Effective June 1, new American Airlines rules re: travel with strollers

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:00:46 here and you'd think they won't care because they don't know YOU! Me and DH are FF in several companies so they actually do listen to what we have to say and may I also tell you that we've traveled for free several times with extra miles we got after letting them know we were not happy with some aspect of our trips.

Now, to the PP suggesting me to check the stroller, I might say that if more people offered to help I would be happy to do so but so far the headache and uncertainty that my stuff will meet me on the other end outweighs the benefit of checking it. Sorry folks but I'm taking my stroller with me.

Out of 3 trips we'll end up with lost luggage in at least 1 trip. There's no way I'll check our stroller and carseats.

And a quick question to the folks that are annoyed by children on board: are we less worthy than you? what's your take on this? Children should not be allowed in airplanes at all?

It's not about children not being welcome on planes. People fly as a matter of course these days and children will be a part of that. It's about not acting like you and your children are the only ones on the plane who are frazzled, tired, overwhelmed and wanting to get to your destination as smoothly as possible. Why are people obligated to offer you help? The rest of us are attempting to manage our own lives and travel and don't really care to be conscripted into your travel plans. The rest of us also have concerns about our luggage being lost but we are still required to follow the baggage regulations and check certain things through as you will need to do due to the fact that other airlines will most likely be following suit. The gear parents take on flights - even short ones - has reached ludicrous heights. Taking your 400 pounds of stroller/baggage/snacks/toys etc. is not necessary. Trust me, I know this to be true. My parents moved three of us overseas when we we were kids and while we certainly had books and a few toys/snacks with us they never had a giant stroller or tons of bags. My brother/SIL travel with a 4 year old and a 9 month old often and pack fairly lightly. Think a computer bag, a carry-on, a car seat and one big duffel checked through. Scale back your self-importance and give it a whirl.

I was going to answer but your eloquence is beyond anything I could attempt. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Parents need to carry lots on board because you never know when you will get stuck for hours. That may be fine/slightly inconvenient for adults. It's a big friggin' deal if you're still in the diapers/special food/hard to entertain stage. Better to prepare to be delayed for hours & be happily surprised rather than vice versa.

[Anonymous]

21;32 has a good point.

You guys are all ganged up against me here because you were not in our flight to India on the day of the bog snow storm 2 years ago. We were stuck in the runway for 4 hours in Dulles. What made us miss our connection in Dubai and consequently missed the connection in Bombay. Our 20 hour trip took 4 days and guess what? Yup our luggage reached our destination 10 days later.

Sorry but I'm bringing my stroller. And a few more things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:21;32 has a good point.

You guys are all ganged up against me here because you were not in our flight to India on the day of the bog snow storm 2 years ago. We were stuck in the runway for 4 hours in Dulles. What made us miss our connection in Dubai and consequently missed the connection in Bombay. Our 20 hour trip took 4 days and guess what? Yup our luggage reached our destination 10 days later.

Sorry but I'm bringing my stroller. And a few more things.

I hope you purchased seats for your children.

[Anonymous]

Air France has the same rule.....an umbrella stroller is fine....but otherwise - check at the counter. We survived....

[Anonymous]

It's often best to let your child walk before a flight anyway. And you can always use a carrier and/or (gasp!) a child leash if you're not up to carrying them for a short amount of time.

Check suitcases and the stroller. Bring a carry on or two and use a carrier if needed. Problem solved.

[Anonymous]

09:06 were your children born walking? mine took at least a year to start and at least 2 years to be trusted to walk long distances without being carried or melting down.

I wonder what's their suggestion for parents with children too young to ride umbrella type of strollers. And honestly no umbrella would keep up with the terrains we face at most of our destinations.

What we do when both parents are there is to use the umbrella in the airport and check in the big one. Unfortunately we can't do that when I travel alone.

And to the hopeful poster I must tell you that it's not safe nor lawful to travel with 2 children on your lap so yes we all have our own seats and they're in their air safe carseats sleeping most of the time.

We fly during the night and they've been flying since 4 weeks of age so they're used to it. There's no melt down or screaming in the plane. (knock on wood)

[Anonymous]

To those saying they will send a letter to the airlines or no longer fly American....get real! Do you really think the airlines care?

We have five kids and fly very often. My kids were stroller age long before the "trendy stroller" became popular. Somehow we managed to get through the parking, through security/customs, to the gate, on the plane, meet our connections....... all without an enormous stroller and a diaper bag that looked like something you would need if you were stranded somewhere deep in the Amazon.

If you have a baby, you need a small $15 dollar umbrella stroller for travel. A small diaper bag. And your purse.

[Anonymous]

Well, I do think that limiting the amount of luggage/strollers/other items that people can bring on board is a good thing, but why limit it to strollers? Lots of adult travelers without kids bring enormous suitcases, sports equipment etc. Why not be more stringent in limiting that stuff as well? It isn't fair to only target strollers.

[Anonymous]

I've never seen someone carry an enormous suitcase or sports equipment onboard. They have to check it, just as they're asking those with strollers over 20 lbs to do.

[Anonymous]

I would NOT use any stroller without a 5 part harness and I'd be worried in an airport to use a cheapie stroller as they tip easily, don't roll well, etc. Either use a good umbrella or other stroller. I'd rather keep my child/ren safe in a good stroller and fly a different airline if necessary. No way am I hauling through an airport with car seats, a diaper bag, children, etc. without one. They should limit the weight of carry-ons more too then and other stuff. Would they prefer a child get knocked over by someone in a hurry not paying attention?

[Anonymous]

I don't think we're talking about bringing the strollers onboard, but rather gate checking them. (I doubt umbrella strollers would fit in the overhead, and other passengers would have your head for taking up a whole bin with it.) I wonder why airlines want to stop gate checking the large strollers-- is there not enough room for them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think we're talking about bringing the strollers onboard, but rather gate checking them. (I doubt umbrella strollers would fit in the overhead, and other passengers would have your head for taking up a whole bin with it.) I wonder why airlines want to stop gate checking the large strollers-- is there not enough room for them?

Could it be liability? When you check special items at the counter, you have to sign off on some disclaimers. The gate is just a matter of quickly tagging the item, but I have never been given a waiver. Maybe they've had people lugging BOBs, etc. to be get checked, the strollers get damaged, and then, precisely because some of those strollers are so pricey, people are registering claims against the airline. Maybe the airline just got tired of the expense of processing all that after the fact.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:09:06 were your children born walking? mine took at least a year to start and at least 2 years to be trusted to walk long distances without being carried or melting down.

I wonder what's their suggestion for parents with children too young to ride umbrella type of strollers. And honestly no umbrella would keep up with the terrains we face at most of our destinations.
What we do when both parents are there is to use the umbrella in the airport and check in the big one. Unfortunately we can't do that when I travel alone.

And to the hopeful poster I must tell you that it's not safe nor lawful to travel with 2 children on your lap so yes we all have our own seats and they're in their air safe carseats sleeping most of the time.

We fly during the night and they've been flying since 4 weeks of age so they're used to it. There's no melt down or screaming in the plane. (knock on wood)

Check the off-roading stroller you need for the terrains at your destination. For your non-walker who is too young for an umbrella stroller, try a baby bjorn or other carrier. Super convenient. And if you have a very young child and a toddler, you can even push the toddler in the umbrella stroller while you "wear" the baby.

[Anonymous]

There is no way that I would check my stroller at the counter. I am a mother of two boys (4 and 2).
My 2 year old has special needs and doesn't walk. He weighs close to 30 pounds so there is no way I can carry
him to the gate with a carry on bag and at the same time keep an eye on my 4 year old. On top of that since you
usually need to check in for your flight up to 2 hours before it actually takes off a stroller is sometimes necessary for the child to nap
or eat a snack. I would not allow my child to crawl around on the disgusting airport floor.

I am not about to go buy a cheap umbrella stroller so that I can check it at the gate. When you are on vacation it is nice to
have a comfortable stroller for your child.