American Airlines Won't Gate Check A Stroller Over 20 lbs.

[mackmama]

Oh no! This is not good news. I think it's okay if they charge to gate-check. I don't want them to, but I could understand it. I just don't want them to stop accepting large strollers at the gate!

[Melanie]

Well that's bizarre.

[scriptkitten]

Ergos are great. My boba and beco are great too but I buy even nicer carriers that accomodate larger toddlers. My newest additions are the Kanga XT and a toddler kinderpack. Both rock and I can carry my 2 year old or my 38 lb 4 year old.

if you have twins and are traveling alone i guess you are SOL.

even maclaren twins are over 20lbs, and imo they are only barely functional with older babies. maybe a jeep or dreamer design twin umbrella is lighter (i don't really know), but they aren't going to be practical for twins and a pile of gear either ESPECIALLY if you are traveling with babies.

[ZeeBaby]

I think anyone traveling with two Little kids in tow should have the option of gate checking a double. I don't think this is meant for someone with a single, unless it is clearly huge. I think they are really targeting people with doubles. Thankfully I don't have any air travel planned with DDs this year. I am sure the other airlines are going to follow suit. I don't know how we would have manage with two kids under two last year without a double.

[Multimama]

if you have twins and are traveling alone i guess you are SOL.

You could carry one and push the other in your single, right? I carry my 30 lbs 2 year old on occasion. (In a Beco, for the poster who asked. The key is to carry them on your back.) I agree though that it is not appropriate to prevent a person traveling with 2 young infants from going to the gate with a double stroller. Using a baby carrier, especially for a back carry, can take practice and the good ones are usually expensive.

I think the limit is fairly reasonable (except that if you have two kids with you maybe you should be allowed twice as much stroller). I am very, very glad that didn't adopt Air Canada's limit which is just mean. That limit rules out my Starck, the best umbrella stroller for travel ever!

[OKKiddo]

Its not really the airline's responsibility to accomodate massive strollers at the gate. It seems like a fair and reasonable limit to me. At least its still free, right? If you need a double at your destination then check it at the ticket counter. Babywearing is simple and easy to do at airports and has made flying alone with 2 kids rather painless for me (as painless as it can be anyway).

I have a very slow moving, autistic 4.5 year old who still rides in the stroller--ESPECIALLY in airports as they are one of the places that sets him off. Then I have an almost 3 year old who is all over the place with way too much energy and does not listen. And now we have a newborn. And most of the time the flights that we can find include layovers some where at which point we have to deplane and hot foot it across an airport to the next terminal. We do pick flights that are direct as much as we can but they are fewer and further between than we like. So, for parents with more than one child, or more than two, or just parents who have a special needs child the policy is discriminatory.

[roseyloxs]

Everything with twins is harder. I like MM's suggestion of carrying one and pushing the other. Not to mention this is only a policy not a law. AA has the ability to let you use a double if you make a case for it like, "I have twins and I am travelling alone." I find AA to be very accommodating. Did you know you can ask for gate pass for a friend if you are travelling alone with small children? United by the way will not do this even if you are travelling alone while your husband is deployed (and will be very rude about it too).

[roseyloxs]

I have a very slow moving, autistic 4.5 year old who still rides in the stroller--ESPECIALLY in airports as they are one of the places that sets him off. Then I have an almost 3 year old who is all over the place with way too much energy and does not listen. And now we have a newborn. And most of the time the flights that we can find include layovers some where at which point we have to deplane and hot foot it across an airport to the next terminal. We do pick flights that are direct as much as we can but they are fewer and further between than we like. So, for parents with more than one child, or more than two, or just parents who have a special needs child the policy is discriminatory.

I think AA would be very accommodating to your family. The strollers people are taking to the gate now are ridiculous. Has anyone seen the tiny staircase most of the airline workers have to climb with our heavy, awkwardly folded strollers? The new rule is fair. There are ways to travel to the gate without using a stroller over 20 lbs. If you have a special case then AA will help you out.

If I was dealing with the case above I would use two singles for the older kids and wear the infant. If I was travelling alone I would ask AA to give me some leeway because I NEED to use a double.

[Multimama]

If I was dealing with the case above I would use two singles for the older kids and wear the infant. If I was travelling alone I would ask AA to give me some leeway because I NEED to use a double.

This is what I was thinking. It sounds from your description PP like you are usually traveling with your DH when you travel with all of your kids together like you described, right? So you could bring two singles in that case. I agree that the policy does ask parents to make some changes in what might be their routine travel scenario, but if the circumstances where these strollers need to be carried really are as Roseyloxs described it sounds like they may be doing this for the safety of the ground crew and their needs need to be taken into account too.

ETA: And I have heard of people gate checking strollers (even double strollers) when they weren't traveling with any children at all so definitely these stroller policies have been abused and that may be what is now leading to this possible over-regulation now too. I hope they will make accommodations for people with special needs.

[arivecchi]

Even more reasons to fly less. They are simply pushing families to drive more. Not smart.