Travel with Children - Stroller: Gate check or counter check?

We are traveling with our daughter and will need the stroller at our destination, but don't really need it for getting around the airport (it might actually be a bit of a hindrance if she want to be carried around the airport since we will have her care seat with us).

Which is more reliable and less damaging on the stroller, gate checking or desk check in. Oh and the stroller has a bag if thy makes a difference, but it's not obviously a stiller by the bag.

We have 1 connection in Dallas.

In theory, gate-checking is less wear-and-tear on the stroller than desk-checking. Because a stroller is not a safety-device, as is a car seat, do whatever is more convenient for you. You can bag the stroller, throw on a few "fragile" stickers (who knows what good it does) or whatever else you want to do. The cover is a good idea if it's raining. Double secure it with a bungee cord to keep it closed en route. It's car seats which are a bad idea to desk-check so keep that with you and use it on board.

If you stroller has foam handles, you may want to protect those, perhaps with some bubble wrap or just plastic and duct tape. Mine ripped once and this is common. You might even want to remove them. Also, I used to take everything off the stroller I could whether I checked or used the stroller in the airport. Less stuff means less damage.

I used to strap my car seat to a metal luggage cart with an extra bungee and my daughter could ride in it. Then I had a good baby carrier for when she got clingy, to save my back and keep my hands free. Luckily both liked walking and riding better!

Thanks for the reply! That's enormously helpful!

Sorry for the typos, my phone autocorrects to stuff that isn't right...

I find it more convenient to keep my stroller in the airport and place the diaper bag/my laptop bag in it. I use a snap-n-go, which also makes transporting the car seat convenient.

I find it more convenient to keep my stroller in the airport and place the diaper bag/my laptop bag in it. I use a snap-n-go, which also makes transporting the car seat convenient.


Agreed.

I don't use the snap-n-go, but I find my stroller handy to have in the terminal to hold my stuff ... and then I hold or wear the baby :)

It's also nice to have on the possible chance the baby falls asleep on the first leg (usually 15 minutes before landing, sigh) and I can leave the kid in the stroller while I stretch and tend to my own needs during our layover. I've never found it easier to not have with me in the terminal.

Since I'm planning my wife & my little 2 years old daughter coming over to BKK in late Aug for a week, however, we are also thinking of bringing the stroller as well, the Combi model that we have which is similar to this one from the link. http://www.combi.com.hk/product_detail.php?parentProductID=1&lvl1ProductID=5 & we guess that we can't bring it inside to the airside but most likely require to be checked in, do you know whether we have to do that at the CX check-in counter? Or we can do it at the boarding gate? When most of you travel with your kids, do you also bring stroller with you as well?

Please realize that strollers do get destroyed/damaged when they are checked. I had a Uppababy stroller destroyed when I desk checked it and a Britax stroller damaged when I gate checked it.

Most airlines no longer cover damage to strollers unless it is the original factory box, FYI. Probably even more concerning is the inconvenience it may cause if your stroller is not available at the destination.

The first stroller we were able to "fix" after purchasing some tools at home depot during our trip. In the meantime I rented a stroller at Disneyland for some absurd amount per day.

The second time was a trip to Hawaii. Hilton helped us out and had one of their maintenance guys bang the broken part straight. I then used duck tape to get it out of the way. Since we didn't find out about it until my husband got to the hotel (he was on a separate flight and did not ensure that it was ok at the airport), I then had to trek back to the airport $25 taxi each way to file a claim, only to be told that DL no longer covered strollers. The whole mess took up about 3/4 of a day of our 3 day vacation.

Do we still check strollers? Yes. But, I would recommend finding a stroller that meets your needs and is small enough to fit in an overhead. At this point our daughter is too old to buy a fourth stroller, we won't use it enough. The Mia Moda Cielo Revolution, is ugly but is legal carryon and does recline. The Quinny is also small enough (we have this one) but does not recline and is tippy (we don't like it and generally don't bring it).

Be aware that many airlines wont let you put a stroller in the overhead. Be prepared for that. Plan on gate-checking it, unless you're in business class (and can put it in a closet).

I've had strollers busted too. What I really hate is that moment when you get it back and ask yourself "Am I going to be able to use this? Even open it??" and then think how you're going to get through the airport without it!

Bummer about the Quinny. I thought that was a good travel stroller.

Better not to take a really expensive stroller. Really cheap ones aren't good solutions either. They may not be very useful and they are probably more easily damaged.