Gate check a MBUD?

[teddy]

Has anyone taken their MBUD on the airplane? How does it fit through the xray machines at the airport? Were you able to gate-check it? How did it arrive? Mangled or intact?

I am thinking about bringing my sister a MBUD but want to gate check it. I have one toddler so I was thinking she could ride it in, I could gate check it, and I could fly home with one of my sister's single strollers. Is that a crazy plan? Would I be able to travel ALONE on a 4 hour flight with a MBUD, a Britax Roundabout, and a wiggly 15 month old? Coming home I'd have a lightweight single stroller.

Please tell me if I am crazy. ;)

[hardysmom]

There is no size limit for gate-checking strollers. If it doesn't fit in the x-ray, it will be hand checked.

I've traveled alone with a Teutonia Y2K (a fixed wheel, HUGE fold, 40lbs) and a Britax RA... if you have connections it isn't an every-day outing, but can be done.

I always have DS ride in the stroller and strap the RA on a small luggage cart which I pull behind us... Honestly, I always find the carseat part harder than the stroller part.

Anyway, my biggest traveling alone advice is to make sure EVERYTHING you plan to carry-on fits in a single bag. I put my purse, diapers, DS' toys, etc in a day-pack type backpack which can also be hung over the stroller's handles. If you have everything in the pack, it makes getting/on off the plane much easier than trying to fold/check your stroller while keeping your toddler nearby, managing the carseat, boarding AND juggling multiple personal items from the stroller's baskets....

With one child in a double, I don't think it would be all that awful.

BTW- I have traveled with many "nice" strollers (& never used bags)... I have never had any trouble at all. While I have read of damage, it isn't the norm. Airlines have different policies about insuring gate-checked items, some will replace, others don't.