Hints & Tips for flying with a "proper" pram

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Hi,

Apart from "no don't do it, take a stroller" does anyone have any hints and tips for flying with a proper pram please? (Ie a pram chassis with removable carry cot)

I am flying with Monarch to Italy next May and will have a 4 month old baby with me.
Because of the situation once I get to Italy I would prefer to have a proper lay flat carry cot for the baby to be in, otherwise I would indeed just be taking a cheap stroller.

I'm already planning on getting just a cheap second hand one rather than taking my expensive new one but any other advice or helpful info would be greatly appreciated Mumsnet!

Thanks!

Check the airline regs, but with some you can have up to two separate bits of pram kit (so chassis and cot in your case) which you can keep up to the gate. They then stash them in the hold and you collect with other hold luggage. Fairly painless!

We did it once. But the seat into the hold and car seat and chassis with us until the gate and then got it back with the luggage.

Just pack it tightly.

Don't take one you treasure or have spent a lot of money on, because it will be treated like any other piece of luggage and thrown about.

You can buy bags especially for transporting your pram/pushchair: www.amazon.co.uk/Best-Sellers-Baby-Pushchair-Pram-Transport-Bags/zgbs/baby/1902091031

I highly recommend a sling or baby carrier for aeroplane to gate, to avoid the faff of unfolding and folding your pram at the gate. You have to take the baby out at security anyway.

Thanks all, am definitely going with cheap second hand one, car seat is getting packed in case and going in hold anyway, then was going to have baby in pram until gate, then put baby in sling to fold buggy at gate and get on plane

The airline I flew with let me take the Pram upto the plane stairs then I collapsed it and they put it under the cabin.

Check with Monarch - some airlines won't bring a 'proper' pram up to the aircraft door on arrival, it will be delivered with the rest of the bags at the baggage belt. (This is due to them being big and awkward to carry up the steps)

Thanks Mrs I'd kind of assumed that I wouldn't get it back until baggage anyway, another reason I liked the sling/carrier suggestion