When you’re traveling with a baby or toddler, a stroller can indispensable, particularly if you will be walking a lot. It also provides a place for your child to nap during the day or in the evenings. However, bringing a stroller on the plane does have some drawbacks. It is quite likely that strollers which are checked with your baggage will be damaged. If there are a number of components to your stroller, pieces can also go missing.
Many airlines will allow you to check your stroller in at the gate although it will be tagged upon check in at ‘Arrivals’. This allows you to use your stroller while walking around the airport although your stroller will have to be fully collapsed and put through the x-ray machine at security.
Where the stroller emerges on arrival at your destination can differ from airline to airline and country to country. Sometimes it will be waiting at the gate and sometimes it will come out with the luggage on the baggage carousel and you might even find that it arrives at the oversized luggage counter.
A baby carrier or sling can be a more suitable mechanism for getting your child through the airport. They can be taken into the cabin of the aircraft and are smaller and less cumbersome for getting through security.
Ultimately, deciding whether to bring a stroller or not comes down to both what your needs are and what you preference is.
Tips
- Consider the sling/ baby carrier option for the airport as it leaves your hands free and is a lot easier to handle on board and at the airport.
- If you’re bringing the stroller mainly to use at your destination, then consider other options such as renting a stroller when you arrive, or borrowing a stroller from friends and family. It saves you the hassle of dealing with a stroller before and after the flight and at the airport, and you won’t risk the stroller getting damaged after it’s checked in.
- If you want to bring a stroller, bring the smallest kind of stroller you can get away with. Dealing with a collapsible umbrella stroller is definitely easier than a larger kind with several pieces.
The policies and regulations for bringing a stroller on board vary from airline to airline. See our ‘Airline Policies’ section for more information.
