Continental Airlines-checking a booster car seat-Free? ID needed for kids?

[kimmi5207]

The below isn't a cruise related question, but I know many people fly in for Pre-cruise vacations, so I'm hoping someone on the family board can answer this question.

 

We are flying to Atlanta on Continental Airlines, renting a car at the airport, and driving on to another state. My 5 year old niece will be with me and she uses a booster car seat - in our state, it's the law for under age 8 and in the states we are traveling to, it's the law for under age 6.

 

Has anyone checked a car seat at the baggage claim area with their suitcases? Is it really free? I checked the website for continental, and it appears you can check a car seat or stroller for free, but I wanted to hear from some one who has actually done it, as I don't want a suprise fee at the airport.

 

Of course I could always rent one from the car rental agency, but it would be $60 extra for the 5 days, which is more than the cost of a new carseat.

 

Note - we don't intend to use it on the plane. Just in the car at our destination.

 

Another ? - what is needed for identification for little kids to fly? Do they need identification (i.e. a birth certificate to show security to match the airline ticket)? I always use my passport or drivers license. My son has had a passport every since we started flying, so I'm not sure of the real requirements.

 

Thanks

 

Thanks

[6rugrats]

Children under the age of 18 don't need any id to fly. I know you aren't taking it on the plane, for for other's information, booster seats are not allowed to be used on planes. CO will allow either a car seat or stroller to be checked free, in addition to the regular baggage allowance.

[Kerry's Girls]

I flew Continental last month. I put two booster seats into a tote bag and checked it free with no problem either direction. If you're concerned, you could print out the page on their website where it says car seats, etc. can be checked for free, but I wouldn't anticipate any problem.

 

Best,

Mia

[MNmomof4]

You can check the booster seat free but I would probably gate check it for free also. It will get a special tag and be put in the belly of the plane as everyone is boarding and it will be waiting in the gangway for you as you deplane. This way you wont have to wait for bags and you will have minimal risk of it getting damaged with other heavy bags on top of it. If it's a backless booster you could put it under the seat in front of you or overhead bins depending on how much carry on you are taking for the family.

 

No ID needed for kids

 

Have a great trip!

[foxesden1]

can you not use a booster seat on the flight, like a car seat?

 

noop seems like you can not

 

If your child has graduated to a booster seat, you should be aware that this type of child restraint system is not approved for use in airplanes. In part, this is because they are designed for use only with lap and shoulder belts, with the exception of the shield booster for children under 40 pounds. In addition, they do not pass the inversion test required by the FAA before any child safety seat is approved for use on an airplane, and they interfere with the airline seat's design when it comes to safety performance.

[6rugrats]

can you not use a booster seat on the flight, like a car seat?

 

No, they are not approved for air travel. You can only use an FAA-approved child safety seat.

[RoadTripFanatic]

DD since she was 2 has had a state issued ID. I got one for her before she had her passport for our first cruise. I wanted a legal photo id for her when we left the country along w/ her birth certificate. She has always flown stateside with this id. The security guards seem to get a kick out of the fact that she has id. But as everyone else said they do not need a photo id to fly.

 

As for the booster seat I always check mine. I've never had a problem with it being lost. What I do recommend is purchasing a travel car seat cover (big zip up bag) for it. I just used my old one from my old car seat. I didn't want it getting wet or anything spilled on it during it's transit from point A to point B. Not only that but this bag has been a lifesaver when I wanted to store coats and other weather gear on flights! I didn't want to drag my winter coat and umbrella onto the plane when I was leaving the frozen tundra and going to FL!!!

[hooked-on-travel]

So you can only take a car seat or stroller for free? Not both? Can you do the slick "DH is taking a car seat, I'm taking a stroller"? :grin:

[MNmomof4]

So you can only take a car seat or stroller for free? Not both? Can you do the slick "DH is taking a car seat, I'm taking a stroller"? :grin:

 

You can take both car seats and strollers for free. I usually gate check the double stroller and 2 car seats.

[6rugrats]

So you can only take a car seat or stroller for free? Not both? Can you do the slick "DH is taking a car seat, I'm taking a stroller"? :grin:

 

From CO's webpage:

Continental accepts one stroller or one carseat in addition to a customer's baggage allowance. Note: If you are traveling with a stroller and a carseat in addition to the baggage allowance, only one of these items is carried free of charge.

 

You can try anything you like.

[hooked-on-travel]

This piqued my interest as we're taking Continental to Barcelona for a TA this fall. Since DD will be 5 y/o I'm on the fence about taking a stroller anyway, but we used it at Disney this spring and were glad we had it. On the other hand, I'm just one connection away from figuring out how to do the whole trip without a car seat. We could take the public bus from the BCN airport to hotel, but I don't think I want to haul all that luggage on the bus. DH and I have done that in a previous life, but we had a 'you pack it you haul it' approach. Doesn't work with kids ::eyeroll:: Anyway, we may need a car seat afterall, so I guess I'll go back to that fence I'm on about the stroller. Eh, for $25 we may just bite the bullet. If my slick trick works, great, if not, it's only one direction.

[hooked-on-travel]

On the other hand, if I'm going to pay for it as luggage, I suppose I'll put the booster in a giant duffle and cram in as much as I can! :D

[Kerry's Girls]

This piqued my interest as we're taking Continental to Barcelona for a TA this fall. Since DD will be 5 y/o I'm on the fence about taking a stroller anyway, but we used it at Disney this spring and were glad we had it. On the other hand, I'm just one connection away from figuring out how to do the whole trip without a car seat. We could take the public bus from the BCN airport to hotel, but I don't think I want to haul all that luggage on the bus. DH and I have done that in a previous life, but we had a 'you pack it you haul it' approach. Doesn't work with kids ::eyeroll:: Anyway, we may need a car seat afterall, so I guess I'll go back to that fence I'm on about the stroller. Eh, for $25 we may just bite the bullet. If my slick trick works, great, if not, it's only one direction.

 

I just flew Continental from LAX to Barcelona in June and checked two booster seats for my twin 5 year olds for free (in one tote bag with nothing else in it), and also checked my large sit n' stand stroller at the gate with no problem - and I'm a single mom, so there was no other adult to split it with. Personally, I found the boosters extremely helpful on our cruise for private tours, but if you're only going to be in Barcelona, cabs did allow my girls to ride without their boosters the couple of times we did. Or you could pre-arrange transport with a car seat - though that would probably cost more than just bringing your own.

 

Have a great time - my girls LOVE Barcelona.

 

Best,

Mia

[hooked-on-travel]

Thanks for the tip, Mia. I'm familiar with your story and think it's great you take the girls so many places. Our DD is just a little younger than your girls, so I think you're usually the one providing me with just the right 'been there done that' answers. It also seems like they've been the same places.

 

I say I've figured out all the connections b/c we've joined a roll call group bus from BCN hotel to airport and then Galveston to airport. And we are used to taking public transportation on trips. Add to that the fact that we only have 4 port stops on our 14 night cruise and we were really trying to go booster seat-less. OK, I'm on the fence there, too. I'll probably take both the stroller and booster.

 

But since you mention your family enjoyed Barcelona and we have 2.5 days in Barcelona before the cruise, what did your girls enjoy? (To the OP, sorry to hijack.)

[toonye]

Has anyone checked a car seat at the baggage claim area with their suitcases? Is it really free? I checked the website for continental, and it appears you can check a car seat or stroller for free, but I wanted to hear from some one who has actually done it, as I don't want a suprise fee at the airport.

 

Hi!

 

I've done it last April and it worked just fine for us!

I was flying from Germany to the US with my 8-yr old daughter so needed her booster seat

 

Also couldn't packed it in a bag as I would have had to pay for extra luggage which means 55 USD each way when flying transatlantic:eek:

 

So, when checking in on-line, there was a field about luggage where you had to enter your number of checked luggaged + any free item

So I registered 1 checked suitcase for my daughter + her carseat as free item

 

When I came at the airport, both in Germany and in the US, I hadn't any issue checking in her car seat for free along with our suitcases.

 

Each time the CO attendant fetched a big plastic bag to protect our booster seat and I can tell you it was well packed, nothing happened!

 

I had also printed the CO webpage about the children items but I hadn't to show it at all, they were all well aware of this policy

 

Regarding ID, I can't tell for the US, but within Europe, you'd need a photo ID for your child and of course, for a TA flight: a passport;)

 

Bon voyage!

toonye

[MNmomof4]

From CO's webpage:

Continental accepts one stroller or one carseat in addition to a customer's baggage allowance. Note: If you are traveling with a stroller and a carseat in addition to the baggage allowance, only one of these items is carried free of charge.

 

You can gate check strollers and car seats. I find having the stroller when I get off the plane to walk through the terminal comes in handy when you have a tired child.

[kimmi5207]

Sorry it has taken me so long to get back. Busy at work and haven't had access at home the last couple of evenings.

 

Thanks so much to everyone for sharing your experiences. I feel much more comfortable! With all the new baggage fees, I just wanted to make sure that what was shown on the website is in fact what occurs in real life.

 

Also nice to know they put the carseat in a bag to protect it!

 

P.S. It is one of the booster seats that looks like a baby car seat - just designed for the bigger kids 40-80 lbs.

[QLUVS2CRUZ]

 

Also nice to know they put the carseat in a bag to protect it!

 

P.S. It is one of the booster seats that looks like a baby car seat - just designed for the bigger kids 40-80 lbs.

 

Not all will put it in a bag for you...cutbacks! I'm not sure if Continental is one or not...but you can buy your own bag. I have two kids in boosters, so I always gate check them. Easier for me than waiting for them at baggage claim.

 

My kids don't have ID's but it seems TSA always asks them individually what their names are.

[familycruzinnewbie]

I'm sure the rules have changed but we used Continental to fly to Europe for a year (Aug 08-09). The debate was whether the kids booster seats would be considered car seats as we have had that issue before. We actually went to the airport the day before, they said it was fine and made a note as I was bringing a lot. The 4 of each brought two 50b suitcases each (has this gone down for international now), plus the checked booster seats in a bag and then one rolly carry on suitcase each plus one carry on personal item each. No fees. We did the same on the way back but they did not like our carryon amounts at the plane so put two of them under (but you don't pay if they take them on you at the plane). Unfortunately the electronic luggage system was down in Shannon so we had to retag in Newark and had to carry those two on for the next part of our flight.

[hooked-on-travel]

It's one checked for international now. We're packing to 2.5 weeks, so we may splurge for a 4th bag in our group on 3. I guess I never considered they wouldn't classify a booster as a car seat. A family using a car needs one just as much as the other, the difference simply being age/weight.

[familycruzinnewbie]

FYI - if there are extra business seats available, they offer them for a ok deal when you check in online. We were almost tempted to upgrade one of us just for the extra luggage allowance.

[hooked-on-travel]

Oooo, good to know. We're going to have to be on the ball for check-in b/c when we booked they only had two seat [that you can pick ahead of time] left and they weren't together. I don't expect anyone to sit with my 5 y.o..lol Anyway, when I called she said we could get seats assigned at 24 hours ahead, basically when they open the premium seats. Sounds like I'll look into the business seat at that time, though I think we'd rather sit together. What is the extra business allowance? If the upgrade costs more than $25 (the bag cost), then I don't see how that alone would push one over.

[6rugrats]

Oooo, good to know. We're going to have to be on the ball for check-in b/c when we booked they only had two seat [that you can pick ahead of time] left and they weren't together. I don't expect anyone to sit with my 5 y.o..lol Anyway, when I called she said we could get seats assigned at 24 hours ahead, basically when they open the premium seats. Sounds like I'll look into the business seat at that time, though I think we'd rather sit together. What is the extra business allowance? If the upgrade costs more than $25 (the bag cost), then I don't see how that alone would push one over.

It's very rare that an upgrade for cash at the gate (and that's when it would be offered, not before) is offered. The last time I saw this offered was on a flight IAD-FRA and the cost was $600 to upgrade for one person from economy to business. There were no takers.

 

CO's elite flyers are waiting to receive upgrades, and they usually get them.

 

If you want to check if there is any possibility of seats being open go here and enter in your flight. You will see the list of elites who are waiting to upgrade:

https://www.continental.com/web/en-US/apps/travel/flightstatus/default.aspx?camp=virtual_expert

 

Check in exactly at 24 hours to grab two seats together and never assume that the gate agent will sort it out before your flight!

[hooked-on-travel]

The 24 hour check-in is exactly when I expect to snag 3 seats together. Worst case we get 2 seats together and a single somewhere else, hopefully nearby. I don't want to wait for the last minute. It drives me a little nuts that I have to wait for 24 hours prior, but it's where I'm at. Hence, I will have to be on the ball.

[familycruzinnewbie]

At the time business passengers were allowed to bring on three 70 lb bags instead of two 50 lb ones. It would have cost us 150 euros for the 3rd 50lb bag and I think the extra fee to business was comparable. The offer was for when we checked in 24 hours before hand not at the gate. We've been offered to upgrade the last few domestic flights on Air Canada during online check in but the fee has been per leg so at least $400 for both legs in one direction.