With Child / Collapsible wagon
Jun 21, 2013, 2:29 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 5
With Child / Collapsible wagon
Has anyone ever flown with a collapsible folding wagon instead of a stroller? I know of someone who has flown all over the world and swears by this product:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
If you go to customer reviews, one is a picture of the wagon being used and gate checked with two children. So, I know it can be done but don't know of anyone personally that has used it to fly. It is much smaller than even my regular sized stroller when collapsed, though of course not as small as an umbrella stroller.
Would love any feedback and additionally any pointers of flying with small children. Particularly, what to do about diaper changes for a child that's too tall / large for the in-bathroom fold down changing table.
Thanks so much in advance.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
If you go to customer reviews, one is a picture of the wagon being used and gate checked with two children. So, I know it can be done but don't know of anyone personally that has used it to fly. It is much smaller than even my regular sized stroller when collapsed, though of course not as small as an umbrella stroller.
Would love any feedback and additionally any pointers of flying with small children. Particularly, what to do about diaper changes for a child that's too tall / large for the in-bathroom fold down changing table.
Thanks so much in advance.
Jun 21, 2013, 9:06 am
#2
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Join Date: Oct 2001
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Programs: UA Plat/2MM [23-yr. 1K, now emeritus] clawing way back to WN-A List; MR LT Titanium; HY Whateverist.
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Flykid, welcome to FlyerTalk! Let me move this to the forum dedicated to traveling with children. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.
Jun 21, 2013, 11:40 am
#3
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,731
Interesting.
I don't know how I feel about this. On one hand, in a busy, crowded place I would rather have my precious cargo in front of me. People looking down at electronic screens and not at where they are going is a major pet peeve.
How much harder is it to pull than to push? How easy to maneuver in and out of elevators? Or if needing to change terminals, how hard/easy to get that on a shuttle/bus/train?
I don't know how I feel about this. On one hand, in a busy, crowded place I would rather have my precious cargo in front of me. People looking down at electronic screens and not at where they are going is a major pet peeve.
How much harder is it to pull than to push? How easy to maneuver in and out of elevators? Or if needing to change terminals, how hard/easy to get that on a shuttle/bus/train?
Jun 21, 2013, 12:31 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 5
Oh - I'm not using it for cargo... I mean I suppose you could but we're traveling light. If we did use it to pull suitcases one of us would pull and the other would walk behind with the kiddo. If you meant "precious cargo" as our kiddo - I'm planning on having our child walk as much as possible so that she's had that activity to counter-act the sedentary plane ride. If she did ride in the wagon - again one of us would be behind or right next to her. Not an eye off of her or the luggage for sure either way. I haven't tried pushing it, but pulling and turning it are super easy - turns really well. Elevators would be no problem but again probably collapse and just use for going to the parks and other things we'll do once we get to the destination. I just am mostly concerned about if it would be allowed on the plane or if they'll hassle about it - does anyone know what you do with the stroller if it doesn't fit on the x-ray machine etc as you go through security? Will they just be able to scan it or wand it? I haven't flown in a very long time and never with a child.
Jun 21, 2013, 12:32 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 5
Also for anything like a shuttle or a subway, bus etc it would just be collapsed and brought on - it's much smaller / less bulky than my regular stroller when collapsed. I have to weigh it though as it is a tad heavy but that's in comparison with my stroller which is VERY light.
Jun 21, 2013, 1:52 pm
#6
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Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Portland
Posts: 11,572
Looks like it has a pretty large footprint. We travel all the time with our (now) 13 month old, and I can't imagine using a wagon. A rolling suitcase and stroller are just fine, and I can manage both fairly easily with no help from anyone else.
Jun 21, 2013, 5:05 pm
#7
Join Date: Jul 2001
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It's an interesting idea.
Keep in mind that American Airlines has a strict policy for gate-checked strollers:
It has to fully collapse, weigh less than 20 lbs and, I think, be a stroller (preferably an umbrella stroller).
According to the product info, this wagon weighs 27 lbs. So you could not gate-check it on AA flights.
We used this with our car seat last trip, and it worked marvelously:
http://www.amazon.com/Traveling-Todd...+seat+stroller
There's a bit of a learning curve, but once we got the hang of it, we were really pleased. It was one less thing to lug. And the setup took about as long as waiting for a gate-checked stroller to be brought up.
Keep in mind that American Airlines has a strict policy for gate-checked strollers:
It has to fully collapse, weigh less than 20 lbs and, I think, be a stroller (preferably an umbrella stroller).
According to the product info, this wagon weighs 27 lbs. So you could not gate-check it on AA flights.
We used this with our car seat last trip, and it worked marvelously:
http://www.amazon.com/Traveling-Todd...+seat+stroller
There's a bit of a learning curve, but once we got the hang of it, we were really pleased. It was one less thing to lug. And the setup took about as long as waiting for a gate-checked stroller to be brought up.
Jun 23, 2013, 2:29 pm
#8
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 6,967
There is a reason why theme parks like Disney ban anything pulled behind, such as wagons and coolers.
Even rollaboard suitcases can be a trip hazard in crowded terminals. Trunkis I believe should be banned as I see at least once a month accidents where either adults or children are injured.
As mentioned above, people don't expect certain things to appear suddenly outside their normal line of sight, and this is unusual enough that most people wouldn't be on the lookout for it.
As for diaper changing, there are many threads here on how to change a child too large for the change table in the lav. Generally most people use the change while standing method, or the closed lid of the toilet, depending on the age and ability of the child. This may help http://www.flyertalk.com/the-gate/bl...-toddlers.html
Whatever method you choose, please do not change the diaper on the seat, in the bulkhead area, on a tray table, or really anywhere outside the lav.
Even rollaboard suitcases can be a trip hazard in crowded terminals. Trunkis I believe should be banned as I see at least once a month accidents where either adults or children are injured.
As mentioned above, people don't expect certain things to appear suddenly outside their normal line of sight, and this is unusual enough that most people wouldn't be on the lookout for it.
As for diaper changing, there are many threads here on how to change a child too large for the change table in the lav. Generally most people use the change while standing method, or the closed lid of the toilet, depending on the age and ability of the child. This may help http://www.flyertalk.com/the-gate/bl...-toddlers.html
Whatever method you choose, please do not change the diaper on the seat, in the bulkhead area, on a tray table, or really anywhere outside the lav.