Why You Should Choose a Lightweight Stroller for Flying with a Baby
October 15th, 2009 by Chris Maclaren, under Travel and Leisure. No Comments
Traveling with children is never the easiest thing in the world, as any parent will no doubt testify. Children come with a lot of extra luggage and, obviously, they can’t offer much help lugging it around. For this reason, you’ll want to keep everything as lightweight as possible. For children riding in a stroller, this is of the utmost importance. When flying with a young child, it’s vital to bring along a stroller that is light weight and easy to store, such as an umbrella stroller.
As I myself have discovered in the past, the vast majority of airlines don’t really provide much information about their procedures regarding strollers. In order to avoid any last minute upsets and confusion, here are a few tips which should be able to help you when it’s time for boarding and disembarking.
First of all, yes, you can bring your stroller right up to the plane. You don’t need to check it with your luggage, but they will tag it for you at check-in. During the security check, you’ll probably have to send your stroller through the x-ray machine.
For convenience purposes, you can wheel your child in the stroller all the way to the actual entrance of the aircraft, but unfortunately you won’t be allowed to take it on board.
When traveling with your young child, it’s important to bring a light weight stroller for the trip. You may want to think about an umbrella fold stroller, or another lightweight stroller in the Maclaren Buggy range.
Specifically, you want to avoid complicated strollers with lots of attachments. You don’t want anything that’s heavy-duty and hard to store. You also don’t want a model with lots of smaller pieces that can come off and be lost during your transit. Avoid 3 wheelers, off road buggies and travel systems. Keep it simple, lightweight, and compact.
Apart from the weight factor, you should also focus on strength and durability. Here again, an umbrella fold stroller is really ideal. Don’t for a minute think that baggage handlers are concerned about your personal assets, so the last thing you need is to hand in your stroller and receive the back all buckled when you arrive at your destination.
When your plane lands, it’s important that you don’t get off the plane immediately and head out to pick up your luggage. Chances are your stroller won’t be there. Ask your flight attendant where you can find the strollers. Most likely, this will be right outside the jetway.
Lastly, you’ll want to check specifics with the airline you’re traveling with beforehand. Any specific rules, regulations and procedures that they implement will be necessary to understand before flying. For instance, some airlines have different rules for stroller handling when dealing with a connecting flight. Little things like this can make for a more confusing trip if not prepared for, so be prepared.
If you follow these simple instructions you should have no trouble getting where you need to go with your child. Just remember, keep it simple. A compact and light weight stroller is your best bet for check-in, security, and storage.
