Do strollers get broken in airplane baggage check?

[AuntMinnie]

I have no experience with this, so please forgive me if its a foolish question.

When strollers go thru all of the hazards of the checked baggage, do they get broken? I've seen the luggage get tossed on the belt, seen suit cases fall off the huge cart they ride the stuff out to the plane, seen strollers come flying down the baggage claim ramp, there are probablly many more hazards I haven't seen.

Our trip is for 10 days. I have a lazy bones DD4 will def. need the stroller, and a DD5 who will prob want to ride for a while during the day. So I really need my double stroller. I know that the daily rate for a double is $14. I really can not see spending $140 on stroller rental. I hope I would be able to get my stroller down there on the plane.

Any stories, good or bad?


TIA

 

[Bird-Mom]

We checked our stroller because I refuse to use it in the airport. It is much easier for me to wear dd in the sling. We took the wheels off, rolled a thick blanket around the stroller, and put it in a duffel bag. It was fine and also made it home just fine.

 

[familyoffiveAZ]

I've heard lots of stories of broken strollers. Because I've got young kids (whom I don't feel like lugging through the airport), I always gate-check my stroller. It's a bit of a pain to get through security, but chances are much better it won't get broken. No guarantee -- but much better odds.

I've yet to take my double stroller through security. I doubt it would fit on the conveyor belt to be x-rayed. A while back, I checked into the regs on it and found that if it can't fit through the machine, they'll just hand-wand it. A pain? Yes. But for what I paid for that thing, I'd rather deal with a little inconvenience than worry that it's getting thrown about and potentially broken.

 

[okie from muskogee]

I've taken a double stroller and checked it by putting in a large box. The stroller was large and a pain to take on disney transportation. Last trip we bought a combi SUBV stroller (single stroller) for $49 and it was great and could fold for carry-on and for disney transportation. It was recommended on these boards by others and it is lightweight yet durable as promised. We have since gotten rid of the double stroller and have used the combi for the last 2 years ( our other "rider" is now 6). I would steer away from the double stroller. It is also hard to get into a rental car!

 

[SueM in MN]

As familyoffiveAZ posted, gate checking is a better way to help prevent stroller damage, but is not a guarantee that it won't be damaged. DIS posters have shared their stories of strollers damaged during gate checking in the past. We have also experienced damage to DD's wheelchair when it was gate checked - and a wheelchair is much better made and sturdier than your average stroller.
To minimize your chance of damge if you gate check:
Remove anything that sticks out if you can (add-on cup holders, sunshield, etc). Fold the stroller before you leave it at the gate and fasten it securely so nothing can pop loose. A couple of posters have made really simple covers that wrap around or bag the folded stroller to protect it. Make sure that the gate check tag is still visible so the stroller gets to the right destination.

 

[BevS97]

I have checked a stroller MANY times, sometimes at the gate and sometimes with the cases. If you don't take it to the gate, then often you will be asked to take it to the 'special luggage' area, where large bulky items are dealt with, like golf clubs or skis. I assume that items taken to this area dont have to negotiate all the usual conveyor belts.

on all these trips (must be 15 or more), we have had a stroller broken once, and that was gate checked on a small local commuter flight (at the very end of a long international journey - fortunatly it was the very last leg.
I don't know if all airlines are the same, but I was VERY impressed with our treatment. The person who brought up the stroller asked me to check it over, as he had found it in a dubious position (under a pile of suitcases), when we discovered it was broken, he had me fill in a form, asked the price and then went and disappeared into an office to ring the store and confirm the price, and then came back out with £200 in cash which he gave to me there and then, no questions or quibbles.

This experience has made me a lot more comfortable about checking my stroller, I figure if anything does happen to it, we will be well looked after.

Bev

 

[bduddy]

We only had one time a stroller got broken by being in the cargo hold and that was when a friend was using it and didn't use the bungy cords that we had provided with it as extra protection to keep it closed. The bungy cords work great!! We simply closed and fastened as usual then wrapped the bungycord around the frame of stroller tighting everything together..

 

[dijid]

I'm one of those people that has had a stroller broken while gate checking. It was my double stroller and the totally mangled one set of wheels. Delta insisted on keeping it for several days (I didn't even get a loaner from them) and then they returned it to me declaring it fixed. Their solution was to bend the wheel back. It didn't ride right, the frame was obviously distressed and despite my protests, they argued that they had done all they needed to and sent me on my merry way. I now only fly with a stroller I don't care as much about or is more easily replaced.

FWIW - Delta is HORRIBLE in the way they handle luggage claims. If your suitcase is ripped - they declare it a manufacturing defect. Lost your suitcase with all the diapers, etc. They won't reimburse you for any costs unless you're closing in on 48 hours without it. They don't care if you packed everything and have run out of the supplies that were in your diaper bag. I wish I wasn't so in the know on these things, but my luck doesn't seem to be that good when I travel.

 

[AuntMinnie]

Originally posted by dijid
I'm one of those people that has had a stroller broken while gate checking. It was my double stroller and the totally mangled one set of wheels. Delta insisted on keeping it for several days (I didn't even get a loaner from them) and then they returned it to me declaring it fixed. Their solution was to bend the wheel back. It didn't ride right, the frame was obviously distressed and despite my protests, they argued that they had done all they needed to and sent me on my merry way. I now only fly with a stroller I don't care as much about or is more easily replaced.

FWIW - Delta is HORRIBLE in the way they handle luggage claims. If your suitcase is ripped - they declare it a manufacturing defect. Lost your suitcase with all the diapers, etc. They won't reimburse you for any costs unless you're closing in on 48 hours without it. They don't care if you packed everything and have run out of the supplies that were in your diaper bag. I wish I wasn't so in the know on these things, but my luck doesn't seem to be that good when I travel.

How is it possible that they took your stroller and did not give you a loaner? This is what I was worried about. Did you try to get a loaner stroller out of them? Did you tell them the "repaired" stroller was unacceptable?

A few of the other post got me thinking that my double is too cumbersome for the WDW transportation, so I was going to maybe get a new inexpensive reclining stroller (not umbrella). If it got broken I would think they would do something to help me

 

[Gillian]

Check out the lower end Graco single stollers. I think they're great for Disney!

What we did was gate check ours & put it in a lightweight duffle bag. Instead of putting the gate check tag on the stroller, we put it on the bag. This was a bit of a pain, as we had to get the stroller in there (did this while waiting to board), but it kept it clean, dry & safe. Well, unless they stacked a pile of suitcases on top of it, LOL!

I wasn't sure if doing this was a good idea, but one of the guys near the gate said it would be very helpful for them & us. We had used the bag to transport our car seat & were just going to stick it in our carry on.

 

[dijid]

How is it possible that they took your stroller and did not give you a loaner? This is what I was worried about. Did you try to get a loaner stroller out of them? Did you tell them the "repaired" stroller was unacceptable?

They were out of loaner strollers. (Just another testament to how well they handle luggage LOL). And I did tell them the repaired stroller was unacceptable, but by "their" guidelines it was ok. Fortunately, it was a newer stroller under warranty that did have another defect, so I got it taken care of.

 

[AuntMinnie]

Originally posted by dijid
They were out of loaner strollers. (Just another testament to how well they handle luggage LOL).

Now I'm thinking of getting a side by side Kolcraft reclining double umbrella stroller (I didn't even know there was such a thing) about $60, but I'd still save more than half of what i'd spend if I rented one everyday. Maybe if I keep the box I can gate check it and pack it in that so I can get it there in one piece.

 

[SueM in MN]

Maybe if I keep the box I can gate check it and pack it in that so I can get it there in one piece.

You won't have a lot of time or space for putting a stroller into a box at the gate check area. The strollers are left right outside of the door of the plane in that little area where you come in. You can check with your airline, but I don't think they will allow something in a box to be gate checked. If you want to ship it in the box, I would just check it as baggage, as BevS97 mentioned:

If you don't take it to the gate, then often you will be asked to take it to the 'special luggage' area, where large bulky items are dealt with, like golf clubs or skis. I assume that items taken to this area dont have to negotiate all the usual conveyor belts.

 

[ABCMom]

On our last trip our double stroller got smashed on the flight home. It wasn't in a box but was securely closed. What we think happened is that a very heavy suitcase was dropped on it. My mother is a librarian and had bought a lot of books at WDW and the suitcase they were in weighted a ton. The suitcase was also broken when we got home, so we think the two had an "Altercation." We were done with the stroller, so we weren't too concearned - we had gate checked an umbrella stroller, so still had it's use to get us out of the airport. We were just glad it hadn't happened on the way down and we felt somewhat responsible since we think it was the weight of one of our other bags that did the damage.

 

[DeeCeeSW]

Just had my stroller broken after checking in at the gate with Continental. The back wheels were completely snapped off. I bought a cheap Graco stroller ($35) specifically for the trip and had it broken but when I travel with my $250 Maclaren it is always fine, LOL. Continental did not handle this well; the man at the gate said we should go to Customer Service at MCO to fill out a form and get a loaner. Once at baggage claim, we went to the desk and the first thing the representative did was point down to the pink tag that said "Special Handling," and explained that that's the "risk we take when we check in strollers at the gate." My DH had to ASK for a loaner (it was not offered), and it was a cheap, dirty, Kolcraft umbrella stroller without a hood (or basket, of course).

Once at our hotel, we called Continental Customer Care and spoke with a lovely woman who could not believe how badly we were treated at MCO. We explained that we had to stop at Target to purchase a new stroller for the trip (thank goodness for grocery stops when you use a town car). I ended up with a much larger and more expensive stroller than I needed due to Target's low inventory. We checked in the new stroller (in its box, not at the gate) for the trip home and had no problems. In the end, Continental agreed to reimburse us. I was very surprised to receive a check three days after we got home.

Next time we're bringing the Maclaren, like we used to. It's smaller and more compact (lousy hood and basket though--we have an old Concorde LX).

SO...my advice, the smaller the stroller the better if you are going to check it in at the gate.

 

[DisDreamer]

I have never checked a stroller with baggage. Instead, we gate check. It's a breeze! We have a regular size stroller complete with large canopy, lay down seat and bottom storage basket. We were able to push DD through the airport, right up to the conveyor belt to be xrayed. I just folded it up and put it on the belt, it went right through no problems - after loading the stroller DD walked through and I followed. Also, when your waiting to board ( on SW Air) the folks with children under 5 get to board first. You can push your child right down the jetway to the plane, remove child and collapse stroller, they'll give you a claim ticket and then you board and leave the stroller just outside the plane on the jetway. After everyone has boarded they'll store your stroller up front near the cockpit. Upon landing, before anyone deplanes they unload the stroller, open it up for you and you just give them your claim ticket and your on your way -- you can push the child through the jetway and head to baggage claim for your luggage. It's GREAT!!!! I was a worry wort too about the thing getting broken and when all was said and done even my DH was pleased with the process, and he's normally of the mind that something will be a lot of trouble.

 

[ZachnElli]

I've also had a stroller broken at gate check. It was a Combi travel stroller that we bought just for Disney. Thank goodness it was on the way home. I thought no big deal, even though it would have been nice to use at home. But now that we are going back I'll have to shell out another $80 plus shipping for another one. (I really liked it) It was Delta that broke it, I saw someone else's was broken on a Delta gate check. Maybe Northwest will be better this year? One can hope!

 

[jel0511]

I've flown MANY times with strolllers, and have had two broken. The first one was the Kolkraft the OP is thinking of getting. DON'T!!! It's VERY flimsy and this was our first time using it. We gate checked it, and the frame got bent!!! Rendering it almost completely useless. We flew Continental, and their answer was, it looks like it still works. But we couldn't fold it up, without wrestling with it. Oh well... The second one was my Combi Twin Savvy. The handle snapped off at the middle support. Luckily, US Air was a little better. They had to take the stroller, but they immediately gave me a check less depreciation. I paid $300 for it, and they gave me $288, not bad. The only bad thing was that I had to turn over the stroller and leave without one. If I had been in Orlando, I would have been in a pickle, but luckily it was at PHL and we were going home. Basically, checking a stroller is a crap shoot, and you have to realize there is a possibility your stroller will get broken. Bringing the box will only work, if you check it as luggage, not bringing it to the gate. There are too many people, too much to go through, and I don't think it would be allowed.

 

[SueM in MN]

After everyone has boarded they'll store your stroller up front near the cockpit.

It's actually stored in a luggage area under the plane, but strollers and wheelchairs are loaded after most of the other luggage (so it's on, or nearer the top). usually, it's a smaller luggage area, not the big main one. It is possible for a stroller to get damaged when gate checked, but it is less likely than if you send it thru with the suitcases.

 

[AuntMinnie]

Originally posted by jel0511
I've flown MANY times with strolllers, and have had two broken. The first one was the Kolkraft the OP is thinking of getting. DON'T!!! It's VERY flimsy and this was our first time using it. We gate checked it, and the frame got bent!!! Rendering it almost completely useless. We flew Continental, and their answer was, it looks like it still works. But we couldn't fold it up, without wrestling with it. Basically, checking a stroller is a crap shoot, and you have to realize there is a possibility your stroller will get broken. Bringing the box will only work, if you check it as luggage, not bringing it to the gate. There are too many people, too much to go through, and I don't think it would be allowed.

AGGGGGHHHHH!!!


Does "gate check" mean it doesn't get put in the cargo area, but stays in the passanger area? And they still get broken??


AGGGGGHHHHH!!



How about Schwinn Sport Utility Double Stroller by Instep. Anyone have that?