I want to take a stroller over to Europe. Can I just check it for free, even if I'm traveling alone (no baby)?

This is what the website says:
It does not mention a requirement to travel with a child. Would this be ok if I'm traveling alone?

Don't count on it working.

It will count against whatever free luggage allowance to which you are entitled, as long as it fits the standard weight and dimension limits applicable to ordinary luggage which you check-in.

No lap-child infant ticket and infant checked-in means that the stroller will ordinarily count against the passenger's luggage allowance and any excess in amount, weight or size invites being charged by DL unless for some reason DL agents decide to be generous.

Don't see why not since there's nothing saying you need a baby.

And just maybe..."your husband/partner/mother/friend/sister already headed to the gate area/Skyclub while you check the stroller?"

For a domestic flight, that works in a way that is not as readily possible with DL for a trip to Europe.

No, there are some members here on FlyerTalk who routinely check theirs.

For free without an infant, despite the adult passenger(s) having fully used up their own free luggage allowance on the DL trips to Europe? If so, then beware of the gap between policy and practice.

We have done this on DL when Mr. Cellisttoo was on a separate flight from myself and the toddler (and I had enough to handle with the toddler, car seat and two carryons).

I would recommend gate checking it. You just wait until the gate is fairly busy and then go up and tell them that you want to get a gate check tag for your stroller.

However, be aware that DL no longer takes responsibility for strollers gate checked or otherwise. It needs to be in a "hard case, such as a box" before they will cover any damage. Since DL has demolished two of our strollers, I can confidently say that destruction is possible.

And this would be new for Delta...?

At least in this case, the "gap" doesn't really impact other passengers.

I was suggesting that some members might be checking a stroller... for themselves.

Sarcasm doesn't seem to translate well I see.

Seems to solve the problem and no harm done? Worst case is that, at that late stage (you are already through security and no way of getting rid of it elsewhere), you would have to pay an additional bag / weight fee, which is what you would possibly have to do anyway?

I see the above throwing of the toys out of the pram now -- as who would want to pay the related overweight fees -- but when the sarcasm is more in the mind than in the words of the post, translation doesn't seem to be the issue. Thanks for making clear in words the sarcastic intent.

For most US-EU travel, DL is legally responsible for damage to strollers, gate checked or otherwise, despite what the airline may claim. Welcome to the benefits of the relevant Montreal Convention.

That said, if the loss of stroller functionality (as a result of damage) on arrival at the destination is going to be a huge problem (say due to lack of timely replacement options), some manner of protection for the stroller makes even greater sense.

I keep suggesting that we need a sarcasm emoticon.

And, yes, some members need the stroller to assist in carrying their accumulation of metal elite luggage tags.

So checking the stroller at the ticket counter may or may not work. If that doesn't work, the second option would be trying to check it at the gate. (I'd rather not do that because I have connections in both DTW and AMS, and I'd have to log it wound in both airports.) Between the two, let's say there is a ~75% chance. If that fails though, then I have pay $200 for checking it. If I put it in a box, wouldn't that automatically make it a piece of luggage? Also, if it is in a box, it makes it even harder for me to deal with it in DTW and AMS.

Whether DL makes me pay the $200 or not, it may still get damaged. As GUWonder correctly points out, this may be quite a problem.

Given the risks involved, it makes more sense to mail it. It's cheaper than $200 and I can have it ensured for damage.

For gate check + box, what I've seen done is carrying flattened boxes (more than one) and then, at the gate, pack or unpack the stroller into a box (or even two). This of course may require having tape with you.

The boxed item gate-checked may be a much harder sell when there is no infant along, and dealing with that 2-3 times on a trip -- including with the KL dragons -- seems to have provided you with reason enough to just look at shipping it via mail service if that is better value (inclusive of customs and insurance matters) than the alternatives.