Can someone please explain what's going on here? Are airlines actually paying attention to what their passengers and potential customers are saying? Are they actually updating their policies even as we type--and wait on hold for the next available agent with a question about strollers and car seats? Check this out:
In the month since I first checked, both United and Southwest have updated their published policies to make it clear that the CARES harness is an acceptable safety device for kids traveling with their own tickets.
And in a move that has me rubbing my eyes in disbelief and looking toward the North Pole for a maple leaf-covered sleigh, Air Canada has updated their "umbrella strollers only" gatecheck policy.
Now they only "strongly recommend the use of small umbrella-type strollers when traveling," and they point out, quite reasonably, that "Large, heavy strollers should be checked-in as part of your checked luggage, as gate facilities in airports are not designed to accommodate them."
Bugaboos to the Bugaboos! I think I'll just wheel this giant stroller to the gate for--
"Large strollers are subject to space limitations, and there is a risk that they cannot be accommodated in the aircraft."
Aha. So that's how it's gonna be. It's like Minnesota Nice, but for Canada. They're not our passive aggressive neighbors to the North for nothing! As they say in Canada, Bon voyage/Good voyage! [thx dt readers steve (sw) and melanie (ac) for the tips]
Previously: Who CARES?
Quirky 'Air Canada' has own umbrella stroller gatecheck policy, laws
Now we just need to get someone from USAir to read your website. Doesn't daddytypes play in Philly?
[watch, the next time I fly USAir, I'm sure I'll be on the EXTRA SEARCH list. -ed.]
air canada is moronic, earlier this year, they refused to allow our 4 month old infant the use of the maxi cosi car seat because they could not find a faa sticker and rather we hold the baby all the way. we paid for the extra seat anyway.
[that's awesome, it almost happened to us once, when we had to switch seats because the knobs on the side of the Cabrio wouldn't fit in the fixed armrest bulkhead seats, and the flt attendant got all "where's the sticker?" on us. It took some doing, but the EC sticker convinced her, or else she gave up. -ed.]
i just made reservations on virgin lax-jfk for me, wife, and 2 kids under 2, we plan to have both 'in lap'. when i was selecting seats it said you cant more than one lap-kid per row, so i guess we are not sitting together. in this case i hope they dont know the regulations
"That sure is a sturdy-lookin' stroller ya got there now. Bet it's a spendy one! Sure hope we can find ya some space down in the hold there."
-or-
"You take da stroller to da gate... da lady, her arms go hup like dis... da stroller, dey take it away... you feel shame."
[double the languages, double the culture, double the fun! -ed.]
I'm gonna laser-print me up some FAA stickers, but good.
We've had such varying experiences with strollers, and safety harnesses, that some resolution or at least forethought would be a huge improvement.
In one case (thankyouverymuch Singapore Air/Quantas), we were allowed to gate-check the stroller all the way through to Auckland, but had to give it up to baggage on the flight back to Fiji and then LA. Didn't make sense then, doesn't make sense now.