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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask for your experience taking strollers or prams on planes

49 replies

Amatteroftime · 21/02/2020 11:43

Posting for traffic.

Going on holiday soon with a 1 year old and will be checking the stroller in at the boarding gate, but I'm scared it will get broken. I've found a nice one on sale at half price, not expensive at £40 but I still wouldn't like for it to get broken as I'd like to use it post-holiday. DH will think I'm crazy if I buy this as well as a rubbish £5 second hand one (nothing wrong with second hand but for £5 it would be questionable).

Could you share your experiences? Am I better off only getting a really cheap one?

OP posts:
DappledThings · 21/02/2020 11:54

Took our main one (Mamas and Papas Armadillo Flip) on our first plane journey and it was fine. Took a cheaper Mothercare Nano on our second one and somewhere between being put on the plane home and coming off again it got bent so you couldn't have all 4 wheels touching the ground at the same time.

So it's all a matter of chance really!

AtMyDesk · 21/02/2020 11:56

I have taken a macclaren and it was fine. Take to the gate and ask if you can have it immediately you disembark

AveEldon · 21/02/2020 11:58

I would recommend buying a travel bag or a large plastic bag (sometimes the airlines sell them)

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 21/02/2020 12:01

Are you American? Do you mean a pushchair when you say "stroller"?

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 21/02/2020 12:03

Ps we had a very very cheap hauck folding pushchair. It cost about 30 quid. It didn't get too battered, we used it for about 3 flights then used it for childcare drop off too. It lasted about 18m then a wheel broke.

Original poster
Amatteroftime · 21/02/2020 12:05

Are you American? Do you mean a pushchair when you say "stroller"?

No I'm English, all my friends call them strollers (light weight quickly fold up and down) and call pushchairs the bulkier travel system types so I do the same...

OP posts:
Original poster
Amatteroftime · 21/02/2020 12:06

Take to the gate and ask if you can have it immediately you disembark

Can you do that? I thought it went in the hold

OP posts:
Bipbipbipbip · 21/02/2020 12:08

£40 Joie one - been through multiple airports and several UK trips and it's fine, bit dirty but no damage.

I'd recommend a sling too as while you drop the stroller off at the gate on departure you often don't get it back till baggage reclaim on the other side and it's a bit of a walk sometimes!

DappledThings · 21/02/2020 12:10

Can you do that? I thought it went in the hold

No, you can keep it till the gate then they load them on last and take them off again near where you disembark so you pick it up again.

We also took a sling so the buggy more got used for piling hand luggage onto than actual child transportation!

On a side note, because someone else asked, I use buggy and pushchair interchangeably. I probably wouldn't use the word stroller myself and I do think it sounds American but I think here it is used to distinguish between a lightweight, umbrella fold model and a bigger one so it is a useful distinction.

Pipandmum · 21/02/2020 12:10

I took a lightweight Maclaren and it was fine. They'd have to really chuck it around to break. Beware that you don't always get it back until luggage carousel though - depends on airport.

usernotfound0000 · 21/02/2020 12:11

We have a Mamas & Papas Armadillo which we bought for travelling, it folds up fairly small and is light enough. It has been on several flights and it is still going for child number 2! We've always been allowed to use it until boarding and then it just goes on the plane, you leave it at the bottom of the steps - apart from one time we had to check it in with the luggage which was annoying but not too bad as we had a carrier ( think it was airline specific?). On arrival at our destination it usually comes out on the conveyor belt but occasionally has to be collected from over-sized baggage.

MissMooMoo · 21/02/2020 12:12

You can always take it to the gate when you board but I rarely get it back when we get off, it always goes to luggage collection. I ended up buying one I could take on board with me and put in the overhead bin or under the seat. Lifesaver when I travelled solo with my son.

Wiaa · 21/02/2020 12:17

I always take mine to the gate, ive been away 5 times with it so 10 flights and its never been damaged. There's always a slight chance of it getting damaged just like any piece of luggage accidents happen but thats what insurance is for.

Original poster
Amatteroftime · 21/02/2020 12:18

Thanks folks will get the one I was looking and take it to the gate. Will see if I can get a travel bag for it too. Hopefully they will let us have it as we disembark as she is very heavy. But will take a carrier just in case!

OP posts:
PumpkinP · 21/02/2020 12:21

Can I ask what one you’re looking? at as going away soon and need to take one for the youngest all the ones I’ve looked at are so pricey so £40 is a bargain.

And plenty of people call them strollers not just Americans Hmm

Vava87 · 21/02/2020 12:28

I can recommend the red kite cube. Been on a few flights and stores in over head locker. Has a carry bag with strap. Tend to use it a lot at home too.

cheesefries · 21/02/2020 12:33

When you check in/do baggage drop, mention that you want the stroller given back at the gate when you land. They normally give you a sticker/lanyard style thing for it so when you give it in at the gate for takeoff they'll know to get it out again on landing and not send it with the other luggage to baggage claim.
You may have to wait 10-15 minutes at the plane for it though but worth it to avoid lugging a heavy toddler through security!

hattyhatshats · 21/02/2020 12:36

I'd also think about where you're going on holiday. Our first we took a cheap umbrella style pushchair but it was shite to use unless it was perfect pavements (eg old historic cities or slightly off road/beach) so the next time we took our proper pram (mountain buggy) and we could use on the beach etc. So much better and I think it faired better in the hold as it's more robust.

MabelMoo23 · 21/02/2020 12:43

I’ll tell you now the chance of you getting it back at the aircraft door as you get off are slim to none. Most of them now go to baggage reclaim.

I’ve travelled a fair bit, I bought a travel bag for our Icandy, checked it at check in and used a sling in the airport. Not a scratch on my ICandy

If you can buy a travel bag, do so and check it at check in. Buggies taken to the gate get slung on at the last second

AmazingGreats · 21/02/2020 12:45

Never had a problem from flying. I did break the damn thing trying to sit in it on the beach though. So it survived the flight but not my fat arse

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 21/02/2020 12:59

Despite being told we would, we have never yet been given the pushchair back at the gate. They are almost always taken from you at the gate on the way, put in the hold, then arrive back at the carousel.

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 21/02/2020 13:00

This is the reason people pay so much for the yoyo, you can put it in the overhead compartment. If you need a pram from the gate, you are best looking for one that folds for the overhead compartment.

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 21/02/2020 13:02

PumpkinP perhaps it is a regional thing, I've not heard it used in my part of the southeast, except by Americans or Americanophiles who adopt the NA equivalent language & spelling for everything.

RedGal · 21/02/2020 13:07

This is the reason people pay so much for the yoyo, you can put it in the overhead compartment. If you need a pram from the gate, you are best looking for one that folds for the overhead compartment.

Wow, I just googled this because I couldn't imagine a buggy folding up that small! Amazing.

Stompythedinosaur · 21/02/2020 13:07

We got a second hand double buggy for holidays, used to check it at the gate and pick up at luggage collection. Probably tool it away at least 5 times, didn't have a travel bag, and it didn't get broken.