What to do if your car seat is missing at the airport

You've arrived at the airport well ahead of time, checked in your family's luggage, entertained the kids in the terminal, ensured their hands are clean 13 times, and made it through the flight without a hitch. Now, as you reach baggage claim, you're excited to collect your belongings, only to discover that your child's car seat is nowhere to be found.

We've experienced this ourselves more than once. However, before you panic about being stuck at the airport without a car seat for your child, remember that there's usually a simple solution. Here’s what to do if your child's car seat doesn't arrive with you.

First, check the oversized luggage area

Your family's car seat might not be with the other bags. Occasionally, car seats are placed in the oversized section of baggage claim alongside items like skis, surfboards, and large sports equipment. Make sure to look there first.

If you gate-checked your car seat before boarding and forgot to retrieve it after deplaning, it’s likely still waiting for you at the jet bridge. If you’ve already made it to baggage claim when this dawns on you, it’s too late to go back. Your best option is to contact baggage services and explain the situation so they can assist you in recovering it.

Visit baggage services

The process may vary based on your location and the time of day, but generally, the airline will have a baggage service office where you can seek assistance if it becomes evident that your car seat is missing.

This is the place to request help in tracking down your car seat. They can check if it's at the airport but hidden away or if it has embarked on its own little adventure.

You might be able to track your checked luggage using the airline's app, giving you the chance to find out where your bag is before you speak with anyone at the baggage office.

Request a temporary car seat

If you've confirmed that your car seat missed the flight and won’t arrive shortly, kindly ask the airline's baggage office for a temporary car seat. This situation occurs often enough that they typically have extras available for borrowing while you wait for your car seat. Sometimes these are brand-new, and while others may vary in condition, they’re generally preferable to sitting idle.

The baggage office might inform you that you don't need to return the "temporary" car seat, allowing you to donate it to someone in need once your car seats are finally located. The airport might coordinate with the delivery service to pick up the loaned seat after your delayed car seat arrives, or they may just ask you to return it to the baggage office during your next airport visit for your departure flight.

If nothing else works

Requesting a temporary car seat usually resolves the issue most of the time when an airline misplaces your car seat or delays its arrival. Most airlines are equipped to handle such situations. However, if this solution falls short, consider these alternatives.

If you're renting a vehicle, keep in mind that many rental companies offer car seats for rent. Some, like Silvercar, don’t even charge extra for them. Availability varies, and the quality can range from excellent with Silvercar to less favorable from other companies, but a rental seat is better than being stranded. You could use it briefly to get to a nearby Target or Walmart to purchase a better option and later submit the expense to the airline or utilize your credit card's built-in baggage delay protection coverage to cover the cost.

In the event that there are no car seats available to rent or borrow at the airport, a last-resort option is for one adult to drive or take a cab or car service to buy one (assuming there are multiple adults in your group). That person can then return to collect the rest of the family.

Don't forget to keep your receipt, as either the airline or your card's trip-delay protection may reimburse you for the expense in many instances.

In summary

It’s incredibly frustrating when a car seat, essential for a family trip, doesn’t arrive with your flight.

Let’s hope this situation never occurs for you, as most luggage travels without issue.

One way to minimize the chances of complications is to use the car seat on the plane if you've bought a separate seat for your child (just ensure the car seat is FAA approved, complete with the necessary sticker). For larger kids, there are several travel-friendly car seats that can easily fit in a carry-on, like the collapsible WAYB Pico, Mifold, or even the inflatable Bubble Bum Booster seat.

If your car seat does end up missing the flight, don’t stress. Typically, you can visit the baggage claim office and request a loaner car seat to use until yours arrives on a later flight and is delivered to your destination.