American Airlines will no longer gate check large strollers.

ValentineBB · May 2011

No strollers over 20 lbs. You'll need to bring an umbrella stroller or collapsible.

leslie13510 · May 2011

Well then, I guess I will be flying Southwest if I end up having to fly back home by myself with the kids for my brother's wedding this fall.

Mrs_Liberto · May 2011

Oh, but they'll gate check the 50+ lb "carryon" suitcase(s) that some schmuck decides he wants to try to get on board w/o paying the baggage fee?

Charming.

Are they going to stop allowing gate-checked wheelchairs, too?

caffinated_tulip · May 2011

Mrs_Liberto:
Oh, but they'll gate check the 50+ lb "carryon" suitcase(s) that some schmuck decides he wants to try to get on board w/o paying the baggage fee?
Charming.
Are they going to stop allowing gate-checked wheelchairs, too?

Sure, but they'll charge an arm and a leg.

mrsadamc 05 · May 2011

caffinated_tulip:
Mrs_Liberto:
Oh, but they'll gate check the 50+ lb "carryon" suitcase(s) that some schmuck decides he wants to try to get on board w/o paying the baggage fee?
Charming.
Are they going to stop allowing gate-checked wheelchairs, too?
Sure, but they'll charge an arm and a leg.

But what if they only have 1 leg to begin with? What then?

caffinated_tulip · May 2011

mrsadamc 05:
caffinated_tulip:
Mrs_Liberto:
Oh, but they'll gate check the 50+ lb "carryon" suitcase(s) that some schmuck decides he wants to try to get on board w/o paying the baggage fee?
Charming.
Are they going to stop allowing gate-checked wheelchairs, too?
Sure, but they'll charge an arm and a leg.
But what if they only have 1 leg to begin with? What then?

I believe that a spleen and a kidney are worth a leg now-a-days, but my organ exchange rate might be off.

Mrs_Liberto · May 2011

mrsadamc 05:
caffinated_tulip:
Mrs_Liberto:
Oh, but they'll gate check the 50+ lb "carryon" suitcase(s) that some schmuck decides he wants to try to get on board w/o paying the baggage fee?
Charming.
Are they going to stop allowing gate-checked wheelchairs, too?
Sure, but they'll charge an arm and a leg.
But what if they only have 1 leg to begin with? What then?

Congrats! You're shyt outta luck.

Also, serious question-- if your child is too small for an umbrella stroller and you don't own a carrier/sling/Moby, what the heck are you supposed to do while traveling? I get that some of the big travel systems are a huge inconvenience, but I'm not really coming up with other alternatives.

ValentineBB · May 2011

Mrs_Liberto:
mrsadamc 05:
caffinated_tulip:
Mrs_Liberto:
Oh, but they'll gate check the 50+ lb "carryon" suitcase(s) that some schmuck decides he wants to try to get on board w/o paying the baggage fee?
Charming.
Are they going to stop allowing gate-checked wheelchairs, too?
Sure, but they'll charge an arm and a leg.
But what if they only have 1 leg to begin with? What then?
Congrats! You're shyt outta luck.
Also, serious question-- if your child is too small for an umbrella stroller and you don't own a carrier/sling/Moby, what the heck are you supposed to do while traveling? I get that some of the big travel systems are a huge inconvenience, but I'm not really coming up with other alternatives.

I'm not really sure what they'd have you do. I wore Sadie through the airport but still needed my stroller bc I was using it as a luggage rack of sorts to carry my carry on and diaper bag. I'm sure this policy was dreamt up by a man who has no clue/care about how crazy traveling with a baby is. I'm also wondering if other airlines will follow suit, as they all did with baggage fees. That would suck. Also, what if you're planning on using a carseat for your baby, are you supposed to carry that through the airport?

RachelG83 · May 2011

ValentineBB:
Mrs_Liberto:
mrsadamc 05:
caffinated_tulip:
Mrs_Liberto:
Oh, but they'll gate check the 50+ lb "carryon" suitcase(s) that some schmuck decides he wants to try to get on board w/o paying the baggage fee?
Charming.
Are they going to stop allowing gate-checked wheelchairs, too?
Sure, but they'll charge an arm and a leg.
But what if they only have 1 leg to begin with? What then?
Congrats! You're shyt outta luck.
Also, serious question-- if your child is too small for an umbrella stroller and you don't own a carrier/sling/Moby, what the heck are you supposed to do while traveling? I get that some of the big travel systems are a huge inconvenience, but I'm not really coming up with other alternatives.

I'm not really sure what they'd have you do. I wore Sadie through the airport but still needed my stroller bc I was using it as a luggage rack of sorts to carry my carry on and diaper bag. I'm sure this policy was dreamt up by a man who has no clue/care about how crazy traveling with a baby is. I'm also wondering if other airlines will follow suit, as they all did with baggage fees. That would suck. Also, what if you're planning on using a carseat for your baby, are you supposed to carry that through the airport?

We did the same thing with stuff in the stroller & that's an excellent point about the carseat!

This is why we fly SW - cause they rock.

danlexi04 · May 2011

WTF are people supposed to do with multiples or multiple children that are different ages? Lug around a bunch of umbrella strollers? But the guy in seat F14 can bring his gigantic suitcase on and shove it over head? That's really annoying.