Birth certificate needed to fly?

[firsttimer4]

If you have a car seat for either child, I believe they always have to be installed in a window seat. They also can't be installed immediately in front of or behind the exit row. At least that's what we were told...I'm not sure if that's just for infant car seats, or if that's for all car seats.

We aren't bringing a car seat. Our flight is only an hour and a half so I opted not to bring them. We're using Disney transportation so figured we wouldn't need them

 

[pjacobi]

I have had a TSA agent asked my daughter's name and age. When I tried to respond for her the agent requested my daughter to answer the question.

I suppose this gives the child a chance to seek protection in case of kidnapping.


-Paul

 

[firsttimer4]

I have had a TSA agent asked my daughter's name and age. When I tried to respond for her the agent requested my daughter to answer the question.

I suppose this gives the child a chance to seek protection in case of kidnapping.

-Paul

That's kinda why I thought I would need some kind of proof that they were our kids. Kinda scary to think how easy it would be for someone to take a kid and get on a flight with them.

 

[TinaLala]

TSA Says adults 18 or older needs identification.

http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/acceptable-ids

 

[bumbershoot]

Actually, even if your child doesn't look close to two, if you are planning on your child flying as a lap child, you should bring the birth certificate. Since it is an FAA requirement that they check, many airlines will ask for ALL lap children (even those that are a few weeks old).

Yep. If you're getting an age-based fare (and free because they are sitting on your lap is an age based fare) you need to prove that you're that age. Even a newborn will need that proof.

Good to know. My DD turns 3 in a week and is tiny for her age. I was actually hoping she could sit in my lap so the 4 of us could seat together. But after reading it doesn't look like she will be able too. I haven't flown in 16 years. Are the seats still 3 across?

Lap-sitting is for those UNDER 2. Not for those 2 and up. So she will have her own seat, and generally FAs like for kids to sit in their seats. If you're worried about her being able to sit there, I strongly suggest you bring her carseat, because I'm sure she knows to not get out of the carseat, but she might not get that with just a lap belt.

I have had a TSA agent asked my daughter's name and age. When I tried to respond for her the agent requested my daughter to answer the question.

I suppose this gives the child a chance to seek protection in case of kidnapping.


-Paul

Yep yep! They watch people, they talk to people. An agent once asked DS "who is this person?" And he said "Molly" because I'm OK with him knowing and using my name (as my mom was with us using her name). I quickly said "he's asking who I am to you" and he looked at the agent like he was a little off and said "she's my mom" (or something similar). After that we talked about what agents are asking when they ask questions like "who is this". They don't care WHO I am at that moment, but WHAT I am, LOL.


DS looks nothing like DH to the casual observer, and IMO doesn't look much like me. DH has black hair, I have brown, DS has RED. I have blue eyes, DH has nearly black eyes, DS has amber-ish brown. We all have different last names (though DS's is our names, hyphenated). We've been asked the normal questions and it's all been totally FINE.

 

[PocahontasLookALike]

We are flying from Louisiana to Orlando in may. My kids are 3 and 5. Do I need to bring their birth certificates with us? I looked on southwest website but couldn't find anything.

My daughter flew on five flights before she was 9 months old (various airlines) and each time I was asked to 'age verify' her.

 

[DSNY4ever]

My daughter flew on five flights before she was 9 months old (various airlines) and each time I was asked to 'age verify' her.

You only have to age verify if you are not purchasing a seat and are having the child sit in your lap. They want to make sure you are not trying to get a free flight for a child that is actually 2+. I called TSA before our last flight and it is correct that for domestic flights children need no ID (yes, I agree that is totally creepy and way too easy for someone to take your child and get on a plane!).

And fyi for those of you in a jam, Southwest will accept a copy of vaccination records in lieu of a birth certificate in case you forget it (we learned that the hard way, but luckily we could get on our health care website and print a vaccination record when we couldn't get another copy of the birth certificate).

 

[refinnej]

We always travel with our boy's passports as a precaution. The TSA agents usually ask "who's so and so" and engage the boys. My kids are seasoned travelers and know what to do and what not to do.

Long story short, it can't hurt to have ID with you for your kids.

 

[msmama]

I always take my sons passport, too (I figure I have it, might as well use it). They have ALWAYS checked it at security. I just automatically hand it over with mine (or have him do it) and they check it the same way the check mine. I've always thought it is interesting they bother to look when apparently most/many other kids don't have them.

Checking in they often don't look. My son is almost 5 and 6 months old in his passport photo so he hardly looks like the same person, lol.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I always take my sons passport, too (I figure I have it, might as well use it). They have ALWAYS checked it at security. I just automatically hand it over with mine (or have him do it) and they check it the same way the check mine. I've always thought it is interesting they bother to look when apparently most/many other kids don't have them.

Checking in they often don't look. My son is almost 5 and 6 months old in his passport photo so he hardly looks like the same person, lol.

They always check it because you hand it to them,

ID for under 18 year olds for domestic travel is absolutely unnecessary, except in the case of a lap baby.

 

[mm1971]

We are flying from Louisiana to Orlando in may. My kids are 3 and 5. Do I need to bring their birth certificates with us? I looked on southwest website but couldn't find anything.

Not needed if flying in the US with both parents, but we always brought either a birth certificate or passport just in case. It never hurts to be over prepared for anything that might happen.

 

[bumbershoot]

They always check it because you hand it to them,

True.

When DS first got his passport he was SO excited, and he begged us to let him take it. We did, and he handed it over to the TSA agent. It was in his hands, so the guy looked at it, and discovered that no one had signed it. So I had to do that right there. Guess I'm glad we figured that out in a no-stakes situation where the ID wasn't needed, rather than while trying to board an international flight!

But yeah, if you're handing it over they'll look at it.