Why You Should NOT Fly Southwest and Other Thoughts

Caution: Some ranting may be included below

Traveling across the country alone with a 17 month old while 5 months pregnant is pretty much horrible. No way around it. Your day is going to be terrible.

Here are some thoughts on travel with a small child

1. Don't try to add a coat to a suitcase after it has been weighed. We arrived at the Southwest counter and my bag weighed 51 pounds, but the woman said that was fine. When I tried to stick my coat in the suitcase so I didn't have to cart it around all day (with my humongous backpack, diaper bag, child, stroller and stomach) she told me I was lucky she was even checking the 51-pound bag (even though I could have checked a whole other bag for free and I thought it was saving a hassle for them if I checked one 52 pound bag instead of two separate bags).

2. Most airport security are laid back about bringing milk for children. No airports have ever given me trouble about it. You just have to point it out to them before you put it through the screening process. I have never had anyone make me or my child taste it to prove its fine, or had them do any further testing on it. In fact, all the airport security screenings I have gone through with Sadie have been incredibly non-stress-filled. The TSA employees have been patient and willing to help in any way they can. My experiences with TSA have been only positive so far.

3. Pray for nice people sitting around you on the plane. The man sitting 2 seats over from us on our first flight was so nice. Sadie screamed and threw tantrums for the last 45 minutes of that flight. Most people were just ready to get away from me when we landed. He insisted on carrying all of my carry-on stuff off the plane for me and setting up my stroller and loading it up- just making me carry Sadie and put her in the stroller.

4-Bring a personal DVD player! This saved me. While Sadie didn't want to watch it all the time- she watched it for much more than half of the 5 1/2 hours of flying we did that day. I do not know what I would have done without it. (Thank you, thank you, thank you Gaines family for letting us borrow yours).

5. Finally, the reason to not fly Southwest if you have small children- they do not cover any damage to strollers and car seats. I got off the plane in Salt Lake to be greeted by my brand new stroller with 2 parts broken off. One piece was placed with the stroller (so they absolutely knew they broke it), the other piece was just gone. This stroller was only 2 weeks old- there was no way either piece was loose. Neither of these pieces stick out from the stroller so in the event that it might be thrown down they couldn't break off easily. When I saw the damage I figured no big deal, I will just go to the Southwest baggage office and they will give me some sort of reimbursement. The stroller is still usable, but I want all the working parts for it. The Southwest employees were completely useless. They told me I should have looked up the no liability policy on Southwest's website for strollers and car seats (like I had a choice about bringing a stroller). Then they gave me some general phone number to call. One of the employees suggested that since the stroller was brand new I should just return it for another one. She didn't seem to understand the concept that when a product is clearly broken by the consumer the company won't just accept it and give you a new one. The Southwest employees hinted that I shouldn't be traveling with a stroller anyway. When I called the central number I was given it was just as useless. What am I supposed to do? I am traveling alone, 5 months pregnant, with a 1 year old, and 2 bags full of stuff to try to entertain her while flying across the country. Not bring a stroller? And even if I thought I could get through the day of flying without it, how were we supposed to get Sadie around in Boston? Buy another stroller? Basically, I have no choice but to bring a stroller, but Southwest claims no responsibility for the stroller at any point- even if it is clearly broken because of their handling of it. So, to parents of young children who have to bring strollers and car seats I would strongly suggest NOT flying Southwest. It's not worth free bags if you have to replace other, much more expensive items. Thanks for reading.

If you read all of this, don't worry, I'll be adding much happier posts soon!