Strollers Airports Planes

[Carrie]

I always thought you were allowed to take your stroller to the gate but it had to be gate checked when you board the flight. But in another post TiggersPal was talking about using her stroller to run through the airport on connecting flights. So now I wonder, can you take the stroller on the plane or no? Tyler will be flying for the first time in 2 weeks and we have a connecting flight in Charlotte. It would be real convenient if I could have the stroller with me. We're leaving his big stroller at home and taking the umbrella stroller for ease of transporting.

Any ideas?

Hugs,
Carrie

[Belle]

Southwest always let us take the stroller to the gate. At the boarding line, they would ask you to fold up the stroller and sign the damage waiver (they take no responsibility, yadda, yadda). Then we would leave the stroller in the walkway right before entering the plane. Once everyone boards, they would move the strollers to the holding area, and bring them back out at landing for you to pick up on your way out of the plane. Not sure if this is the case with all the other carriers though :?

{hugs}
Belle

[Carrie]

Maybe that's what it means to gate check. I just assumed they put it with the other luggage and then you pick it up at baggage claim. That makes sense now because people would want their strollers walking through the airport to baggage claim.

[Tagrel]

Yes, gate checked items are returned when that plane lands. So then, you would have your stroller to wheel through your connection airport. We found this VERY helpful when the girls were smaller! :yes:

[Robin]

Just about every flight I've gone on, I've seen a bunch of folding up strollers sitting off to the side, in that last 'turn' in the jetways just outside the plane across from where the controls for the jetway are. They 'reappear' in the same area when the plane lands, though I'm not sure how fast they get there. Unless you are one of the first people off the plane, it should be waiting for you as you step out of the plane into the jetway.

Don't forget, when they announce boarding the announce that people traveling with small children can pre-board around the same time they left the first class passengers in. So be prepared to be among the first to board, so you can take care of the stroller and get settled before the 'crowds' starts to board.

[BriarRose]

Don't forget, when they announce boarding the announce that people traveling with small children can pre-board around the same time they left the first class passengers in. So be prepared to be among the first to board, so you can take care of the stroller and get settled before the 'crowds' starts to board



Most of the airlines to WDW don't allow preboarding with children because there are so many small children headed that way :D

[Barb D]

We also used our strollers to push our grandkids and Car seats to the gate. I strapped the car seat on top of the stroller and had my 3 year old grandaughter ride on top of it and we gate checked the stroller and carried on the car seat. My grandson had an infant car seat and I cant rememebr what we did with it last Summer as he was a lap child (We had reserved 6 seats across and took turns with 5 adults holding him.) I know we took the infant seat but I cant rememer if we luggage checked it or gated checked it with the stroller.

Here in Washington every time we have flown there has been pre boarding even to WDW. Maybe in states closer to WDW they dont pre board? We have flown many different air lines too. It was hillarious. Last time we went was August 2004 with our kids and grandkids and we got in line to pre board but others who werent alllowed to board yet pushed in front of us (Even though we had strollers 2 kids, car seat) and the stewardess had to announce many times only those with children or needing asistance could get on. We finally got on and funny thing is it took so long to hook up the car seat and get 7 people settled we werent done when they started to load the remainder of the plane. It takes a while to get a car seat hooked up correct when the hook is in the middle of the back of the seat. But its so worth having the seat. The child will stay put and be occupied so much longer when they cant wonder.

We took our grandaughter to Arizona when she was 2 1/2 and she was so well behaved in her seat the peopel behind us didnt know we had a small child with us until we stood up to disembark. Some hints with kids: DOnt forget a cup with a lid so you dont have spills of that "air plane pop" We gave her juice but she calls it airplace pop. Carry gummy worms or anything they can chew on while taking off but worse yet landing and decending. She had a hard with with the decent and her ears blowing up. She kept saying I cant talk. Meaning she cant hear. On the way home from Arizona I used distraction to help her along. We started to draw and talk about everything we saw in the desert so that she would be distracted from her ears. We also used the gummy bears because she was refusing gun at that point. (Also her mom suggested over the phone before we left I rub her ears a little and I did that too). We learned a lot on that trip about what works with kids on planes.

[Rosebud]

In CT they allow preboarding on planes to Orlando too. At least on the airlines I've been on. Even though there are always kids, it is not like everyone has a kid.

[ddoll]

The strollers wait out the flight in the same place as wheelchairs. Both are needed by the passengers as soon as the plane lands and need to be close by.

[Carrie]

Thanks for all the information everyone, this will be helpful when we leave on Saturday.

[Joe]

When we traveled with a much younger Kasey, we alway pre-boarded from Colorado to Orlando, but not back the other way. I asked why not and was told that because there were so many small children leaving from Orlando, they would wind up boarding most of the plane with pre-boards. It just makes sense to allow a little extra time for everyone to get on board than have the special time for infants and small children.
Joe