Update in post 26: Can't Decide whether to take stroller-Please talk me down!

[BayGirl2]

OK, I verified that I can check in early AND do curbside check in at SFO. Also, I have Clear (http://clearme.com), so I can take the kids through with me and security is WAY less of a hassle. When the old Clear was at SFO they were actually helpful. DH needs to get his own free trial card or he'll be going through the long security line on his own.

So the airport process will hopefully be not so bad. Also the itinerary is looking like we'll have more time in Toronto on our own so the stroller will make that more enjoyable.

Decision made - going to take the bag out of the box and practice tonight.

[swissair81]

I would take a stroller. This is not said as an enabler, but rather your friendly sanity adviser.

[ckelly]

I took a 3 year old and a newborn to New Zealand last year from TN. I pushed the stroller with one hand, pulled a rolling carry-on, ODD in the stroller, wore YDD, infant carrier off the stroller handle. Dh pulled another rolling carryon with radian attached using the latch straps, carried diaper bag, laptop bag and wore a backpack. Oy, we were a sight!

[Still-in-Shock]

I didn't realize that Clear had a free trial available. When they come to our city, we will have to see if that is still good.

[BayGirl2]

I didn't realize that Clear had a free trial available. When they come to our city, we will have to see if that is still good.

It's free for spouses/family if you already have a membership. I had time remaining on my membership from before it shut down a few years ago. Not sure if there is a free trial for just anyone, but there do seem to be some deals around.

If you travel a lot its so nice to bypass the wait.

[BayGirl2]

Update: You guys were right, as always. Stroller was indispensable for us during the trip and in the airport. We ended up with more tourist time than planned in Toronto and also went to Niagara Falls, DD spent a lot of time riding and DS used it for some rest. But most importantly, I ended up having to get both kids all the way to the gate and almost departed without DH because he left a bag (with his passport) at home and had to go all the way back to get it. Duh!?! He made it and all was well. Kids were well behaved the entire trip too!

Our only issues was dealing with gate agents/gate check baggage handlers who decided on their own implementation of the rules to make our lives harder. In Dulles a gate check guy refused to let us bring DS's carseat on board, even though he had a paid seat. After much argument and DH going all the way back up the jetway and involving 2 others, he finally let us have it. It was airline approved, his contention was that no car seats are ever allowed on board.

The other issue was on another regional plane on the way back, the gate agent claimed we could only gate check a car seat OR a stroller, not both. She claimed that they carrying DD's infant seat up and down the stairs was hazardous and therefore it had to be checked through to SFO. I wanted it returned at the jetway for various safety reasons, as they had for all our other flights. She printed out the policy and it still doesn't make sense to me. But apparently if the carseat is part of the stroller it counts as one, so if I had bought a cheap travel system or the adaptor bar for my BJCM I would have been fine, but since I choose not to leave my baby in a carseat all the time, I can't have it gate checked with the stroller. Whatever. I gave up but she eventually gave me the stupid green tag and the carseat made it safely. My observation is that its the small regional "operated by" airlines that make it more difficult, I never have issues flying from SFO or Ohare.

Anyway thanks for all the feedback. I also have some thoughts on the newer version of the BJCM travel bag, but maybe I'll post a different thread.

[roseyloxs]

Mind if I ask who you flew with? In one of the travel threads someone else said that United told them on the phone that they could bring the car seat or the stroller but if they wanted to bring both they would have to pay for one. They did not have a seat for their newborn though.

Glad the stroller worked out for you guys.

[BayGirl2]

Mind if I ask who you flew with? In one of the travel threads someone else said that United told them on the phone that they could bring the car seat or the stroller but if they wanted to bring both they would have to pay for one. They did not have a seat for their newborn though.

Glad the stroller worked out for you guys.

This was United. We did not have a seat for the baby, just for DS. We had DS's carseat for on the plane, and a stroller + DD's carseat to gate check. Apparently the issue is gate checking both to pick them up on the jetway vs. checking them through to the destination. They also said that DS's carseat (which he was sitting in in a paid seat) counted as a carry on for him.

In terms of checking stroller + carseat I believe they only allow one free. I'd have to check the United site to be sure though.

However I guess if you wheeled a travel system with carseat sitting in the stroller down the jetway they'd only count it as one. I saw plenty of people doing that with no hassle.

[roseyloxs]

However I guess if you wheeled a travel system with carseat sitting in the stroller down the jetway they'd only count it as one. I saw plenty of people doing that with no hassle.

That's a backwards policy since its still two pieces as far as the workers on the jetway are concerned.

It sounds annoying that your DS's car seat counts as a carry on but since you get a carry on and a personal item I can't imagine this would become an issue for most people.