Can you still take your umbrella stroller on the airplane as you are walking on?

[PaulaSue]

I have never flown with my own kids and since 9/11 I wasn't sure if the "rules" have changed.

Can you still take your umbrella stroller on the airplane with you as you are walking on? Or do you have to check it with the rest of your bags before you actually enter the airport?

I'm not sure if I saw correctly but I was think I saw people just leave it at the door of the plane as they were boarding. Then it was returned to the door area when they landed so that they could have full use of it at inside the airport going to/from plane to the resturants, bag pick up, etc.
TIA

 

[poohguys]

When we went in 2003 we were able to take it right up to the door of the plane. They I guess stow it under the plane and when we got off we had to wait for 5 or 10 mins. while the brought all of the strollers up.

 

[Tara]

Yes, this is called gate checking. You'll need to obtain a gate check tag at the gate counter before boarding (or some smaller commuter flights tag strollers as you board). You can take it right to the door of the aircraft, then fold it and leave it there and it'll be stowed along with other gate checked items. When you land, it will be returned to you outside the aircraft's door (whether that is in a jetway or on the tarmac for smaller planes).

 

[PaulaSue]

Thank you!!!

 

[SqueakyMouse]

Yes, we do it all the time.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Works like a charm. The super nice Independence Air folks at MCO even unfolded our stroller and had it ready to roll (it was so nice not having to juggle an infant and a carry-on while unfolding it). You will have to collapse it and send it through the security screening equipment (which can be quite entertaining if you travel with the Hummer-sized travel systems).

You can gate check anything you like. If you want to avoid baggage claim (and you would otherwise wrestle it down the aisle and cram it into bin), you suitcases could be gate checked. Anything gate checked will be the first items off-loaded (then transferred bags and then the final destination bags).