checking a stroller
 

I am sure I read this somewhere before, but I can't find the info...

Can we check our full-size stroller as a piece of luggage or do we have to somehow box it up?

Air Canada's stroller policy is here.

Stroller Policy

Children may be transported in their strollers throughout any airport Air Canada serves.

Air Canada strongly recommends the use of small umbrella type strollers when traveling with children.

Collapsible strollers may be checked at the gate and will be delivered to you at the aircraft door at the end of your flight.

Large, heavy strollers should be checked-in as part of your checked luggage, as gate facilities in airports are not designed to accommodate them. Large strollers are subject to space limitations, and there is a risk that they cannot be accommodated in the aircraft.

They can probably put plastic wrapping around it at checkin, similar to what you would do with a backpack.

You will also need to take it to the oversized baggage drop off and pick it up at the special handling area at your destination.

We recently took our infant on several flights.
On AC/UA flights, no problem gate-checking the stroller, and having
it returned to the gate ( on some flights in a very timely manner, on
others after everyone had deplaned!). TG - fast return at gate.
But beware: MF and CA gate checked the stroller, but only returned
it at the baggage pick-up area! Not good if you are doing in transit
connections!!!

I always ended up waiting for strollers on the jetway while the whole plane empties. I highly recommend a good-quality (i.e. Maclaren) umbrella stroller for flights. If you pre-board you should have no issue getting your stroller onboard and in the o/h bin - makes exiting the plane much easier as you don't actually have to carry the little one or set up your stroller in the jetway.

No problem at all. Take whatever stroller you want. There is no limit on what size they will take. They announced a policy change late 2007 but quickly dropped it.

On a recent flight I saw someone gate checking a chariot bike trailer!

I am now getting a little confused. Can I still gate check a "full size" stroller?

Yes

Yes!

"Air Canada strongly recommends the use of small umbrella type strollers when traveling with children. Large, heavy strollers should be checked-in as part of your checked luggage, as gate facilities in airports are not designed to accommodate them. Large strollers are subject to space limitations, and there is a risk that they cannot be accommodated in the aircraft."

They can recommend all they want. Unless they require it I don't care and neither should you!

I guess I should have asked my lawyer to review the rules! Sometimes I miss the key words. :)

You can definetely take a full size stroller to the gate (trust me, I work for AC). Awhile back they tried to change it to only Unbrella strollers (thinking that it would be easier and quicker to stow while boarding), but so many people complained about having to carry their kids/infants to the gates, that they reversed the policy. Just make sure you're given a green stroller tag when you check-in!

It was a ridiculous policy. Poorly rolled out (hence initial hostility from travellers), difficult to enforce (leaving AC staff to refer to a page with pictures of strollers to figure out what was permitted and what was not), and no clear explanation about why it was needed.

We had no problems with our full-size stroller last week in both YWG and YYZ. gate checked at both!

We have a peg pliko for air travel. It is an umbrella type stroller but quality enought to handle sand and small off roading. Fits easily into the overhead bin and was at one point approved by AC for carry on thus eliminating the waiting at the door of the plane for your gate checked stroller.

Would recommend this option as you get off and on your way very quickly, especially travelling with youngsters in J, you lose all the advantage of sitting at the front if you have to wait for your stroller.