baggage help
 

Hi :)
I am flying FLL to DEN. I am going with my 2 girls alone. They will be in a double stroller. I was wondering how I would be able to handle my luggage and a double stroller. My husband (who isn't traveling with us) will help at FLL. But I am not sure who can help at DEN airport. I am having a car service pick me up from the airport. I called the airport and they weren't that helpful. They transfered me to Frontier and she wasn't that clear either. They did mention they have scouts and I could let the gate person know that I would need help and they would get a scout. I was wondering if that is reliable? I *could* pay the car service $50 to help me but that is a little pricey. So I was hoping someone here would give me some insight to my options.
Thank you!!

I would call Frontier and ask them to put a note in your record that you will require assistance at DEN; have your confirmation code handy.

The same people who push the wheelchairs should be available to help you from the gate, for just the cost of a tip...certainly much less than $50! If there is no assistance waiting at the time of your arrival in DEN, just let the gate agent know of your request, so they can call for the service.

Hope you and the girls have a good trip.

Great!! Thank you! I will call frontier and ask them note it on my record. Thank you!!

Upon checking further, it looks like Frontier's Scouts are actual airline employees, unlike those contracted out by the other carriers at DEN. You might even be able to get a ride from the gate in one of their electric carts.

Wow that would make things easier :) Thanks for looking into it :)

Frontier Scouts are airline employees so they're not allowed to accept tips. The "electric carts" you're referring to are for transferring passengers between gates on the A concourse. They won't take you to the baggage area but they can drop you off at the elevator in the middle of the concourse. I'm not sure if Scouts will be able to assist, but you can ask. Their primary function, I believe, is to assist wheelchair and handicapped passengers. If you "gate check" the stroller you'll get it back at the door of the plane when you get off, so don't check it like regular luggage at the ticket counter.

The OP's trip would be a horrible use of the Scouts service if you ask me and I don't think they would be of much help to her, because what she is requesting isn't their primary function I believe.

Here's what my wife did when traveling with two little ones in a double stroller and it worked great.

1. Upon arrival at the airport, find a Porter to escort you to the ticket counter. Tip accordingly. $3 - $5 should be plenty.
2. Check-in your luggage at the ticket counter. Only carry-on what is absolutely essential to keep your little ones happy, occupied, and you sane.
3. Whatever you will need to have with you on the airplance, place in a small bag that can be placed underneath your stroller.
4. Whatever else you will need on the plane, place into your carry-on luggage that you can carry on your shoulder. A purse or a back pack would be great.
5. When you arrive at the gate waiting area, request a luggage tag from the gate agents in order to gate check your stroller.
6. When boarding begins, get in line promptly as you and your children will be allowed to board first.
7. At the end of the jet bridge, collapse your stroller and leave it. Ground personnel will ensure it is placed on the plane. You do not need to stand around waiting for the ground personnel to make sure they see your stroller. I promise, they do this on nearly every flight, every day.
8. Find your seats and place your carry-ons under the seats in the front of you. This way you will have everything you need with you and will not need to get out of the aisle to open the overhead bin. Trust me... this will save you a lot of hassle.
9. Upon deplaning in FLL, wait at the bottom of the jet bridge for ground personnel to return your stroller. Your stroller will be one of the first things they take off the plane.
10. Place kids in stroller and head to baggage claim to find Daddy.
11. Everyone will be excited to see each other. YEAH!!!

Good luck and have confidence that you can do this by yourself. Thousands of parents have before you and you can save that $50 for a nice date with your husband.

Have a great trip!

My issue isn't checking my luggage. I am concerned with getting my luggage AFTER I land in DEN.
I am fly FLL to DEN then a week later from DEN to FLL.
I have help in FLL, my husband will be dropping us off in FLL (help with luggage) and picking us up when we get back to FLL (help with luggage).

I am not too concerned about my return flight from DEN to FLL. I plan on curb checking my stuff and then head in the airport with the girls.

I AM concerned about when I arrive to DEN from FLL. I will deplane and then go to baggage claim and I will need to get my 2 kids, double stroller, and all of my luggage to the car. I have heard that this involves taking an elevator too. As it stands right now I have driver waiting in some waiting area outside in his/her car. I *could* pay the driver to park and come in and help me but that would cost $50.

I called the DEN airport and they transfered my to Frontier tix counter and she mentioned something about a scout. She said tell the person at the gate when I deplane that I will need assistance.

I was wondering if anyone here have ever heard of such a thing. If not someone suggested that I get a cart, have my girls walk by me, put the stroller on the cart with my luggage and make my way to the waiting area for the car.

Yes. It is a breeze.

When you arrive in Denver, you will deplane on Concourse A. Follow the overhead signs to baggage claim. For you, I would highly recommend using the passenger bridge, as opposed to the train to reach baggage claim.

As you follow the signs to baggage claim from your gate, you will come to an enormous atrium. On either side of you will be escalators and elevators. Take an elevator up one level to reach the passenger bridge. Continue to follow the signs to baggage claim.

Once you pass the TSA Passenger Security Center, continue to head down the ramp to the hallway. At the end of the hallway, the roof will soar above you and you will be able to see another enormous TSA Passenger Security Center. You are now in the airport terminal building.

Directly in front of you will be an elevator. Take the elevator down one floor to Level 5. When the elevator doors open, turn right and walk down the hallway to baggage claim. There you will find monitors that display your flight # from FLL and what carousel your baggage will arrive on.


This is great. This ensures they are on the airport property and awaiting your call to dispatch to allow them through airport security to reach you outside baggage claim.

Again, unless you just like spending money unnecessarily, I would keep it in your pocket. You can find Porters all around various carousels in baggage claim eagerly waiting to help you with your luggage. They will happily remove your luggage from the carousel, load it onto their cart, and escort you directly to the spot outside baggage claim where your private car will arrive to pick you up.

You don't need a Scout to help you out. Unless you are incapacitated, they will only be able to take you as far as the Concourse A atrium elevators. It'll be a total waste of your and their time.

This is what a lot of people do to save the tip money they'd give the Porter. Personally, I spend $5 to get a Porter and be able to relax while he takes care of you.

Have a great trip. Denver is a great city. We got lots of snow today and it's gorgeous!

Great info!!! This helps paint a picture of what I need to do when I land. Helps decrease my anxiety!! So it sound like I go up one floor to back down in another place :) Thank you again for all the details. I really appreciate it!

You sound like you know DEN airport well. On my turn flight. I will be flying back at 5:25. Are there any food options after we get through security? Also is there any food on the plane. I have the classic plus.
Thank you!

Yes, that is correct.

Yes, in Concourse A where you will fly out of, you will find a variety of fast food (KFC, McDonald's, Panda Express, Pizza Hut, Quiznos, and Schlotzsky's) and sit down restaurant options (Lefty's Colorado Trails, Denver Chophouse, and Chef Jimmy's Bistro {my fav}).

On the airplane, your fare type will get you a free adult beverage of your choice. In addition, they will have food available for purchase such as a Caesar salad or a Turkey sandwich.

Enjoy your trip!

You left off the great origami display on the passenger bridge :) - seriously, for those of you who haven't seen it, there are 10,000 origami "birds" on display on the pedistrian bridge. I have no idea who had the time to do that. Kids really like it though.


coleykross- Enjoy your time in Denver, you should do fine with the kids on the way out and back through again. The food court does have an adequate selection.

A tip for the travel home as well, I'm assuming you will be arriving at the airport early, use the same pedistrain bridge to Concourse A, but when you arrive on the otherside of the bridge, there is a nice big area on the second floor where your kids can run around a little before your flight. There is rarely anyone up there, so you can do it without offending anyone and also without worrying about losing a kid. I've see families go down and get a meal at the food court and go back up there to eat it.

I know how stressful travel with kids can be. A few years ago, my wife had to stay in Orlando, and I flew home with a 4 year old and 13 month old twins. That was an adventure. (Since then we've added another three kids to the equation though!)

Have done this @ DEN w. infant twins
 

DEN is actually laid out very well. There will be skycaps at baggage claim who will handle your checked and carryon luggage and get you out to your car service. They expect a tip and I would give them something extra to stay there with you at the pickup zone (which won't likely be curbside) until your car pulls up.

On departure, you can check your luggage curbside so that by the time you actually enter the airport all you have left is kids, stroller, carryons. There are elevators as an alternative to all escalators and the pax walkway / shuttle train are both easy to use.