Help needed for travel with Valco Baby Twin Tri Mode

[fedoragirl]

I just bought a Trimode Twin EX and plan to travel with it on an international flight later this week. I was planning to gate check it but then realized that I would have to get the kids out of the stroller at security, fold it, heave it up on the belt, go through immigration control where the aisles are really tight, put the kids back in, and repeat the entire procedure before gate checking it. I wanted to gate check simply to avoid putting it in a bag which we cannot afford. However, now that I think of the logistics, it might be a lot better to check the stroller. But that brings me back to the travel bag dilemma. Valco bags are $80 and up and I just can't spend that right now.
What can I do? Should I just check it in without any bag? A trash bag? I would hate for a brand new stroller to get beaten up.

[candaceb]

I have said it many times before, but based on how dirty my stroller and car seat bags have gotten, I would never check a stroller or car seat without a bag - and my stuff has always been gate checked.

To go through security, your stroller probably won't fit through the machine anyway, so they will wand it. That was what usually happened with my Vista before I stopped traveling with it.

At a minimum, I would get the basic JL Childress bag, which will protect it from getting dirty and/or from getting parts caught on things, but doesn't offer much protection otherwise. You can check the measurements to make sure it would work with your folded stroller.

http://www.amazon.com/J-L-Childress-...2866678&sr=8-3

[WatchingThemGrow]

We always bag our stroller. If you plan on keeping it for a long time (your babies are still small) then it will be worth it to use the bag for several flights over the years, right?