Britax Marathon Car Seat Fit in United Airline Planes?

Updated on April 02, 2010
J.B. asks from Fairfax, VA
10 answers

Has anyone flown with united and brought there britax marathon car seat on board? I would like to have it rear facing, but doesn't that mean the person who sits in front of the car seat can't recline? The car seat seems big, I am guessing it won't be in the same angle on the plane as we have it in the car because of limited room between seats on the plane. I hope the car seat will fit!

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C.C.

answers from Tampa on

I don't know how much you fly but I fly frequently and often it's just me and my son so I got a strap hook up thing that turns the airplane seat into a car seat. I'm doing a horrible job explaining so here's a link to the site:
http://www.kidsflysafe.com/
I didn't actually buy it from there, I was able to get one cheaper on amazon.com. I think it's pretty nifty and it makes getting through security, not to mention on and off the plane SO much easier.

1 mom found this helpful

C.C.

answers from Fresno on

I have flown with ours, when our girls were smaller. However at least at that time, the flight attendants told me it had to be forward facing. It worked out fine.

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C.W.

answers from Washington DC on

We flew with our Marathon once. You have to buy a seat. The Marathon was huge and trying to get it through the airport and aisles was challenging. The flight attendants were not helpful in installing it. It took another passenger to help me get it in place and it has to be forward facing. In the end, I wished I had left it at home and just got one of those CARE harnesses and used the regular airline seat.

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R.W.

answers from Washington DC on

I have taken our w/us but always check it. It has not been damaged. We use the CARES harness as well. So much better than lugging a carseat on-board.

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J.S.

answers from Washington DC on

Yes I have on domestic and international flights. You must buy a seat for their carseat or gate check the seat and hold the baby. Most airline staff make you use it forward facing, sometimes you can get away with using it rear facing but dont count on it. It is a pain in the butt to lug your child and car seat and usully the staff do not help you out, usually. I do not think it's ok to not allow someone to lean their seat back just because you want your childs seat backwards. Most travellers are tired and need to rest too. Be considerate. Oh and I'm not sure what age your child is but they sell on www.onestepahead.com some ear plugs to help with a childs ear popping . I have used them and they do work but once my kids were old enough I would give them diabetic sugar free lollipops to help them and they worked great. Do not forget to bring hand sanitizer and clorox wipes to wipe down the arm rests, tables and things. The baby wont touch the tray tables but you probably will and germs on an airplane ..... yuk! I would also give the kids extra vitamins a few days in advance and on the flight. Zinc and vitamin C are supposed to help with immunity.

Have a great trip!

B.W.

answers from Minneapolis on

Yes Ma'am, we've flown with our Marathon at least 10 times and have used it on the flight every time, rear facing up until the last few times when our 3yr old did sit forward facing on the flights (but was still rear facing in the car).

Request either the far back seats (more legroom therefore more room for more rear facing) or the bulkhead seats, which have no seat in front of them so you can rcline as much as possible the car seat.

Definentely do NOT check the seat, it will suffer lots of damage being checked with baggage.... it just gets tossed in with the rest of the luggage

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M.K.

answers from Stationed Overseas on

My neighbor has this car seat and has flown with it rear facing. She said it fit just fine but the person in front of her could not recline their seat at all. If you are concerned when you purchase tickets request the bulkhead seats because these tends to be more room and the car seat might fit better. I have flown with a different car seat and it always means the person in front of me can't recline their seat. And if a car seat is FAA approved or airline approved it will most likely fit unless it is a super small plane.

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C.S.

answers from Miami on

I highly doubt it. If it doesn't fit they will make you check it and you will have to try to keep your child in a seat belt. Good luck!

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M.J.

answers from New York on

I tried to take mine with us to Hawaii and was so thankful they made me gate-check it. (We hadn't purchased the airline seat for my daughter, then 22 months, and even though the airline seat between me and my mother was empty they made me gate-check the car seat.) It is big and bulky and trying to wrangle it up and over the seats AND not lose the child, ugh! As it was, it was awful lugging the thing through the airport (and we had the thing that attaches so it could be wheeled). I do not recommend the wheels if you plan on taking it on the plane, it was a hassle to attach, detach, reattach, every time we boarded/disembarked/transferred. The wheels have to come off to put it in the seat, and you need room to maneuver, which means doing it at the gate. You don't want to have to do that if you're running the slightest bit late.

She was also more comfortable in the airline seat, could lay down with her head on my lap to sleep, and my mother and I (on either side of her) had more elbow room. The seat would've taken up A LOT of wiggle room and we would have been much more cramped. Not fun on a 14 hour flight.

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L.S.

answers from Richmond on

I flew with our Marathon and didn't have any problems. it's big and cumbersome but it kept my daughter save and comfortable. We were able to use it either rear or forward facing.

We originally had it rear facing but the person in front of us complained that she couldn't recline her seat so we switched it to forward facing to accommodate her and then my daughter kicked the back of her seat since it sits so high. (my daughter was tired and needed a nap) The person in front then demanded that we put it back to rear facing. I did feel bad (for only a second though b/c of her attitude) about the person not being able to recline their seat but honestly my daughters safety is more important to me.

Long story short, yes the Marathon will fit. :)

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