Wondering if you should carry your baby or bring your stroller through airport security?
When traveling with young children, the amount of luggage really adds up. My family often travels to a destination where we either won't need a stroller, there is one for us to borrow, or we prefer to check it in. Occasionally, we take a stroller with us solely for use in the airport, especially during a long layover. Without a stroller, it can make traveling a little challenging when your child gets fed up of being in a carrier or your arms feel like they are about to fall off from holding your baby. If you have a layover or tend to get to the airport with a lot of time to spare, bringing a stroller with you is a good option.
The negatives of bringing a stroller include: having to fold it down for security, putting it in a stroller bag to protect it (if you decide to) can be a frustrating task and then carrying to the end of the jetway. In addition, you have to wait for it after the flight in the crowded jetway.
Recently, there is a growing trend of airports and airlines providing free strollers to use while in the terminal. These "loaner strollers" seek to ease the stress of traveling with small children.
Frankfurt AirportThe Frankfurt Airport in Germany introduced free strollers last Fall as part of its “Great to have you here!” program which was launched to adopt a wide variety of improvements that would make it easier and more pleasant to depart from and transfer in Frankfurt, Germany’s largest airport.
Emirates Baby Strollers in the Dubai AirportAdditional airports that provide free strollers include: Changi Airport (Singapore), Dubai International Airport, Charles de Gaulle (Paris), Shanghai Airport, and Copenhagen Airport. There are reports that Maclaren strollers will become available in a major United States airline hub by the end of this year.
What do you think of the "borrow" stroller idea? Would it help you out if you saw them in an airport in the US or abroad?
FreshCruiser Tip: If you’re traveling with a new stroller, make sure to practice folding and unfolding it before leaving for the airport. You’ll have to unfold and refold many times throughout the journey and being able to do it quickly reduces any chance of a stressful moment.