have you brought your Bugaboo abroad?

[logrrl]

Flying to Cairo via Amsterdam with DS (who will be 6 months) in a few weeks. We are away for two weeks and although we do use the sling a lot and will probably use it in the airport, we would probably ideally like to bring his buggy, which is a Bugaboo Chameleon. We don't have the travel bag (£ ridiculous IMO). My questions are

1. is it too big to meet airline specifications? 2)if I can bring it, do I really need the travel bag or could I wrap it up in something else? BTW, buying another buggy isn't really an option. thanks!

You need to check that airline specifications as they tend to have different limits and requirements as to what you can bring.

But I cannot see why the chameleon would be a problem if you put it in the hold (if you were planning to take it with you at the gate then I think the buggy has to fold down in one piece, that much I know). Also, I cannot see why the bag would be a problem.

However, give the airline a call - it is always the safest option

We brought our bugaboo gekko abroad last year and it was fine. We just folded it up at the gate and it was put in the hold. And it didn't fold up into one piece, but two pieces (suspect chameleon is same).

Thanks for your responses-maybe the lack of other response indicates people leaving their chameleons at home...but I will check with the airline-it's KLM and they are usually great at customer service...

I took mine to France with RyanAir. Like Baconsarnie, I kept DS in it until we actually boarded the plane, then folded it down (in two parts) to go in the hold.
Not the most convenient since I was on my own and DS was only 10 weeks old but it all seemed to work out OK!

I took mine on Easyjet a couple of years ago. I took it right to the steps of the plane then left the wheels at the foot of the steps to go in the hold and took the seat part on board with me (paranoid about it being stolen and us being stranded with no pushchair!).

Thanks everyone! I called KLM and they said that we can take the buggy to the gate and then they will transfer it to the hold.

Sounds great, but I guess I'd better put it in something, large bin bags or something at least, to make it less attractive...

check your insurance excess - if the baggage handlers wreck it you may regret not buying the travel bag

a second hand bugaboo bag is on ebay at the moment for 50 quid. yikes. any other ideas to protect it from baggage handlers??

i would buy the travel bag. we got a maclaren techno and travel bag for travelling as i couldn't get a big enough bag for our big pram has been on 6 flights but the bag was ripped this time when i got it back. we take it up to the gate and then pack the stroller and all the non essentials into it and hand it to the boarding staff. enjoy your trip.

If you don't get a travel bag then ask the airline for a clear plastic bag - SAS sold them for a couple of quid last time

That way the handlers can see what it is and hopefully not wreck it