Gate checking stroller questions

[JERSEYGIRLINSI]

Hey from ZOO YORK! I have purchased 2 stroller travel bags from Babies R Us within the last week-both travel bags are too small for the Graco Coach Rider that we have. I will be gate checking my DS's stroller, but would still like to keep it from getting dirty. This is my first time travelling this way, so I don't know if I should worry about this, or not concern myself. I guess what I need is advise on the gate check process. We have 3 days before we leave out. TIA

 

[WDWNicole]

Greetings from a fellow New Yorker. We've gate checked our stroller 3x. Unfortunately, the first time, the stroller came back with the wheel a little bent. It still works, but is a little awkward. They never came back dirty.

 

[JERSEYGIRLINSI]

Greetings from a fellow New Yorker. We've gate checked our stroller 3x. Unfortunately, the first time, the stroller came back with the wheel a little bent. It still works, but is a little awkward. They never came back dirty.

Can I ask which carrier did you fly with? Do they offer anything to put the stroller into?
Thanks...BTW NEW YORK ROCKS!

 

[In Luv with Disney]

HEY FROM NEW YORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have never had a problem gate checking my stroller, but I always brought our cheap umbrella stroller and never cared if it got dirty.

We are actually going to the Bahamas in 2 months and bringing our brand new Maclaren, and I am thinking of shelling out the $$ for the Maclaren Stroller bag, just to make sure it doesn't get ruined.

 

[SarahKate]

We just got back on Feb. 16. We took our Maclaren Volo and gate checked it. I had spoken to someone at Southwest and she said you can take a couple of garbage bags w/ you w/ packing tape (didnt' take up much room in the carryon so we gladly did that instead of paying a bunch of money for a carry bag for the stroller). It worked out great. They tag it, take it, put it on the plane, and then it's on the "bridge" as you get off the plane. Just know that your stroller isn't going to get any type of special treament because you gate check it. It still goes under the plane w/ ALL the other luggage! We kind of "mummy wrapped" our stroller to try and cushion it....no problems!

 

[NotUrsula]

In a pinch, a very large trash bag + a bungee cord will suffice. It is best to leave the wheels exposed so that it is easier for the ramp personnel to find (and it clues them in that it really needs to go back to the gate.) Also, that way you can roll it down the jetway rather than carrying it.

Remember to remove all the accessories (incl. the hood and napper bar, if possible) before you leave for the airport. Put those in your checked baggage, and that will help to eliminate the possibility that something will get damaged.

 

[JERSEYGIRLINSI]

In a pinch, a very large trash bag + a bungee cord will suffice. It is best to leave the wheels exposed so that it is easier for the ramp personnel to find.


We were just thinking of a bungee cord , just to keep the stroller from opening up and causing STRESS for the ramp personnel

 

[JERSEYGIRLINSI]

SarahKate,
That's just what I wanted to know (that it did in fact end up under the plane with the rest of the "luggage") . That's the reason why I want to just cover it as much as possible from the elements.

BTW, did the rep. advise you on weather or not the garbage bag should be black or clear?

 

[all4fun]

In a pinch, a very large trash bag + a bungee cord will suffice.

I used a bungee cord once and when I got the stroller back the cord was gone. Don't know what happened to it - I figured it must of snagged on something and fell off somehow?

Anyway there are bungee cords that have closed hooks on the ends - that's what I recommend using! hth.

 

[lauritagoddess]

Does everyone put a bag on their stroller. I'm gate checking our stroller when we leave in 4 days and this never occurred to me. I figured my DS would be using it up until it was time to board and then I'd just fold it up. Is there more too it than that?

And another NYC girl here!!!! We're flying on Song out of JFK.

 

[Karalynn]

We flew Song a few weeks ago, and I gate checked our brand new Peg Perego with no problems!! I didn't even think to put it in a bag, but really didn't need to anyway, it was clean and not harmed My dd cannot walk, so we needed to use it as far as we could, which was right up to the door of the plane. I would suggest that you tell the flight attendant at the desk as soon as you see them that you need to gate check your stroller, so you're not doing while they are trying to board everyone. Its quick, you just fill out your name and attach the tag to the stroller.
Have fun!

 

[Disney Panda]

I gate checked our Graco stroller in a stroller bag. I think they were confused and thought it was regular luggage. Both flights we waited quite awhile for them to bring it up to the door of the plane.

 

[SarahKate]

To answer questions from previous poster, I don't remember the Southwest staff person saying that it had to be a black bag. I don't see it mattering. It would have already gone thru security checks, so it wouldn't ahve to be clear for that purpose. We left the handles exposed so that they could attach the tags. We thought about leaving the wheels exposed, but thought it would be a little safer if they were somewhat protected. It's not like we had to carry it far, so we didn't need them exposed.

Just know that you don't HAVE to bag stuff up, but be full aware that your stuff is going in the plane w/ the rest of the luggage. Granted, it will be put on top since it will be first to come out! They are very quick getting it out of the plane, we didn't have to wait. And if something happens to the stroller they aren't liable for it.

We used rolls of the packing tape that you can tear by hand....our thought was that we couldn't use the kind w/ the tear off "blade". This seemed easier to us than the bungee cords (smaller).

On our return trip, we gate checked our booster seat (just the bottom seat part is all we took - we had put it in our suitcase on the trip there but didn't have room w/ all the Disney stuff we bought!). We didn't have a bag for the seat, so checked it as is. It came through just fine.

I think this comes down to what you feel is good for you. You don't HAVE to bag your stuff up....we just wanted to do what we could (w/o actually buying a special bag) since we paid good $ for the Mac stroller.

 

[Karebear]

Over Christmas we went from Sacramento to St. Thomas with the kids which involved 3 flights in each direction. We gated checked our stroller (which was just a little bigger than an unbrella stroller). On all of the flights, they let us hang it in the closet in the first class section (we were travelling in the coach section). It was great because we just grabbed it out of the closet as we walked off the plane. This was on American Airlines-don't know about the other airlines.

 

[rhiannonwales]

I do know that continental broke our Combi stroller last time we went to WDW.We literally watched them throw it from the cargo bay and it it was all mangled when we got it back.I still have it, and its still usable i guess, but it really ticked me off.Ever since then it doesnt unfold correctly ( you have to play with it) and it is hard to lock up once its folded too.We bought it specifically for WDW because it folded up so compact that it fits in an overhead storage bin.Continental wouldnt let us put there on either leg of the trip.On the way to WDW it was fine, but coming back it got mangled.I'm considering either a bag this time around or bypassing the stroller altogether and renting one from abbf.com instead.
Sherrie

 

[staci]

We took our little graco umbroller and gate checked it.

It made it fine through both flights. I didnt notice any dirt or damage, but it was a well used stroller when we left home so the wheels and all were already worn a bit.

We didnt use any bags or anything to protect it; I figured it was cheap and was probably worth less than the stroller bag would be. That little cheapo stroller has been wonderful for us.

 

[WDWNicole]

Can I ask which carrier did you fly with? Do they offer anything to put the stroller into?
Thanks...BTW NEW YORK ROCKS!

We flew Jet Blue and American to Florida. We folded up the stroller at the end of the jetway and and they took it from there. And they brought it back to the same spot when we landed.