Traveling (airplane) with a stroller for the first time... help!

[amberg@eastlink.ca]

yikes! now im scared for my brand new stroller!!!

Just wanted to give my experience with a bigger stroller.
I have flown twice with strollers. The first time we went with 2 graco ipos and had no troubles. Gate check is easy.
2nd time we went with a double stroller- InStep Safari. Our stroller was obviously dropped off the conveyor belt that loads it in. The wheel was snapped right off and there was scratches and bits of gravel/dirt on it.
The airlines do NOT cover the damage. We checked at all levels-gate, desk, and called. They claimed it was cargo shift and that it is not a covered item. We were SOL. We also had to wheel around a broken stroller with 2 kids and me in a wheel chair. NOT fun. Luckily it was our return trip.

So, it probably does not happen too often, but I think that larger strollers are more vulnerable.

 

[deva]

My DH and I disagree on how to transport the strollers. We have 3 kids and take one single umbrella and one side by side double (on the smaller side). I prefer to check with the luggage - less to get through the airport. He likes to wheel them right up to the gate and use gatecheck. Usually the kids are so excited at the airport that they want to walk around anyway, so I'm trying to watch kids AND maneuver a stroller through crowds - not fun. If it is too big for security, they take it aside and inspect it by hand. I've never been asked to take anything apart. Only once asked if that was the smallest it folded down (because they wanted to see if they could get it through the xray). In our airport they just took it to the side and quicky inspected. In Orlando they took it into a separate "room". There was a screening area near the metal detectors. It had 4 glass walls, so you could see in. They took it in, went over it and brought it out the other side. It just took more time there.

The other thing to note is that Orlando is the only airport I've been at where they did not put the gate checked strollers right at the exit of the plane. We had to walk up the ramp, into the terminal and down two gates to a big line of strollers against the wall - so we spent some extra time hunting it down.

If we do gate check we don't use a bag. If you luggage check they put it in a big plastic bag (continental does anyways)

 

[santa's surpriz]

Best advice, asked the flight attendant that your stroller was indeed put on the plane before it takes off. I left DAY and it was left at the gate. When I got to ATL, the people were zero help until I got to MCO and they called the gate at DAY, and it was just laying on the floor. I was so thankful that woman was nice enough to make the phone call. It was a tiring first day, but eventually it was delivered to OKW. I usually use an address label where it is visible just in case.