msm2000uk

As a fellow UppaBaby owner, we have just bought a sling so that we dont have to worry about the gate-checking and returning element.

I cant think of anything worse than waking up the little one at the gate - so better to keep her in the sling from check-in...and hopefully she will stay asleep until we board! Alternatively, she'll scream all the way until we reach the CCR and plonk her in the Boardroom

The YoYo is definitely the preferred umbrella stroller, and seems to be BA friendly.

M

jphjph

Second this, we bought a Silver Cross Pop specifically for this. Really robust, just used it for three weeks in Thailand and it was great on the bumpy pavements. Our usual Bugaboo would have broken apart half way through the trip with the amount of abuse it got.

drsabs

You can take a child in a sling through security without taking him/her out for the scanners? I always thought you had to remove the child, like you did when they're in a pram. This is great news – as you say that would be great for keeping child asleep.

msm2000uk

That I don't know, but at a few months old, she's hardly going to walk through herself...so there must be some sort of provision to allow babies to be carried by a parent.

M

Often1

In addition to an umbrella stroller, I would also purchase a bag for it, either as an accessory or from Amazon (US$ 10, so likely roughly the same in the UK). The insides of aircraft holds are filthy, liquids leak and your baby than sits in the muck. Well worth not only having the extra protection, but keeping things clean.

EfficientTraveller

At LHR (particularly in the First Wing), they are very happy for you to carry your baby through the scanner in a sling (just make sure the sling doesn't have metal buttons / clips to avoid triggering the sensors). If you are carrying baby food (pouches etc), they are well set up to scan this without opening it (and thus losing its long life properties) but they can end up testing each item individually which can take time so don't be in a rush!

Outside of the UK, I have seen everything from being waived through security with my baby & bags with minimal checks due to having an infant to very torturous processes being required to take baby out of the sling and detailed inspections (including opening all food) taking place. This clearly always happens when baby is finally napping happily in the sling!

If you take an umbrella stroller through security, I have always found it easier to take baby out and put the buggy through the scanner than for them to do a manual inspection as they do for wheelchairs.

EdiFrank

Wow.....I did not realise security can include opening of sealed baby food jars.

I like to travel as efficiently as possible, therefore it seems to be easier to put the stroller in a bag and have it checked to the final destination (especially on future trips that involve connecting in LHR). It isn't too far from the check-in desk to security and eventually the lounge.

Many thanks for all the useful responses!

Soupdragon62

One of my former colleagues working, in shall we say, a more specialized role than HAL security at LHR was once called to deal with an incident where a parent had put their baby through the X-Ray machine heavily wrapped in swaddling cloths (and also heavily sedated with Chamomile tea!)

flyingbee

I have had a Babyzen Yoyo for almost 4 years now. It doesn't get much use now that my youngest is almost 4.
I have used it extensively for short haul flights and it has been amazing. I never had a problem taking it on board as hand luggage (admittedly pre-densification days), but I would say that in general staff are accomadating if you are travelling with small children.
It is really handy because it is small - easy to fit in the car boot, tuck out of the way in restaurants or on public transport.
I was in Paris recently and it was the most common type of pushchair that I saw there.

Krisz

I can share my story some time ago now. We travelled back from TLV to LHR and we gate checked the little one's buggy. When we arrived back to LHR it went missing. (no idea how can they loose it but they managed it) BA never found it. However we got a brand new (cheap) at LHR to take little one home and of course BA bought the same model which went lost again brand new. So of course it's never a good thing to loose a buggy or get it damaged but I think BA in LHR has many options and solutions.
We always travelled with our normal good quality buggy as it had a much better seating whilst the cheap ones are flimsy and children not comfortable when they try to sleep in them.

madfish