Taking a pram through Gatwick

[AgentofOrder]

So fingers crossed, we’re going to Majorca at the beginning of Sept with our (then) 4 month old. I was thinking we could take our pram through the airport and then hand it over at the gate. It’s an Oyster 3 without the bassinet part, so collapses easily. I also have a sling which I’ll use but he is only happy in the sling for about 30 mins at a time, hence wanting the pram.
Questions:

1. Can I actually wheel the pram to the gate, ie through security etc?
2. I have a padded bag for the pram - I really like my pram as does baby. Do you think it would save the pram from baggage handlers?
3. We’re flying with EasyJet so I know we can put the pram in the hold for free but wondered if it had to be checked at bag drop for this.
4. Also taking a (cheapy) car seat which I want to put in the hold. I’m not worried if the car seat is scuffed etc. But I do want the integrity of the car seat to be ok, ie so it’s still safe to use - any ideas to protect or do you think it would be ok?

Any other tips would be great too. I’m feeling quite nervous about travelling with a baby!

It’s been a few years, but if it’s the same as when I was doing this you get the label put on the pram at check in and hand it in at the gate. It goes through the x ray at security and sometimes gets swabbed too. It is likely you won’t get it back till baggage claim though (bitter memories of walking for hours through Manchester Airport lugging baby and bags).
I think I did use a bag once, not padded though.
You can get car seat bags too.

Also - My kids were bottle fed- I ordered ready made milk from boots website to be collected at the airport (past security) so there were no liquid restrictions. Well worth doing if you’re using formula.

Same experience as PP.

I was BF but ordered baby food to the departure side boots. Much easier.

Bear in mind some of the gates at the North Terminal involve a lengthy walk over the air bridge - there are lifts at each end, but if they are out of service you are faced with some very steep and long escalators.

The only thing to check is which gate you're going through. When I came through Gatwick last year I discovered I had 2 flights of stairs to get to to the plane!!! Luckily the other passengers nearby were wonderful and carried my pram down for me.

The next time I booked assistance. I checked with the bag-drop staff and those at the assistance desk and both confirmed I'd be ok, and I was. But I'm going to check each time I go through with a pram.

We used baby yo-yo extensively during holidays. It can be folded into a bag and the size fits to the requirement of hand luggage size. We used this all the way to the boarding gate and folded at the gate and carry the bag. Airlines don't count this as hand luggage either, so this is in addition to your hand luggage allowance. Not cheap, worth every penny and sold at good price at the end.

Forgot to mention, yes it fits to overheads.

I should add - outbound when we landed buggy was next to the airplane stairs (BA).

Home bound it was left in an area in the baggage bit. Lady next to me in border queue had one of those micro city fold down things which had been put in an overhead locker.

She worked as cabin crew though so clearly knew the tricks.

I would buy a cheap stroller

Thanks all. My baby is still little and he also has hypotonia so needs to be able to lie flat in a pram. I think I’ll take the pram to the gate, stick it in the bag there - hopefully the bag will minimise any damage and I’ll carry LO in a sling to the plane.

If you book a seat on the plane for you baby you'll be allowed to take the car seat in the cabin and strap it into the plane seat. Most infant car seats are approved for this.

If that's not an option the best way to protect it is apparently the cardboard box it came in. But if that doesn't work either then you can get car seat bags. You could wrap it in a blanket or bubble wrap before going into the bag.

When traveling with our car seat we put it in a car seat bag (padded) and then stuff the bag with things like nappies and towels to add extra padding. If it gets chucked around it may not be safe to use.