Checking Strollers at Airport

[dcforbreakfast]

Can some people tell me their experience with checking strollers. It's been so long since I've traveled with a stroller. Do you have to take it all the way to the gate or can you check it at the counter? Which is better?

Do they get really beat up during the process? Is it worth it to buy some kind of bag to put it in? Any advice?

 

[EnchantedPrincess]

We have traveled a few times with strollers, and we take them all the way up to the gate and they give you a tag for it. We have never put our stroller in any kind of bag, and they have always been fine. We have a Peg Perego Pliko P3.

 

[Kies99]

We have traveled a few times with strollers, and we take them all the way up to the gate and they give you a tag for it. We have never put our stroller in any kind of bag, and they have always been fine. We have a Peg Perego Pliko P3.

I agree. If you need a stroller, don't check it at the check-in counter. Take it with you through security to the plane. That way you have use of it in the airport.

At the counter at the gate, they'll either put on a tag or give it to you to put on. The bottom portion is ripped off and that's your claim ticket (sometimes they don't even do that). You then walk your stroller with you to the plane when boarding. Just before you get on, you fold up the stroller and leave it just outside the plane. Someone will come up and get it and load it under the plane. When you get off the plane, it'll be waiting for you in a similar place. It's very convenient.

 

[dcforbreakfast]

Is it more likely to get beat up if I check it at the counter. We won't need it in the airport....thanks guys...

 

[Kies99]

If you check it at the counter, it probably would be fine. However, my thought is that it's got further to travel to get to the plane as well as it's going to get mixed up with other luggage and may get knocked around. So the chances are probably higher that it might get roughed up if you check it at the check in counter, but that's not to say it will.

If you can manage it, I'd suggest just checking it at the gate.

 

[dcforbreakfast]

Good point. Maybe we'll shove our backpacks on it, or give the kid a lift so we can move faster.

 

[Tuffcookie]

I bought a twin stroller this past Spring for our trip next week with the grandkids! I saved the box it came in so I could pack the stroller in it and take it with us to the airport baggage check-in. This will, hopefully, protect it, and with Magical Express, the next time I see it, it will be in our room!

TC

 

[mejkjj97]

I recently went and checked my stroller in at the gate. I used the stroller to move faster through the airport and placed the carry on in the bottom.

The only one problem i did have was putting it through security. that was just a bit of a pain. Just make sure to have it folder up by the time you get to security to place it on the belt.

 

[dishguy1977]

We've always checked out double stroller at the gate just before boarding the plane. I believe it is much less likely to get damaged this way as somebody just grabs at the end of the tunnel thingy and it's the last thing to get put in the baggage compartment. If you check it at the counter it goes through with all the other luggage, bounced around, etc. Also, with a 2 and 4 year old we NEED it to keep them somewhat restrained at the airport!!

 

[Texasmomof3]

I would say to take it with you to the gate. I see more strollers used as luggage carriers than kid carriers. It will have less opportunity to get damaged or lost and if by chance your child falls alseep (usually the last 10 minutes of a flight) it will be a godsend. Be sure to put an I.D. tag on it with your name and number just in case. We always gate check ours - years ago the airlines used to charge 20.00 or so for the service so it is so nice that it is free now. Take advantage of it.

 

[blessedby3]

Is it more likely to get beat up if I check it at the counter. We won't need it in the airport....thanks guys...

I would have to say yes. I have seen the way they throw the luggage onto the conveyor belt and I wouldnt want my expensive stroller treated that way. We gate checked our stroller on our last two trips even though DD was 7 and 8 and didnt need it at the airports- only Disney in the evening. I didnt want to take the chance on our Mac being messed up.

 

[EnchantedPrincess]

I would say to take it with you to the gate. I see more strollers used as luggage carriers than kid carriers. I

I agree with that. We have always used our stroller to put our carseat on it, and then put on our backpacks in the carseat.

 

[jnsma]

I bought a bag for our stroller ($20) and checked it at the counter. I was happy to get rid of it as soon as possible and didn't unpack it until we headed for a park. But I think it depends on your kids and situation...

I have 3 year old twins and took a large double jogging stroller. My kids are old enough to get to, from and around airports on their own feet but we wanted the stroller for the exhausting days at WDW. I really didn't want to deal with the stroller + kids + carryons at security. I also think having our own stroller that they are comfortable in and will just climb in when tired was important.

The stroller made it through without any issues. I'll be doing it the same way on the next trip.
Jeff.

 

[I believe]

I can only speak for how Southwest Airlines handles this but I have always folded it up right before we board and then they have you leave them right outside the door at the end of the catwalk tunnel you walk through to get from the building onto the plane. I then boarded with my family. After the flight when we exit the plane all of the strollers are waiting right outside the plane door again and we just carry it out into the airpoirt.

 

[TJA]

I bought a bag for our stroller ($20) and checked it at the counter. I was happy to get rid of it as soon as possible and didn't unpack it until we headed for a park. But I think it depends on your kids and situation...

I have 3 year old twins and took a large double jogging stroller. My kids are old enough to get to, from and around airports on their own feet but we wanted the stroller for the exhausting days at WDW. I really didn't want to deal with the stroller + kids + carryons at security. I also think having our own stroller that they are comfortable in and will just climb in when tired was important.

The stroller made it through without any issues. I'll be doing it the same way on the next trip.
Jeff.

DITTO! Am happy to read someone else does the exact same thing as we do. Our twins are 4 years old now and we take our large double jogger and check it in as luggage. Only "problem" we have is that it is above and beyond the maximum luggage measurements allowed before a charge is imposed, but so far we've been lucky and they've let it go w/o charging us extra. We'd pay the extra if/when they enforce it because it's worth it to us to have this jogger in Disney. Can't imagine being w/o it, especially when we stay at the Epcot resorts and walk back and forth to Epcot and MGM after the night shows.