stroller / airlplane question

[3yL]

I guess I haven't given this enough thought yet (and I'm running out of time for that!) - will we be able to take our stroller on the plane (carry-on) or will it have to be checked? It's not huge, but it's not an umbrella either. We have an umbrella, should we take it as well (take regular and umbrella)? I hate the thought of going through the airport without the stroller. The regular stroller certainly wouldn't fit in an overhead though. lol

I shouldn't have a problem checking it, we have 6 tickets, and we won't have that many bags.

 

[maciec]

We take our stroller all the way to the gate. Just before getting onto the plane and the end of the ramp there will be a place for you to fold up your stroller and leave it. We do this every time that we fly and have never had any problems.

 

[mkutch]

We take ours right to the gate too. Be prepared beforehand when going through security they will ask you to fold it up and put it throught the x-ray machine. I was flying alone with my 5 mo. son and didn't know this. I had so much "stuff" in the basket strangers started to help me. What a hoot! Suffice it to say I wait until we are through security to load things up underneath the stroller.

 

[BevS97]

That's new - I've taken a stroller loads of times, and never had to have it x-rayed. what do they do if it won't fit through the machine? I can't see my Graco going through an x-ray machine. It's always been hand-checked in the past (although I did have to empty the baskets and put all the "stuff" through)

Bev

 

[tjmw2727]

Yes, in February we had to empty the stroller, fold and put it through the belt. It was an umbrella and fit fine but I imagine they have an alternative for those strollers that don't fit. Be prepared to remove everything from the stroller or have it folded as you enter security. We also had to remove our jackets, that was the thing that caught us off guard - this was at Logan.

Also if you plan to gate check the stroller (highly recommended) be sure and get a "gate check" ticket from the attendant after you pass security and get to the gate. You can't just leave it in the jetway and expect to have it on arrival. You can also specify if you want it waiting at the door when you get off the plane or at the baggage carosel.

HTH
TJ

 

[3yL]

gate check the stroller

Forgive me for being really dumb -- does this mean giving it to the people at the counter where they issue the boarding passes and stuff?

 

[tjmw2727]

Originally posted by 3yL
Forgive me for being really dumb -- does this mean giving it to the people at the counter where they issue the boarding passes and stuff?

No dumb questions, only dumb if you don't ask!!

To gate check the stroller literally means to take it with you right to the gate where you board the airplane, rather than checking it through with the rest of your luggage. Either option is fine, if you check it through with the luggage it will arrive on the carosel with the other luggage, great option if your kids are older.

If you have babies or toddlers a sometimes better option is to keep the stroller with you - gate check. Bring it through security as discussed above and to the gate. At the gate ask the attendants for a "gate check" they will give you a ticket, like a luggage ticket for your stroller. Leave the stroller folded and secure at the door of the airplane when boarding and it will be waiting for you in a similar spot when you land and get off the aircraft.

HTH
TJ

 

[SueM in MN]

We gate check a wheelchair all the time, so I can help out here too.
Let them know when you first check in that you want to gate chcek the stroller. They may give you a gate check tag at that point or they may tell you to get one from the gate agent. For going thru security, if it's too big to go thru the xray, I've seen them do the same as with a wheelchair - they hand check it.
If you're getting a gate check tag from the gate agent, do that well before they start boarding. The gate agent has to fill out the destination and you may have some choices about where you want the stroller delivered - at the gate or baggage at your final destination or a city where you are changing flights. If you ask for one during boarding, there is more chance of getting something written down wrong (and your stroller may end up vacationing in another city without you).
As tjmw2727 mentioned, fold the stroller securely - you don't want any parts popping open that could get bent or caught. Remember to pick it up when you leave the plane. We are almost always the last off the plane and on most flights we see a stroller sitting at the gate waiting fro someone who forgot they gate checked it.

 

[BevS97]

if you are changing plane's on-route, then it's a pretty good idea to ask for the stroller to be returned at the end of each flight, that way you have it to get across the transit airport (which can be a long walk), and it also guarantees that the the stroller makes it onto the 2nd flight. I flew with my dd once, via Heathrow, and none of our bags arrived with us, but our stroller was there since we had used it in Heathrow and personally taken it to the 2nd plane.

it was inconvienent having no bags, but having no stroller would have been a nightmare.

Bev

 

[3yL]

Thanks everyone! Gate checking the stroller sounds like a great plan! I had no idea I could do this - it will make things a lot easier.