Can I "stroll" right up to the gate?

[3princesses4us]

Believe it or not, this will be the first time we've flown with a baby in tow. My questions are:
1) We want to keep her in the umbrella stroller in the airport. Can we stroll up to the gate, fold it up and store it overhead or will they make us check it in like luggage and carry her to the gate?

2) Do all airlines let you pre-board with young children (I know SW does)?

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

 

[DisneyPhD]

Yes you can stroll up to the gate. Just fold it up there and they will stow it under the plan for you. Make sure to get a gate check for it (they will give it to you either at check in or when you board the plane.)

Most plans do pre-board. Spirit has recently stopped doing this, they board according to zones. I didn't like it, but really it didn't make our boarding any harder.

 

[DebbieB]

It depends on the age. Many airlines specify infants or lap babies or those with car seats.

 

[3princesses4us]

Ah, I see. So I should just ask upon check-in. She'll just barely be 2 and she'll have her own seat on the plane so maybe not.
Anyway, thanks for the answers guys!

DisneyPhD, my DH is assuming if we check the stroller in at the gate that means we'll be the last ones off the plane while waiting for them to retrieve it. True or is he paranoid?

 

[DisneyPhD]

When we flew last time on Spirit we mentioned to the gate staff they never gave us a gate check. She said "oh the should of done that at check in" Yea right! They don't, I think the women just didn't want to say they missed it. I wouldn't worry about it at all. (it takes all of 2 seconds to get a gate check tag for the stroller.)

No, they unload the strollers before anyone steps off the plan, so unless you are 1st class or in the very 1st row it shouldn't be an issue at all. In 8 trips with a stroller, it was always waiting for us before we ever exited the plane.

Have a good trip.

Oh and the thing with Spirit and the zones is new and it didn't mater if you had a lap baby, car seat or under 2 (mine was a lap baby under 2, they did not preboard anyone with car seats also though.) This is new for Spirit. I know some airlines don't preboard for Orlando because there are so many kids, but I think most still do preboard. (and should, you don't want to be behind me and my kids, sorry.) Still you should be fine.

 

[all4disney98]

We just flew Song and Delta and they didn't preboard anybody with small children (not even the infants with or without car seats).

For our umbrella strollers, we had to get a gate check tag (takes just a minute or so) and left the strollers right outside the door to the airplane. It did take a couple of minutes after we landed to have them brought back up but we waited right at the airplane door and they were delivered to us promptly.

You do have to take the baby out of the stroller when going through security though. You need to fold the stroller and put it on the conveyor. Kids don't have to remove their shoes, you just have to empty their pockets.

(This was all new to me too - I hadn't flown in a long time and this was the first time on a plane with children. Seeing their faces look out the window as we were flying was priceless . I think I took 20 pictures of just the flight down!)

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Kids don't have to remove their shoes,

This is not always true, it depends on the airport. I have seen many kids have to remove their shoes at security.

 

[all4disney98]

lost*in*cyberspace - thanks, good to know if we fly again anytime soon.

We were told not to remove our children's shoes in Hartford/Bradley and Orlando/MCO. Perhaps age makes a difference too, our children are young and of stroller age.

 

[goofy1022]

I was wondering about "strolling" to the gate as well... let me make sure I understand. If I gate check the stroller, then that would not count as a "checked item/baggage", correct? I would still get 2 bags per person? We are flying Air Tran.

 

[all4disney98]

I can not speak directly for AirTran, but for Delta and Song it is definitely not considered/counted as a checked item nor a carry-on. You may want to double check AirTran's website but I believe the airlines follow the same guidelines when it comes to luggage these days. I know Southwest has the same guidelines because my sister did the same with them a couple of weeks ago.

When you get to your gate, you just ask at the desk for a gate check tag and secure it to the handle of the stroller. Also, I have read many places to fold the stroller yourself before you leave it outside the plane. I have heard that if the baggage handlers can't close it, they will find a way to close it (if you know what I mean). My umbrella stollers can be a little picky so we didn't take any chances.

 

[goofy1022]

all4disney98 - Thank you very much! I thought I understood, but with my luck I would get there and it would be the total opposite! I am going to call AirTran to double check, too. Thanks

 

[all4disney98]

Your welcome, I am glad I could help. Since we started having children a few years ago, we have always chosen to drive so this was all new to me when we finally flew with the kids this month.

I stressed about everything - the thought of flying with the kids, what to do with the stroller, going through security with the kids etc. So if I can ease anyone else's stress or worries, that makes me happy. I worried for nothing, it was so easy!!! Have a great trip!!

 

[funcinderella]

It always seems like our stroller is the last one up. We have definitely had to wait for our stroller (the whole darn plane emptied and we still waited an additional 10 minutes). Plus, we have a double stroller, and it doesn't fit through the x ray conveyor belt, so there's extra time there at security while they go over the whole thing by hand.

When my daughter was 2, in the Orlando airport, they pulled both of us aside and had our our arms and legs spread and went up and down with the wand. (Picture a 2 year old in this stance; in retrospect it's kinda funny. She thought it was all fun and games...) I think we finally figured out it was something in my clunky sandals that was setting off the alarm.

 

[funcinderella]

It always seems like our stroller is the last one up. We have definitely had to wait for our stroller (the whole darn plane emptied and we still waited an additional 10 minutes). Plus, we have a double stroller, and it doesn't fit through the x ray conveyor belt, so there's extra time there at security while they go over the whole thing by hand.

When my daughter was 2, in the Orlando airport, they pulled both of us aside and had our our arms and legs spread and went up and down with the wand. (Picture a 2 year old in this stance; in retrospect it's kinda funny. She thought it was all fun and games...) I think we finally figured out it was something in my clunky sandals that was setting off the alarm.

 

[Ella's Mom]

I've flown many times and gate checked a stroller. The stroller has always been waiting for me when I get off the plane. When I fly with my daughter, I always make sure that we're both wearing clothes that won't go off when passing through security. I take my daughter's shoes off well before we go through security and just throw them in her diaper bag. I'd rather know that I'm not going to beep when I pass through. I'd hate for my daughter to have to get searched.