Kids travel documents

[hsembrick]

Hi all!!!

While I have been to Disney several times this will be first trip as a newly single mom. In the past I haven't worried about having travel documents for my dd since we both had the same last name but now I am a little concerned since we will not. Do you think there will be a problem at the airport or am I worrying too much? If I need some sort or document what would you suggest I get for her? TIA

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Age 18 and under need no id (I assume this is what you mean) for domestic flights.

 

[4HppyCamprs]

While they do not need documents if you purchase a seat for them, if they are traveling as a "lap baby" you will need documentation to verify age. It depends on the airline what they require but for Southwest you must present a birth certificate for age verification and to get a boarding pass. No it doesn't matter if they can see that the child is under two with their eyes.
Happy travels aside from that it is pretty easy!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Missy13d69]

A lot of kids don't have the same last name as their parents these days. I doubt anyone will think anything of it. You don't need anything special, but if it makes you feel better, take her BC.

 

[showers2flowers]

My son and I have different last names. He's 6 now, and we have traveled several times without my husband (they have the same last name), both domestically and internationally and have never had a problem.

 

[tjmw2727]

No ID necessary for passengers under 18 and frankly they don't care what your relationship is to the child.

They may ask the child for his/her frist name but that's about it as they are only concerned that that the name on the boarding pass matches the passenger.

FWIW I travel often with my neices and nephew who all have different last names and have never been asked why we are traveling together.

 

[MSSANDRA]

We travel a lot with DS 6, whom not only has a different last name, but looks nothing like the rest of the family. Never been an issue. I do carry our custody agreement just to reassure myself, but I have never needed it.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

I'm a single mom who has a different last name than my DD. We've traveled many times domestically and never needed any documentation.

Only once did anyone raise the slightest question. DD was 3, and we were flying home from Tampa. There was an airport employee checking boarding passes before we boarded the tram to go back to the gate. IIRC, she wasn't a TSA agent. It wasn't an actual security checkpoint. I was flustered because I wasn't expecting someone to stop us before getting on the tram and I was trying to hold on to both my 3 year old's hand, my rolling carryon, and dig out my boarding passes to give this lady. She asked me what my DD's name was and I told her my name. I caught it right away and corrected myself. I just said this is my name but her name is ____. The lady did sort of raise an eyebrow but she handed back our boarding passes and let us onto the tram. I figured worst case scenario was the lady would ask DD who I was and she'd say "that's mommy" and we'd be fine.

 

[Happyjen27]

I was wondering this too, thank you for asking!

 

[kck182]

It may not hurt to have a note from Dad (if sharing custody), that it is okay to take them out of state. I think that is the only problem you could run into and that's a long shot. This is a much bigger deal on cruises.

 

[tripletsmama]

Can the birth certificate be a photocopy or do you need the original? My DS is only 3 months.

 

[MSSANDRA]

It may not hurt to have a note from Dad (if sharing custody), that it is okay to take them out of state. I think that is the only problem you could run into and that's a long shot. This is a much bigger deal on cruises.

What have you ran into with cruises? We are looking at out 1st Disney Cruise with DS and had not really given it much thought as we have never had an issue anywhere. We will of course have his pass port and have full rights to take him with us where ever we travel.

 

[bumbershoot]

We have three last names between us, since DH and I didn't change names, and DS is hyphenated, and the only question they ask DS is his name, and "who are these people?" All they want is "mom and dad" (or "mom" or "dad" depending on who he is with).

So there are little questions, but minors just don't need ID unless traveling on a special age-based fare.

One time, just after DS and I got our passports, we traveled with them, and honesty that just made things more complicated for DS, though that might have been since we hadn't signed it, LOL. His first passport, I didn't know what to do and forgot to look it up. Whoops!

 

[GrtWtNorth]

A rule of thumb is that you don't need travel documents for your kids unless you are crossing an international border. Texas to Florida (or California) = no big deal. But if you're planning to cruise, you should have a custody letter, preferably notarized.

The Canadian government has a downloadable form letter for international travel. I'm sure the US government does too. I have had US authorities question me seriously when I was traveling alone with my daughter when she was a baby. I had a letter, but it wasn't notarized. Since that incident, I always get something notarized, especially before going on a Disney vacation. I also ensure my ex's cell phone number is on the form somewhere. (They don't always call, but sometimes they do.) Officials are more lenient if the child is awake and can answer questions like "Where's Mommy?" and "Where are you going?"

 

[ghtx]

While they do not need documents if you purchase a seat for them, if they are traveling as a "lap baby" you will need documentation to verify age. It depends on the airline what they require but for Southwest you must present a birth certificate for age verification and to get a boarding pass. No it doesn't matter if they can see that the child is under two with their eyes.
Happy travels aside from that it is pretty easy!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

I have flown many times with a lap baby and have never been asked for documentation on the baby's age. None of the flights was on Southwest, though, so the policy to which PP is referring could be just for Southwest.

 

[tjmw2727]

I have flown many times with a lap baby and have never been asked for documentation on the baby's age. None of the flights was on Southwest, though, so the policy to which PP is referring could be just for Southwest.

It is not just SW as it is an FAA rule but SW is one airline that always enforces this requirement. Whenever you purchase a discounted (or in this case free fare) ticket you should always be prepared to prove you are entitled to it.

If the airline gets caught by the FAA with an unticketed lap child over the age of 2 the fine is substantial.

Many airlines only ask if the child looks close to the age of two, others including SWA ask for a BC for every lap child and we were asked on AA. If you fly SWA you will be asked for the BC or required to purchase a ticket at full fare. Other airlines are hit and miss but IMHO better safe than sorry as they too can deny you boarding if you can't prove your child is eligible to fly free.