umbrella stroller on SWA

[jl3614]

We will be taking an umbrella stroller with us on our next trip. This stroller has been classified carry-on luggage (it fits in most overhead bins easily), it has been gate checked luggage, and it has been regular checked luggage depending on the airline. We have not flown Southwest with an umbrella stroller, so the question is - for anyone who has flown Southwest recently with an umbrella stroller, were you allowed to carry it on?

I wonder if how full the plane is, or the departing airport policy factors into it in anyway.

Thanks for any past experiences you can share.

Jeff

Heading to POFQ 03/30 - 04/06

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

It might exceed the size of the allowable carry on , therefore I believe it has to be gate checked.


Southwest Airlines limits carryon bag dimensions to 10x16x24 inches.

 

[jl3614]

The dimensions are approx 4x4x36, so yes technically it does exceed 1 dimension, but I know exceptions are made all the time. I am really looking for someone who has brought an umbrella stroller in the recent past to comment on how the situation was handled for them.

In particular I was wondering if it was treated differently at the originating airport (in my case that would be IND) versus the return airport (MCO).

I was also interested in how gate checking affects your boarding (we would be in the pre-board group, probably along with 1/3 of the passengers). Some flights I've been on - gate check was simply handing an item to the flight attendant as we walked on, other times it involved waiting until the boarding line was empty for the attendant to issue a claim check. This is generally no problem when you have a seat assignment, but is significant in an open seating scenario. The outbound flight would also already have passangers from the originating airport. With the seat configuration being 3- 3, getting 4 seats together (two adults and 2 small children) will be difficult already, we would not want it to become worse because of excessive gate check time.

So if anyone has actually done this I am interested in hearing your first hand experiences. Thanks.

Jeff

 

[jel0511]

You'll have to gate check the stroller. Even though you've carried it on before, SW flies 737's, and the overhead bins don't "connect". Which means the stroller won't fit in one, since the bins aren't 3 ft long. When you get to the gate, talk to the gate agent. They'll usually issue you a gate check tag before boarding is to begin and you'll leave the stroller at the end of the jetway. It will be removed by gate personal and then stowed underneath the plane. There is no reason for you to hold up boarding or to worry about being passed in line.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

All strollers have to be gate checked. They will hand you a tag to fill out and you then roll the stroller to the end of the jet way, pick up the child, board the plane and they handle the rest.

If your flight has a lot of children 4 and under or the incoming planes is rather full and under they will possibly stop preboarding for everyone but special needs.

 

[NotUrsula]

Even a Combi (which technically will fit the bins on a 737) will not be allowed on board w/ SWA, they just don't allow strollers inside the plane. The problem with them is that b/c of the wheels and the shape, they often roll around in the bins. The noise drives people nuts, and if they strike the door hard enough, the bin can come open.

Be prepared to gate-check.

 

[jl3614]

Thank you all for the responses.

I will probably make a final decision between gate-check and regular checked luggage on the drive to the airport. We are talking about a $12 Walmart special - not a Peg Perego, so if it is lost or damaged the only harm would be the need to rent one at the parks. Most likely we will just check it along with the suitcases, we wouldn't want to do anything to slow down or complicate our boarding.

Thanks again.

Jeff

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Most likely we will just check it along with the suitcases, we wouldn't want to do anything to slow down or complicate our boarding.

Or, hopefully, anyone else's.