What Airline Travel Can Do To Your Stroller

Taking a stroller with you on plane travel can mean risky business for parents. Though we’d like to tell you that the airport baggage handlers treat all of your luggage with kid gloves – including your stroller – we hear it isn’t so. We caught up with Strollerqueen Janet McLaughlin, the guru of strollers, to find out the inside story.

According to Strollerqueen, there is an ongoing problem with airlines trashing strollers in the last few years. This is due in part to the fact that in recent years, airlines have experienced a significant drop in profits. In order to cut costs, one of the things they’ve done is contract out baggage handlers who aren’t necessarily as careful when they handle luggage. People who have complained haven’t necessarily found the airlines to be helpful in responding to a damaged stroller, either. If you read a typical airline baggage policy, fragile items are not covered. Many airlines consider a stroller a fragile item.

The lesson here? Parents beware if you’re planning to check your strollers at the gate. Think twice about packing your most expensive brand new stroller on the trip. Or at least take steps to protect it.