Traveling With Your Baby: How to Get a Stroller on a Plane
Babies on a plane. The very thought causes some parents to reconsider that vacation to the beach, choosing to take their child to local pool or neighborhood park instead. But, traveling with your child does not have to cause you tremendous amounts of added anxiety or stress. With the right tools and necessary travel gear, you can take that much needed trip without the hassle of worrying about how you are going to transport your child every day. By taking your baby’s stroller with you, your baby will enjoy all the comforts of home and their daily routine while you gain some much needed relaxation during your time away from home and work.
Listed below are some helpful travel hints and tips that can make your traveling experience with your child easier.
1. Label your stroller- this simple step can save you tons of time at the baggage claim after you have arrived at your destination. Thinking of your child’s stroller as a piece of luggage that could potentially get lost or damaged during the flight can make all the difference in your stress level during your vacation. Carefully label the stroller with your contact information, flight information and details of your intended destination. If you really want to ensure that your stroller is labeled properly, go to your local retail store and purchase some luggage tags.
2. Check Airline Stroller Policies Before your Arrive- make sure that you call ahead to ask the airline about certain key price and storage policies well in advance. You do not want to show up the day of your flight and have to ask these questions. Ask the airline about how a stroller can be stored, if there are additional charges for either strollers or car seats, if you can gate check your stroller and how you will be able to pick it up after the flight has landed.
3. Tickets and Receipts- above all else make sure that you hold on to your claim ticket/receipt otherwise you will not be able to claim your stroller from baggage. This can spell disaster if you know that you have stored your stroller and now have no proof that you have done so.
4. Check for Damage- before you place your child in the stroller, make sure that you check it for any damage. Open and close it once, scanning it for tears, scuff marks or anything else that could potentially lead to the harm of your child. Once all of this is done, place your child in the seat, fasten their safety harness and stroll out of the airport and into days or weeks of fun and total relaxation!