Flying with Bugaboo (& travel case)

[Jennifer626]

Hi there,

I will be flying with my Bugaboo next week, and just looking for advice from anyone else that has done this. I have the travel bag. Do you check-check it? Or gate-check it? I'm scared to check-check it, because what if they lose it? I have had bags lost before, and it's traumatizing, I can't imagine them losing my precious stroller. But, will they let me roll the travel bag through the security check in, and gate-check it? What were your experiences?

Thanks!

[LMPC]

I have always brought my stroller thru security with me and then gate checked it. I have always had it operational though -- not in a travel bag. Is there a reason you are going to already have it packed up?

[Jennifer626]

I really don't want to risk it getting damaged, or dirty. I've seen how they "handle" luggage and heard many horror stories of strollers being broken, etc by the airlines.

Plus I plan to wear her in the Ergo while we are in the airport.

[MamaBear]

We bought a transport bag for our Bug but have never ever used it. The stroller has been on, oh, two dozen or more flights (mostly long-haul/international), and the only damage has been a cut in the foam of the handlebar and some scratches on the chassis. We've always gate-checked.

Although on our last trip, Lufthansa did forget to load it from the gate at Frankfurt - aaaack! So even gate-checking isn't fool-proof.

[WatchingThemGrow]

We've used ours. We checked it with the luggage and wore DD when she was little. If it's in the travel bag, they warranty it for any damage. No idea about losing it, but I've never lost anything, and I've been flying several times a year since I was 8, so 32 years x 3ish. Not very good chances in my book. We like having our favorite strollers on vacation, but on short trips we take a Mac or BJCMD.

[funda62]

How old is your DD? If she is old enough to walk they will make you unstrap her from the carrier and have her walk through the machine. Even if she is not they will most likely make you unstrap her and put the carrier on the x-ray belt as you hold her and walk through. It is a pain, but doable. Will you have carry on luggage as well though? If so I wouldn't want to carry the stroller and the luggage, diaper bag, purse, etc and then have to juggle all that while trying to strap baby back to chest. 2cents

[okinawama]

I don't know about the stroller ,but I have been on 10 flights with my 12mon old, and have always taken him in the Beco and have never had to take him out of the carrier when going through security. It may vary from airport to airport, and like the previous person said, it may have something to do with age, but for us, it's never been an issue.

[arivecchi]

I would call the airline and ask if they would even accept a gate-checked stroller in a travel bag. I've never seen one.

[Jennifer626]

My daughter is 11 months old, not walking yet. I will have my husband with me also. Our plan is for me to wear DD in the Ergo, and pull a carry-on behind me. Then he will be wearing a backpack diaper bag, and pulling a carry on, or the stroller, behind him. No big deal if i have to pull her out of the Ergo, I'm a pro at it now.

I will wait until we get to the airport and ask them. Not a huge deal if we have to check it, I just hope they don't lose it!!

Thanks everyone for your answers.

[codex57]

ALWAYS, ALWAYS gate check it.

You can use it as a stroller or luggage cart up until you board. Plus, they're a bit gentler and less likely to get lost/damaged if you gate check (it goes in last so sits on top of stuff, and it bypasses the luggage handling system where machines or humans can do something horrible).

The bag isn't a problem. Just get a gate check tag from the gate agent and make sure it's attached to the bag on the outside. When we gate check our strollers, we stick them in a bag we get from the luggage check in area. They just want you to have the gate check tag hanging outside of the bag, otherwise, they don't care if the stroller is in a bag or not.