Couple of questions for airplane carry-ons

[mom2nickntink]

We are not getting 15 mo old DD a seat on the plane. Our Airline says we can carry as an "extra" item one diaper bag and one stoller without being penalized.

1. Should I carry my biggest diaper bag in order to carry all DD's in-air activities or just her regular bag and put her stuff in our carry-ons?

2. I carry a small purse regularly, should I carry one of my large purses to accomodate any extras I may want to carry like snacks and drinks for DS and DD as well as DH and I?

3. What EAXCTLY does gate checking mean? How close to the actual plane do I bring the stoller and car seat? Where do they go while we are flying? With luggage or on the actual plane?

4. Will we be allowed to keep DD in her soft front carrier (like a snugli) when we are flying? How do you hold a child during take off and landing who is not in a seat?

Thanks for any advice, no matter how big or small.

Less than one month to go and now the small details are worrying me.

MCS

 

[travelitis]

Until Feb 02 I worked check-in for an airline. Airlines have differing baggage rules, but there is some info I can offer with confidence. Gate checking is carrying an item like a stroller to the gate and giving it to the agents there to be checked in. They will tag the stroller and give you a baggage claim. Sometimes they will want you to take the stroller down the ramp and leave it just before you board the plane, and sometimes they take it. It's then stowed in a separate compartment of the baggage area, and you will pick it up at the gate where you deplane. You will probably have to wait a few minutes for it to be brought to you on that end, so there's no need to rush to get off the plane.

1. That's totally up to you. If you use the big bag, then take your smaller bag in your carry-on so you have it for WDW.

2. Take the purse you prefer to have with you on vacation. A purse is NOT counted as a carry-on.

3. I wouldn't bother gate checking a car seat, because I don't like to carry it through the airport on both ends. Most people not using the car seat check it with the regular baggage.

4. The snuggli should be fine since she's a lap child. The flight attendants will tell you if it isn't ok for take-off and landing. I believe the child is supposed to sit with her back to you and your arms around her. The safest option is having a seat, but a child is safer as a lap child on an aircraft than riding in your car in their car seat.

Don't forget that little nail clippers, cuticle scissors, metal nail files, pocketknives, or small sharp objects aren't allowed in carry-ons. Be sure to pack cameras, prescription drugs, or anything that can't be replaced in carry-ons, and have your info on tags inside and outside of the bags. Sometimes people forget carry-ons, and name tags get destroyed. I put our full itinerary including phone contacts inside our bags after taking a cruise without my garment bag that clearly had our cruise info on the outside tag.

I hope this helps you. Have a great trip!

 

[mom2nickntink]

Thanks you so much. You have replied to every question I've posted and have ALWAYS been a wealth of info.

I can honestly say this trip is possible financially and ability wise because of you and all the other DIsers on these boards.

THANK YOU!!!!

M

 

[stacy6552]

MCS: Buy your child a ticket! The flight attendants association has been pushing tickets and car seats for infants for a decade now!

Turbulence on a plane is liked to trying to hold a 200 lbs bag of grain on your lap during a bug drop on a wooden roller coaster. During the crash in souix city, 3 children were riding on moms l;aps, all three flew out of their parents hands during the crash. all thre moms walked off the plane and two fo the three children died (one on impact and one died of smoke inhilation).

 

[3kidsdisney]

we just returned from our disney trip and carried our kids too. We checked our car seat as luggage so not to have to carry they thru the airport. We spoke with a family who also was carrying kids - they were 3 months old and they were told they could not be in a snuggly during take off and landing. We just carried our on our laps-twins- no problem. As far as what you carry on - we had 5 seats-so each person can carry on something- so we had enough for the kids to play with. I was surprised at the number of people who carry on a bunch of stuff- for only one person-2-3 peices of luggage- not counting a purse. We left our stroller right at the gate and it was waiting for us when we got off. That was nice not to have to carry kids thur the airport. Good luck and have fun. I would also suggest taking snacks for you child to munch on when taking off and landing- we had lolly pops and fruit snack-I also saw some people with a portable DVD player for kids to watch their favorite movies- I'd like to get one for our next trip-just to keep kids busy

 

[SueM in MN]

We've gate checked either a stroller or a wheelchair on flights for the past 16 years, so I have some advice from our experiences and from the DH of a friend who is a flight attendant.

Ask about gate checking when you first check in. Sometimes the check in agent will give you a gate check tag right then, sometimes you will be told to get one at the gate. Don't wait until boarding is announced to get your gate check tag; get one as soon as the gate opens.
Sometimes gate check tags have a choice of where the stroller or wheelchair should be delivered: the gate or baggage claim area at either a connecting flight or your final destination. Make sure the correct choice is checked. Sometimes the tags only have one choice - the gate.

Before leaving your stroller, fold and secure it so that it won't unfold. Remove or securely fasten any parts that stick out (canopies, trays) and fasten seat belts. Doing those things will help prevent damage. I have read posts from people whose gate-checked strollers were damaged and my DD's wheelchair has had one minor incident of damage, so gate checking won't guarantee no damage. I saw a baggage person bend a canopy once when trying to fold a stroller. Remember that the baggage guy might not know the tricks of folding your stroller. The best defense against damage is to fold the item yourself and make sure it won't pop open.

The last thing is to remember to pick it up from the gate. We are usually the last off the plane and on almost every flight, we see a stroller waiting at the gate for someone who forgot to pick it up.

 

[Deb & Bill]

If there are only two of you flying together with your daughter, what is your seat arrangement like? Do you have two seats together or is there an empty seat between you? Do you have another person flying with you? Do you have more than one other person flying with you who has an assigned seat?

The fewer number of seats you have, the more likely another traveler will be seated with you and your family member. If that is the case, you won't have as much room to tend to your daughter. Then you won't want to take up all your leg room with your carryon bag. And if you will be needing stuff from the bag constantly, you probably won't stash it overhead.

I'd try to get that seat for your daughter if you could.

It looks like you are traveling at Thanksgiving time, so you shouldn't plan on getting that vacant seat for your daughter.

Once when we flew with our son (he was almost two at the time) we bought him a seat. When they were boarding the plane, they kept trying to count his seat as a vacant one and we had to keep pulling out his ticket to show that we had purchased his seat.

 

[sandiegosusie]

Great post!!! I was thinking of asking some of the same questions...I have a question though, for someone in the flight industry. Does anyone know if you can take an umbrella stroller and store it overhead. We just bought a Maclaren (8lbs) for our WDW/cruise in Feb. Any help would be appreciated...

 

[travelitis]

Umbrella strollers can't go on as carry-on, as they are too long for overhead bins. You'll have to check it, but you could gate check it so it would be available when you deplane at your destination. I worked check-in and gates for 3 years until our move in March forced me to quit.

There is no way for a passenger to know before the flight if they have another person in their row. Even if you have seat assignments some people don't or some decide to change their arrangements at the airport. If the flight isn't full, ticket agents often seat passengers with lap children so they have an open seat. When you take care of these families, you're really taking care of other passengers, too. You can't count on that open seat. I've flown with lap children with and without the extra space. Of course it's more convenient to have the extra space, but when you have 2 adults it's very easy for one to hold the child and the other to lean down and fish for the needed item, as long as you aren't both Pooh sized.

Here's another thought - At 15 mos. old kids want to be up and exploring. If she was in her own seat, how much do you really think she'd stay in it without raising a fuss? Some kids will, and some won't on a plane even if they do it without a problem in the car. The OP knows her dd and what suits her family best.

 

[ahutton]

Although we always have purchased a seat for our first DD, and thus taken our car seat on the plane, one reason to consider gate checking your car seat instead of checking it with luggage would be if by chance there is extra room on the plane, you would have the seat with you, which you could install in the window seat for the flight.

We took a shoestring trip to visit DH family over Labor Day. It was little DD's first flight. We were told on 2 of 4 flights that we had to pull her (sleeping and all) our of the snugli for take off and landing. The other flights nobody said anything. I understand there are reasons, but I don't agree that a child is "safer" sitting in my lap in my arms than if she is secured in a snugli carrier. It is going to be stronger holding her than I would be. Also, if trying to evacuate that would make it a lot easier than trying to carry her. JMHO.

 

[sandiegosusie]

Thank you so much for the info. I will check it in at the gate. Do you think that I need to purchase a stroller travel bag to protect it. It is a new stroller and I would be seriously bothered if it got ruined after just one trip...What do you think?

 

[crisi]

I know people who swear by this product to address safety of "lap babies"

http://www.babybair.com/

Have never used it myself. FAA regs don't allow for it to be used during takeoff or landing.

 

[mom2nickntink]

Thanks for all the replys and to answer some questions:

1. We have 4 assigned seats for myself, my DH, MIL and 6 yr old DS and then on our laps is the 15 mo DD.

2. We already have our seating assignments and in most cases the seats are 3 together and one across the aisle or on the smaller planes we are the only 2 seats on the side and 2 across the aisle. We pre-booked our seating assignments to be sure we had seats together and without anyone else next to us so DD couldn't bother them.

3. There is NO WAY DD would sit for the entire time in her seat. Of course if she had to she would but she would fuss and cry the whole way.

We figured with DS so self-sufficient he will take care of himself - give him the gameboy and I won't hear from him the entire flight. That then leaves 3 adults for one VERY active 15 mo old. She is a very good baby, but just loves to move.

I will try the snugli and see if they say to take her out. If not - great, if so - fine. I just thought it is probably safer since she is strapped in then just sitting on her own.

MCS

 

[NotUrsula]

... to do it on the plane with a child that large to manage. I personally would rather have a root canal than fly with a 15-mo old as a lap child again. It is EXTREMELY difficult to keep a child that age restrained while sitting in the cramped seats in coach.
The first and only time we did it I came off looking like I'd been in a brawl.

Generally speaking, the antics of small children don't bother the folks on either side of them so much as they bother the persons seated just behind them, and especially, the person seated in front of them, because they most frequently pull on and bump into the seat in front. If the person in front of you reclines the seat, you are going to be in very tight quarters indeed, because your child is probably going to insist on having the tray table down for most of the flight.

One thing you'll want to be very wary of is holding her upright on your laps; that will put her in a position to push the overhead buttons for the lights and the FA. Those buttons are the Holy Grail for a child that age; be prepared to spend a lot of the flight trying to keep her away from them.