn off as much steam and energy as possible and we wait until last call, jump onto the plane, buckle the kids, and off we go!

And for those wondering about the need for a car seat on an airplane:




http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/airplanetravel.aspx


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## mustangtbn (Jun 23, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *happy2bamama* 
I'm going to be flying with my 17-month-old DS next week (alone) and I am planning on schlepping it all the way so he can have it on his seat in the plane.

Last month we flew, taking DD's Britax Decathlon on the plane and DH did NOT want to carry that thing around again. We used this and it worked great: http://www.amazon.com/Traveling-Todd.../dp/B000JHN3AS

DD even thought it was great fun to sit in her seat and ride around the airport, like in the picture.







But I would still bring a sling/carrier, you never know. I highly recommend taking the car seat on the plane, and do anything and everything you can to keep him in the seat. In the event of turbulence or worse, a child that's not strapped in can quickly become a projectile - scary! Plus, as PP said, the handlers aren't exactly gentle with the luggage - we've gotten ours back on occasion with pockets ripped and such, so I can only imagine what the seat would go through.

I'm unfortunately not sure about size though - we haven't flown Southwest with the seat.


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## happy2bamama (Apr 29, 2006)

Thank you for all of your help! I still think I'm leaning toward taking the seat even though it is going to be a huge undertaking. Yes, it's just me and DS flying - yikes. I think the familiarity of the seat will be good and maybe he'll actually sit. If he's not in something his size, I feel like he'll want to be all over the place.

So here's another issue... I wanted to take a stroller on the trip, so I thought that maybe I could rest the car seat on the stroller (a MacLaren) and wheel it around that way (if it fits, which I'm not sure if it will). Then, I can carry DS in the Ergo. But I sort of feel like adding the stroller to the mix could get CRAZY. I don't want to check it because I know they're not gentle to these things. What to do??? If the stroller doesn't work out, will I be able to have DS in the Ergo, carry our backpack AND carry the Britax Marathon? I don't want to even think about having to install the car seat by myself, but thank you for the tip about the belt extender









Also, DS doesn't ride rear-facing in our car, but it might be nice to do it for the plane so that he isn't kicking someone's seat. But I don't know if he'll fit (he's a tall guy) or what would happen if the person in front of us pushed their chair back. And, I hope to be able to get a bulkhead seat - do you think those are the best with active toddlers or will any seat do?

Quote:


Originally Posted by *pinky* 
a couple of things--

If you have the seat, your child has to be in it for take-off and landing. If they have their own seat with no carseat, they have to be buckled in for take-off and landing.

About this - so there's no way I can nurse him in my arms on take off or landing if he has his own seat?

Quote:


Originally Posted by *RufusBeans* 

eta that wasn't the final straw. The final straw was an overnight flight from Seattle to Cleavland in her Marathon. the seat stuck out soo far. I couldn't get the belt tight tight tight because of the reach hand inside thing, and the plane took off, her seat slid forward an inch, the mom in the row in front reclined her little boys in front of my girl's seat, wedging her legs hard between her seat and his seat. both the mom and the boy fell right asleep couldn't be roused. I had to chisel out my sobbing child's leg, and she had to fly with it cocked over the side of the seat for the 5 hour flight.

OMG, that sounds terrible. I never put my seat back even if I want to snooze (back before I had DS) because I know how much it sucks for the person behind me. My DH is 6'6" and he ALWAYS gets behind someone who immediately puts theirs back and he is not normal again for weeks after we get home from being squished. Your poor DC's leg









Quote:


Originally Posted by *PassionateWriter* 
at 17 months he's probably still RF'ing right?

No, but we might try it on the flight. I have a handy skill of being able to nurse DS while he's in his carseat (and I can still be buckled in too), so this might make that easier should I need to.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mustangtbn* 
Last month we flew, taking DD's Britax Decathlon on the plane and DH did NOT want to carry that thing around again. We used this and it worked great: http://www.amazon.com/Traveling-Todd.../dp/B000JHN3AS

I have been considering one of these, but from the reviews, it sounds like it's yet another thing I have to figure out how to collapse down and find a spot for on the plane. Ugghhh, I just know that once I'm actually in the middle of doing this is when I'm gonna finally figure out what I SHOULD'VE done!

Thanks again for all the help and please keep it coming as I still feel unsure about how it's all going to work.


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## happy2bamama (Apr 29, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Shelsi* 
And for those wondering about the need for a car seat on an airplane:





Your post was super helpful, so thank you a ton for that, but please, for anyone reading this and about to get on a plane anytime soon (or ever), DO NOT watch this video. I am seriously disturbed. And not in the "now I know something new and useful" way, but in the "I wish I could erase this from my brain" way.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Our routine for flying is kid in carrier, carseat on stroller. Gate check stroller. (so then carseat just has to be carried ON the plane)

Dd has always had her own seat, but several times I have nursed her on take off (I know, not the safest, but there were a couple of flights where she was totally hysterical on take off...)

Basically whoever is in front of your child won't really be able to recline. If you rf the carseat, they can't recline at all. FF they might be able to, but it will be very squishy.

-Angela


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## Shelsi (Apr 4, 2005)

You'll never in a million years get a bulkhead seat. If the ppl with medical problems who board first don't get them then the very first people in A group will snag them.

Yeah you can usually balance a convertible seat on a stroller in some fashion. I've done it before (marathon on a graco stroller) and what I've done is gate check the stroller. So I would have the LO in a carrier, push the stroller up to the door of the plane, set aside the car seat, fold up stroller, then pick up the car seat and board the plane. Personally I find it a lot harder...but OTOH if I were travelling alone with a britax seat I prob would do it that way. It's just too hard to lug those britaxes around IMO.

ETA: It's a catch 22 with the seat rfing vs ffing when it comes to the comfort of other passengers. If you have the seat rfing then the person in front won't be able to recline, however if you have the seat ffing then that person will probably get to have their seat kicked for the entire flight. I tend to believe that a person would rather not be able to recline if given the choice.


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## happy2bamama (Apr 29, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alegna* 
Our routine for flying is kid in carrier, carseat on stroller. Gate check stroller. (so then carseat just has to be carried ON the plane)

Dd has always had her own seat, but several times I have nursed her on take off (I know, not the safest, but there were a couple of flights where she was totally hysterical on take off...)

Basically whoever is in front of your child won't really be able to recline. If you rf the carseat, they can't recline at all. FF they might be able to, but it will be very squishy.

-Angela

Yeah, that was my plan with the stroller, car seat and carrier. I think I am now trying to figure out a possible travel car seat so that I don't have to lug the Britax. About the FF or RF - what do you do with your DD? Which way is best for the overall happiness of the kid?

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Shelsi* 
You'll never in a million years get a bulkhead seat. If the ppl with medical problems who board first don't get them then the very first people in A group will snag them.

Yeah you can usually balance a convertible seat on a stroller in some fashion. I've done it before (marathon on a graco stroller) and what I've done is gate check the stroller. So I would have the LO in a carrier, push the stroller up to the door of the plane, set aside the car seat, fold up stroller, then pick up the car seat and board the plane. Personally I find it a lot harder...but OTOH if I were travelling alone with a britax seat I prob would do it that way. It's just too hard to lug those britaxes around IMO.

ETA: It's a catch 22 with the seat rfing vs ffing when it comes to the comfort of other passengers. If you have the seat rfing then the person in front won't be able to recline, however if you have the seat ffing then that person will probably get to have their seat kicked for the entire flight. I tend to believe that a person would rather not be able to recline if given the choice.

Okay, thanks for that about the bulkhead. Then I won't even set myself up for the disappointment of not getting one









Yeah, I'm torn about the RF or FF. Does anyone know if Southwest has TVs? If so, I would probably do FF in hopes that TV might make DS sit happily for longer.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *happy2bamama* 
Yeah, that was my plan with the stroller, car seat and carrier. I think I am now trying to figure out a possible travel car seat so that I don't have to lug the Britax. About the FF or RF - what do you do with your DD? Which way is best for the overall happiness of the kid?


We usually had dd rf- we put her ff on a couple later trips though. But she was rf in the car (which if your ds is under the height and weight- he really should still be also







)

-Angela


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

If you don't need a stroller at your destination, you can use a cheap folding luggage cart or purchase a wheeled carseat bag to lug the marathon through the airport. In the wheeled bag I have it'd be easy to set a backpack on top of the seat while wheeling it around the airport, which might work. Whoever you're meeting at the other end could pick up a $10 umbrella stroller (or you could get one when you're at your destination) if you do need a stroller but don't want to lug one through the airport.


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## Shelsi (Apr 4, 2005)

Of course they could have updated their planes or something but the last time I flew with them was October and there were no TVs. I still think the scenera is the best travel seat. It's pretty easy to install ffing. I've never installed it rfing so I can't say anything about that. The fact that I could carry it with just one hand through the airport without feeling like my arm was going to fall off just makes that seat awesome in my eyes lol.


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## monarn (Sep 10, 2007)

Last time I flew with dd she was 19 months and her marathon didn't fit rear facing, we didn't fly southwest though, I think it was usairways. Anyway, I thought I remembered reading somewhere that if you purchase a seat for a child under 2, then they must be in a car seat. That flight (4.5 hours)dd sat in her seat all of maybe 10 minutes, she freaked out and I ended up just holding her most of the time, and when she was in her seat she just kicked the seat in front of her. Nobody said anything to me about her not being her seat.


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## JennaW (Oct 11, 2007)

I just wanted to chime in and say DH and I flew Southwest out of San Diego a few months ago and there were people who had gotten special pre boarding blue cards. Most were elderly or disabled but there was also a couple with a baby. Maybe when you check in ask about the blue card. It might have just been a San Diego thing but its worth asking


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## happy2bamama (Apr 29, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *JennaW* 
I just wanted to chime in and say DH and I flew Southwest out of San Diego a few months ago and there were people who had gotten special pre boarding blue cards. Most were elderly or disabled but there was also a couple with a baby. Maybe when you check in ask about the blue card. It might have just been a San Diego thing but its worth asking









Thanks for the tip - I will definitely try to snag one of these cards! If I do, the bulkhead is probably the best place for us to be, right? Or is the lack of storage below us a bigger pain in the butt than having a seat reclined back in front of us?

Sorry I have so many questions!


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## abharrington (Jun 30, 2007)

we love our techno and use it for airplane travel. it holds the carseat (we use the costco scenera for travel...wonderful!) and dd goes in the ergo. just play around with your stroller and seat to get the most secure fit. a bungee cord or 2 might help. i think it would be SOOO much easier to push that britax than to try to carry it, the lo and your carry on.

hope you have a good flight!


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## Ironica (Sep 11, 2005)

We have a carseat duffel bag, but I want one with wheels next time for sure. ;-)

We've taken our Marathon on several flights, both RF and FF. It's never been fun to install (especially because we never knew about belt extenders!), but it's always fit. Don't know about RF on Southwest, but we've flown with them FF.

Southwest won't have TVs. They pride themselves on their lack of frills.


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## happy2bamama (Apr 29, 2006)

For those of you who love the Scenera from Target, I saw one the other day and I'm wondering if it's comfortable? Does your DC sleep in it? My only worry is that if we get it, maybe it's not cushy enough like DS's Marathon and perhaps he won't sleep in it and "nap drives" might be the key to any napping at all while we're on our trip.

Thanks for the help!

P.S. The Marathon fits perfectly into our MacLaren stroller - it's even snug and tight, so that is what I'm going to do to get it to the gate (with DS in the Ergo on my back). But, I'm considering the Scenera so we don't have to keep changing the Marathon in and out of our cars for every trip we take.


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## Shelsi (Apr 4, 2005)

No it's not as cushy. Ds is usually in a marathon but we used the scenera last time we flew. So we installed it in our car for our trip to the airport. It was the first time ds had ever ridden in it. On the way as we're traveling down a road we travel almost every day ds says, "whoa! this road is bumpy today!"







So yeah he noticed it (he was 3.5 yrs at the time). But he also fell asleep in it later that day and throughout our trip so it couldn't be that bad. I think babies just don't need all that softness that us adults do. Heck even my high needs dd will fall asleep on the floor given the right conditions.


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## mommymonkey (Feb 16, 2007)

We just got back from a trip. As PP said, we put the carseat on the stroller and carried our ds. We left out of Atlanta and that is one big airport. We left on the smallest commerical plane I have ever been on. There was no way our Blvd was going in rf. So, I turn it and had a lot of trouble getting a good install. I think maybe b/c it was the first time I had done a ff install and it was on this little plane and people keep bumping me as they walked by. Oh, and that was with a belt extender.

The way back was much eaiser to install. The plane was little bigger, but I went ahead and ff ds. I thought about buying the Costco seat but, I wanted something ds was used too and something I know he sleeps in. He was so tired that as soon as we put him in the carseat he feel asleep....even before the plane started moving.


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## happy2bamama (Apr 29, 2006)

Just wanted to say thanks for all of your help and let you know how it worked out...

I ended up taking the Britax Marathon (though I was tempted to buy the Scenera) and it fit perfectly inside our MacLaren stroller (Quest) - like they were made to work together! I had DS in the Ergo on my front an the backpack full of snacks and toys on my back or in the car seat (which was wheeled around on the stroller). On our first flight, people were really helpful and helped me get the car seat to my seat, but coming home, I had DS on my front, a ginormous backpack on my back and had to carry the car seat down the aisle on top of my head because it's so bulky (not to mention that I had to collapse the stroller before we got on board). People were actually diverting their eyes as to say, "Please don't sit here with a baby," but of course, AFTER the flight was over, people were like, "What a good little traveller," and "You had a big load!" No thanks to you. The toughest time was either getting on or off the airplane since I could no longer use the stroller.

The car seat fit fine on the seat with no probs and it didn't encroach on my space like I was led to believe that it would. Since I had the arm up, it actually created a little nook for snacks and toys. And, I could lean my head on the car seat after DS fell asleep. The only drawback was that DS had such little legroom (due to the bulkiness of the seat) and so his feet were resting against the back of the seat in front of him (he's a tall guy too). I apologized in advance to the people in front of him and luckily they both were like, "Don't even worry about it - let him kick all he wants - I have three kids!" Whew, that was a relief, but DS was really good about it an learned not to kick the seat.

Oh and on the way there, we had a stopover but we didn't have to get off, so we got to re-choose our seats, so we got a bulkhead seat which was awesome!! Although DS didn't use the space to play in like I thought he would. He sat in his chair the whole time - I couldn't believe it. He only got out on the flight home after he napped and woke up and wanted to nurse more.

Sorry I'm rambling... just wanted to post this in case it helps anyone make a decision about their future travel


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Glad to hear you had a good experience!

I have not ever had any help getting on the plane either. I flew once with DD1 when she was about 17 months and I was very pregnant with DD2. I had her, the diaper bag, and her Marathon. I asked a FA for help and she was snotty ("I dont' know how you think you will manage with 2!!") and her "help" was to try to physically remove DD from my arms, who was clinging to me and crying. I ended up just carrying everything to our seats myself and getting the seat installed. When we got off the plane, though, we waited until everyone else was off the plane to get out, and the pilot came back and talked to DD and helped me carry the carseat off the plane. He was so nice







:

Even with both kids, both seats, bags, stroller etc the FAs just stand there and watch.


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## PassionateWriter (Feb 27, 2008)

yeh, no one ever helped me on Delta either. the FA's were useless for that kind of stuff. i RF'd our car seat though so we didnt have the issue of kicking the seat in front.


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