Special thanks for this article go to Sharon, an American expat mother in France and a former flight attendant for two carriers in five countries over thirteen years.


17. Strollers/Pushchairs/Buggies

People ask me which stroller I recommend for flying. I always say to bring the stroller you need for the entire trip, not specifically for flying. I have seen too many tiny babies slumped in rickety umbrella strollers in airports. There is no logic to compromising your baby's comfort.

Never buy a stroller with the idea of bringing it onboard the aircraft as a carry-on item. Unless you are flying charter, low-cost or a very small regional carrier, the stroller you have will probably be acceptable. There are a few foreign airlines that allow this but I still do not recommend doing it.

Normally, the stroller does not count against your baggage allowance but again, ask to be sure. Before leaving, remove all "extras" on your stroller like cup holders, toys and even the sunshade, depending on the model. You can either put these items in your checked bags or leave them behind. Not only can they impede your passage through security but can get lost in transit. Since you will only use it in the airport, you will not need the attached gizmos.

Usually, strollers are "gate checked" which means that you will be given a tag on check-in but you can keep the stroller with you until you get to the door of the aircraft. Sometimes they give the passenger the tag to put on themselves. Some are a little complicated (the tags that are like stickers) so do not hesitate to ask them to do it instead. Make sure it goes somewhere it will not be squished or hidden when the stroller is folded.

If you have a "travel system" (the stroller with infant bucket car seat inserted inside), the stroller and car seat portions will each need a gate tag. If you have a seat for your baby and you know that the car seat can be used on the flight, no you will not need to tag the car seat. Do put the tag on it if you are hoping to get an empty seat and are not sure you will be able to use it on board. This will save time at the gate.

You will leave your stroller either at the door of the aircraft or at the bottom of the stairs if you do not have a jet way and are boarding outdoors from the tarmac. Never try to bring a stroller on board an aircraft unless instructed to do so by a crew member. Yes, I have occasionally stuffed a very small umbrella stroller into a first or business class closet, or in economy, when the flight was half empty but this is the exception, not the rule. If this does happen, do not expect it on every flight.

Metal luggage carts and strollers are not allowed in overhead bins for safety reasons. Even if the crew does not notice. Shockingly with some airlines, it is allowed, but please do not even try this. First of all, this will not make you popular with your fellow passengers. Stowage space is at a premium and taking up so much of it with an item that you do not need for the flight will not go over well with your neighbors. More importantly, metal objects have come crashing down on passengers' heads, especially during disembarkment. You will be careful because you know it's there but someone two rows back will be in a hurry, grab their bag, which will hook on your stroller and next thing you know, it's come down on some little old lady's head. Let's just keep that from happening!

When you leave the stroller, attach the straps and fold it yourself. Some passengers have amusingly left their open strollers for us to fold up for them. Some Flight Attendants will not be so entertained and you probably do not want someone fiddling with your stroller who does not know what they are doing. So that your stroller is not mishandled or left behind, please make sure it is all packed up.

An excellent tip given to me was to bring a bungee cord and double secure it before leaving it at the door. This can be the same bungee cord you used to secure your car seat to the stroller. Most strollers are only held closed with a small latch, often one that is easy to flip open. Your stroller is more likely to be damaged by popping open en route than how it is treated. You do not want some time-pressed baggage handler trying to pack it back up.

The strollers are usually kept in the hold along with wheelchairs, so it is supposed to be gentler to gate-checking them. It also, in theory, should be cleaner. I will say that I have never seen the strollers at the arrival gate in bad shape.

If you want to put your stroller in a bag at the gate, by all means you can. Make sure you have a gate tag on the bag. Some strollers actually have specific bags made for their models you can buy. I personally use a camping duffel bag, which works just as well and is sturdier than most the stroller companies sell.

On larger aircraft, passengers disembark from more than one door but strollers and wheelchairs will be placed by only one of them. Either listen to the welcome announcement when the plane arrives at the gate, or tell a crew member that you have a stroller and which way to disembark to collect it. If you exit the wrong door, you may have to walk all the way around to find it.

If you are connecting, usually the stroller is returned between flights. Ask about this during initial check-in to be sure. Once, when flying alone with a newborn and two toddlers, one airline informed me that they wouldn't return the stroller at a major airport, forcing me to connect without one. I did ask that a supervisor be called and after a bit of negotiation, they only accepted my stroller because of its small size. I also pointed out that stowage wouldn't be a problem since it was a combination car seat which I used onboard. For future flights, I avoided booking with the airline and have not flown them internationally since.

For future updates to Sharon's information, or to contact Sharon directly, please visit her Blog: http://flyingwithchildren.blogspot.com/

Sharon's Disclaimer: This article is not a legal document and cannot be used as proof of any of the laws or rules that I refer to throughout. Check the FAA websites, or other relevant agencies to confirm any statements that are made. I try to provide links where I can. Be aware, also, that airlines often have their own policies which might be stricter than their own government's laws. Most of the employees that you encounter do not have the power to change or make exceptions to any rule. They simply must follow them, even in cases where logic or safety is questionable.