Folding buggy when flying alone

[Harryateacroissant]

Hi! Was hoping for some advice. I am flying on Monday with my baby who refuses to go in a sling. I’m going to need to fold up my yo-yo buggy at security I imagine, and then also before I get on the plane, but I physically can’t do this and hold him safely. Any tips? Are airline staff usually good at folding yo-yo buggies if I ask them to? It took me a little bit of time to master folding it up myself, so I don’t know if I can just hand it to one of the flight attendants and ask them if they can do it?

You could ask them to hold your baby whilst you fold it. It's probably quicker and easier.

This is the exact reason we returned our yoyo. We bought a Chicago goodie as you can fold and unfold with one hand. It’s also carrying the buggy up the steps etc

You need a light buggy you can fold easily one-handed. I had some crappy thirdhand light thing I was given by someone for this type of situation. Airline staff can be helpful, but aren’t going to be taking time out of doing a time-sensitive job to try to figure out folding a buggy that isn’t straightforward.

I always someone if they’re happy to hold my baby for a few seconds whilst I do XYZ (usually put the carrier back on after going through security). Admittedly, I always ask women.

You can fold the yoyo one handed.
you keep baby in pram whilst you use two hands to fold down the handle part. Then take baby out. And it’s just one button underneath to fold.

but just hand baby to someone to fold if you need help. It’s not like they can go anywhere they are waiting for you anyway.

Also, you don’t fold pushchair at security. They check it separately so it’s pushed through the entrance next to the scanner.

It should be fairly easy. You hand baby through the metal detector doorway to a security person, you then fold push chair and it goes on belt through the scanner. You go through the metal detector doorway and baby handed back to you. You then get assistance to unfold push chair, put baby in chair and then collect your carryon bags from the scanner trays. Head to your gate.

At the gate, you go with the push chair through boarding and right before you physically get on the plane you can gate check the push chair, it gets put in cargo. You board the plane holding baby, when you get off the plane holding baby, they will have brought your push chair up, popped it open and have it waiting for you right as you step off.

Depends on the airport, the security staff will instruct you.

Again, depends on the airport! I’ve always walked through the scanner carrying the baby.

Sometimes the pushchair is taken at the gate and not as you board.

Exactly this. This is how I do it. I've never had to ask anyone to help close the pushchair but asking someone to quickly hold your baby is probably far quicker than expecting them to know how to do it or talking them through it.

It’s quicker to fold pram and put in through scanner if it’s as hand luggage fold size though. As if you push through you have to wait for it to get hand scanned with wand thing which takes longer

Yes, it depends on airport and the age of the baby. When mine was 8 weeks old, I was allowed to walk through holding my baby. When mine was 6 months old, I had to hand them through. From 12 months+ whenever able to toddle, they had to walk through on their own.

Two kids, used a YoYo for both, and used to fly transatlantic solo a lot. You can easily fold it on your own. Fold the handlebar first, then take the baby out and you can do the last stage one handed. If it’s not your primary pram then it takes a bit of practice to get the motion down. It is fiddly if not used to it, so for that reason alone you’re unlikely to find security or airline staff who can do it, unless they happen to have one themselves. They will usually hold the baby though if you ask! But I’d focus on practicing the fold yourself. And make sure your carry on bag is a rucksack so hands free.

Find a kind looking person to hold the baby for 30 seconds. Fold buggy. Take baby back.
And when you say ‘won’t’ Go in a sling presumably they could… they’d just be a bit grumpy about it for a very short time.

That’s interesting. I’ve never had to hand them over. Until old enough to walk through, I’ve always carried.

What age is your baby? Can you practice folding your yo-yo holding them? (I can manage mine) I travel solo a lot with my kids (aged 4, nearly 3 & 9 weeks). Last flew this week with the three of them (dh and family live away). I do use a sling (sling libraries can help you find one they will tolerate). But yes - often airlines and other passengers will help. However they’ll hold the kids - rather than fold buggy’s. Is your little one old enough to sit on the floor? (I’ve occasionally had to pop one of mine in between my feet to sort bags at security).

Are you prepared to tag the buggy and leave it at the plane steps? Or will you also need to ask for help from other passengers to carry it up the steps and put it in overhead lockers (this is where I’ve found people don’t help. I get mine tagged). Also think about what you are carrying. I’ve learnt I manage only when there’s nothing in the base of the buggy. So only bring things that fit in a backpack!! (But then I need both hands to 1. Hold baby and 2. Help toddlers up and down steps). Ryanair and most budget airlines often don’t have lifts between the gate (so you have 35+ steps to get to ground level, then a short walk to the plane, then plane steps). Staff don’t help at that point but I’ve always found fellow passengers (if asked nicely) will help between the gate and the steps.

Conscious that this makes it sound way worse than it is to travel solo. Well prepared, it’s really not that bad!

*edited to correct spelling mistakes

It can be frustrating. It’s the same with the shoes on or shoes off- depends on the airport. I guess it is good to be ready for the most common scenarios.

Update for anyone interested! Quite a few times now and it is relatively straightforward, but the tricky bit is getting onto the plane(as a solo traveller). You have to scan your tickets and show passport, and then find somewhere safe to lay the baby down or get someone to hold whilst folding up the pram, then there is lots to carry into the plane as well as the baby! I do find plenty of people offer to help me and i do take them up on Their offer! At the end of the flight, I just ask the flight attendant to help me off the flight and they take all my bags off the plane for me - some even open up the yoyo

The airline staff all know yo-yo so chilled about me taking it in the overhead locker!

I always took ergo embrace sling when small as well. Then at depart gate put baby in sling. Have Luggage in backpack. Then hands free to fold pram and carry on plane.

Same in reverse. Baby in sling when you land, then hands free to carry pram off and unfold, or carry up any stairs, baby safely in sling

Yo- yo is brilliant but if you are worried about folding alone the bugaboo butterfly is a one handed fold on the handle. X