Baggage, Stroller, Food help needed from anyone who has flown U.S. Domestic (esp Amer

[daffidyll]

Hi, I’m hoping anyone who has flown U.S. domestic (and especially American Airlines) can help me out here…..I’ve recently found out that on our international flight our stroller and car seat for our 4 year old will count as part of our baggage allowance. The stroller bag alone exceeds the baggage dimension limits just because of the length of it so I’m already stressing out. In reading the baggage allowance on the American Airlines website (we will be using them for 3 of our flights within the U.S.) it says that strollers and car seats do NOT count as part of your baggage allowance and you can bring them in addition with no extra charges. Can anyone who has traveled with their full amount of baggage (i.e. 2 bags per person) PLUS a stroller and/or car seat verify for me that this is true? I am REALLY HOPING it is.

My second question is can anyone tell me how strict the airlines are on the SIZE of each bag? I know they give the dimensions and weights you aren’t to exceed and I know for sure they are strict on weight but what about size? Has anyone’s bags actually been measured by the airlines or are they pretty good about giving you some leeway as long as it’s not anything ridiculous?

Last question…..How are they about flying with dried fruit, peanut butter etc? Just thinking if we buy some at DL and have lots left would like to take it on to Vegas with us rather than having to re-buy when we get there. Is food okay to fly to other states with?

 

[lkohawaii]

I fly American and I take my stroller to the gate and do a gate check in. You give the stroller to the gate counter and they take it from you. When you get off the plane you wait at the gate and they bring it to you. I just put it in the bag before handing it to them. This way my son can use the stroller to get to baggage and back.

I have never had a problem with size of luggage flying out of Hawaii. They are very strict about weight. Don't even go over by ounces. They'll make you repack or pay.

As far as the dry fruit and peanut butter. I take food in a cardboard box. Tape it up and check it in as luggage. Remember each paying passenger gets 2 bags each.

I'm not considered international but everywhere we go we fly over water. Hope this helps.

 

[Mrs. Bee]

I can't help with most of your questions. However, I almost always brings snacks with me to the airport....crackers, granola bars, candy, etc. and I've never had a problem with that. Just no beverages.

 

[tnd]

Does your child have her own seat on the plane? We always use my son's carseat on the plane, and just take it on the plane with us and strap it in. It works very well. We also usually want the stroller in the airport, so we take it through security and then gate check it. You just ask for a tag at the gate and then drop it off at the end of the jetway before getting on the plane. They'll leave it in the same spot when you get off.

I would suggest that you try to avoid checking your carseat and stroller. On our return flight from Italy this summer, we saw baggage handlers tossing strollers and carseats off the luggage carousel. That could be very damaging to the structural integrity of the carseat especially. Gate checking has never been an issue for us with the stroller though.

They've never measured any of my bags to check the dimensions. My guess is they only check if something seems hugely out of whack.

You are allowed to bring food through security, but not drinks. We always bring snacks for our son from home, it's cheaper and then we always have something he likes.

 

[bumbershoot]

I would swear I heard something negative about carrying on jars of peanut butter. They might get through, but you might be hauled aside for more checking, b/c the thickness of the PB and how it looks on their machines.

Of course, checking it in a suitcase (carefully ziplocked and sealed of course!) would probably be different.

We still haven't flown with a stroller, but I see people gate-checking them all the time. After watching carseats and booster seats come crashing and tumbling down onto the luggage carousel at SeaTac, I won't check a carseat any more (we had fully checked it once, and then on the last flight home with DS I checked it at the gate, but not so that it would be at the gate when we got off, so it went to the carousel (I was carrying quite enough!). It almost made me cry, watching that thing crash bang down.

 

[Jade+3]

When we flew AA, we were able to gate check out Phil & Ted's pram - so they do not worry about the size of the stroller. It was a pain taking it through security.

Are you flying Qantas?? On our return to Brisbane from LAX, we were able to gate check the pram as well, so if you do this you should get away with another piece of checked baggage for your return flight. It is such a pain that the airlines here in Australia don't let us gate check prams!

 

[ballarinamom]

You can't have a jar of PB but can have a PB sandwich- go figure! Dry snacks are no problem. We always gate check our stroller an d it's waiting there when we land. We can hang our bags on it when we walk through the airport which is nice. You can bring a strap a hook the car seat onto the the stroller so you aren't hauling it around

 

[brenda1966]

Just keep in mind that not all car seats are FAA approved (ie. you can't use them on planes). Our car seat is like that and I have had to check it as luggage.

Like others, I always take my stroller to the gate. Doesn't mean they won't toss a 50 pound bag on top of it inside the plane and break the wheels off! UGH. And, no, they won't reimburse you at all. At least they went and found the wheels and gave them back to me. Now I always double check the stroller before leaving the jet way and make sure I still have all the parts.

 

[daffidyll]

Thanks everyone! So, if I'm understanding correctly, as long as we check the stroller and car seat at the boarding gate it doesn't count towards your baggage allowance. Will most definitely do it that way then!

Jade+3: Yes, we are flying Qantas. Have they changed the rules of checking them at the gate recently? That's why I originally got so confused. When we flew to Hawaii 2 years ago we were able to check the stroller at the boarding gate (we flew out of Sydney then) and it never counted towards our baggage allowance but this time when we called Qantas they said it counts as baggage and nothing about being able to check it at boarding. I think I'll call again and confirm this just one more time...we'll be flying out of BNE this time...maybe they have different rules?

 

[Jade+3]

Flying out of BNE the pram was counted as checked baggage. They would not let us gate check it.

On our return, we flew AA from San Francisco to LAX, then back to BNE. When we got to LAX, the pram was waiting at the gate. We walked to the international terminal, and went through security. When it was time to board the Qantas flight, we just gave the pram to the staff at the aircraft door. They asked our seat number, and came and gave us a baggae claim ticket. On arrival in BNE, the pram came out with the luggage. This was about 8 weeks ago.

Also, be aware that they were doing renovations in the international terminal at LAX. Once we had cleared security, there was no where to buy anything to eat or drink. To get to the plane, we had to get on a bus.

Have you thought about not taking you pram, and just buying a cheap stroller when you get there?

 

[daffidyll]

OMG!! Seriously, we can't take anything to eat or drink or buy anything to eat or drink???? We have a 5 hour layover before our flight and were planning on having at least water if not some actual food. That's crazy! Ok, I now need to rethink things....is there any water/food etc available anywhere BEFORE going through security? Maybe we should hang out around there and save going through the security check until the last hour? Will they give you water on the plane then???? GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

Stroller issue such a pain....thought about buying one when we got there, same as the booster seat but the problem is we won't be driving so will need the booster seat for the shuttle to get to DL and then I guess we could probably get a taxi somewhere around there to get a stroller which we need for DL and Vegas but was thinking (originally anyway) that it would just be easier to bring ours.

 

[Jade+3]

There were places to eat before security. We only had a 90 minute connection, and the security line was huge, so we thought we would clear security, then get something to eat. Bad decision. I had to wait until we got on the plane to get some water to make a bottle for DS. Luckily I had some chips and biscuits in my bag which the kids ate. Hopefully the reno's will be finished before you get there.

We had no problems getting water on the plane. They give you a snack bag after your meal, which has a bottle of water in it, plus the cabin crew were offering water and fruit during the flight.

The stroller/car seat dilemma was my biggest headache when planning our holiday. I am not sure if there is anywhere in walking distance from Disney that sells strollers, but there is a Target not too far away.

 

[daffidyll]

Thanks Jade+3. Can I bother you one more time (hopefully the last though I won't promise ) and ask if on your return flight did AA check your baggage straight through to Qantas or did you have to collect it and walk it over to International and re-check it? Also, was it a long walk over to Int'l and if we need to lug all our baggage with us do they have trollies? For some reason I was thinking it so far away you had to take a shuttle or bus to get to Int'l. Yes, I definitely hope the reno's are finished by March but probably unlikely. Actually I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that BNE is about to start major reno's too (probably just in time for our flight).

 

[Jade+3]

AA checked our bags through to BNE.

AA terminal is next to the international terminal, so an easy walk. The only problem we encountered was finding elevators. There were escalators everywhere, but we had the kids in the pram, and all of our hand luggage on a luggage cart, so needed the elevators.

We had heaps of hand luggage - 2 cabin bags, a back pack, one of those little kids suitcases and 2 pillows, plus my handbag. The security people at LAX were excellent, and allowed us to take the luggage cart into the departure lounge.

Just one last piece of advice - Qantas check in at BNE is a joke. We arrived at 8.45am for a midday flight. We didn't get checked in until 10.30, then had to take the pram and car seats to the large item baggage area. Take plenty of stuff to amuse your child while you are in line.

Hope I have been of some help, and enjoy your holiday.

 

[daffidyll]

Much appreciated Jade+3!!!! You've been a tremendous help! Good to hear we can carry on all those little extras like the pillow too!! THANKS AGAIN!