Help - do I take the buggy through or check it I'm at airport!

[misshoohaa]

Hi all,
Flying to oz on etihad from heathrow terminal 4 this afternoon. I was thinking of checking buggy in and taking DS (5 months) through in the sling with my hand luggage (backpack) otherwise I've got to collapse buggy and put it in the bag in my own - travelling solo. But perhaps I can ask someone to hold him while I do so? What do you think? Check it in or take it thru?
It's a baby jogged city mini
I don't think I'll get the buggy back at Brisbane until the baggage claim anyway and the buggy won't appear again for our layovers.....

just take the sling if you are confident he'll sleep in it?

I used a sling for the same reasons, but I'm sure you would be given a hand at the departure gate by a passing passenger

I'd do both personally! It's handy to have the buggy through to the gate in case of delays etc. Then as you are about to board, put him in the sling and fold the buggy while you're hands free. The City Mini is an easy fold so shouldn't be a problem. I never used a bag for mine though!

Do you have transfers? Ours lived in the sling normally, but I was very, very grateful for the buggy when sprinting through the airport with handluggage/paraphernalia to get to our connection.

The sling was great on the plane though, since it saved my arms holding him on my lap (although they had me take him out of it for takeoff)