Flying With a Family Friend's Child???

[lala3291]

Hello!

I will be taking a close family friend's daughter on my next trip to WDW. We will be flying JetBlue from Boston to Orlando, non-stop. I have never flown with a child who isn't my own. I know she won't need ID, but my question is- is there some type of consent letter that her parents need to write for the airline? I have tried to do a Google search online, but many things only come up for flying internationally. I figured the experts on the DIS may be able to help me out.:good vibes

Thanks in advance!

 

[llamateur]

No, you'll be fine; the airline won't care. I've taken four trips with my godson (no relation), on JetBlue, United, and VirginAmerica, and nobody has ever even looked twice.

 

[lala3291]

No, you'll be fine; the airline won't care. I've taken four trips with my godson (no relation), on JetBlue, United, and VirginAmerica, and nobody has ever even looked twice.

Great to know, thank you!

 

[Gr8t Fan]

When our daughters go on trips with friends' families, we give the parents a note stating that our daughter is allowed to travel with them, the dates of travel, method of travel (i.e., car, air, train), and authorize the parents to seek medical care for our child if necessary. We also attach a copy of our Health Insurance Card. We type out our emergency contact information and have the letter notarized. Probably overkill (I work in a law firm), but we want to have all bases covered.

 

[lala3291]

When our daughters go on trips with friends' families, we give the parents a note stating that our daughter is allowed to travel with them, the dates of travel, method of travel (i.e., car, air, train), and authorize the parents to seek medical care for our child if necessary. We also attach a copy of our Health Insurance Card. We type out our emergency contact information and have the letter notarized. Probably overkill (I work in a law firm), but we want to have all bases covered.

I'm with you- I want to make sure I have everything covered just in case. Thank you for the ideas!!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) Airlines are supposed to verify you have the right to transport kids not of the same name.
2) Without a notarized authorization, the kids are to be prevented from boarding.
3) Kidnapping and/or custodial interference are major problems.
4) I would have the authorization.

 

[lala3291]

1) Airlines are supposed to verify you have the right to transport kids not of the same name. 2) Without a notarized authorization, the kids are to be prevented from boarding. 3) Kidnapping and/or custodial interference are major problems. 4) I would have the authorization.

Thanks for the info- I will definitely get authorization. I don't want to have any issues! Thanks again.

 

[Gracie09]

1) Airlines are supposed to verify you have the right to transport kids not of the same name.
2) Without a notarized authorization, the kids are to be prevented from boarding.
3) Kidnapping and/or custodial interference are major problems.
4) I would have the authorization.

That is just all completely false. I have travel multiple times with our foster children. All of whom do not have my last name and many of whom don't look at all like me - completely different race/ethnicity. The airline doesn't care at all. They are not suppose to verify authorization to travel. TSa is there to keep the wrong stuff from getting on the plane not verify whose child is whose. Practically it would be impossible. Kids often have different last names than their parents.

Op you don't need anything specific to travel with your friends child. Maybe a copy of their medical card just in case but if there is a true emergency they will just treat and if it's not a true emergency they will call the parents.

 

[rwdavis2]

1) Airlines are supposed to verify you have the right to transport kids not of the same name.
2) Without a notarized authorization, the kids are to be prevented from boarding.
3) Kidnapping and/or custodial interference are major problems.
4) I would have the authorization.

This is just not true. Look at it this way, who's to say that ANY letter you have is not forged? I know for a fact that the TSA does not accept anything other than government ids. No letters whatsoever.

The only thing that may be handy is authorization for medical treatment. the hospital will probably ask and may call the parents anyway.

 

[lala3291]

That is just all completely false. I have travel multiple times with our foster children. All of whom do not have my last name and many of whom don't look at all like me - completely different race/ethnicity. The airline doesn't care at all. They are not suppose to verify authorization to travel. TSa is there to keep the wrong stuff from getting on the plane not verify whose child is whose. Practically it would be impossible. Kids often have different last names than their parents. Op you don't need anything specific to travel with your friends child. Maybe a copy of their medical card just in case but if there is a true emergency they will just treat and if it's not a true emergency they will call the parents.

Thank you for this. You have eased my mind! Where it is a domestic flight, I don't think there should be much issue. I will definitely have a copy of her medical card anyway. Not having to worry about having a letter notarized is one less thing off my list. I may still get a letter of consent from her parents, but I'm not going to stress about it. Thanks again.

 

[tjmw2727]

The quote below is simply not correct - a quick search of the airlines website and the TSA will verify this.

I travel often with my nieces and nephew and for various reasons and have never, ever been asked for any of the below. None of us have the same last name and we are of various skin colors and ethnicity.

The airline and the TSA only care that the name on the ticket/boarding pass matches the passenger. They will sometimes ask a minor what their name is but that is about it.

I would bring a copy of the health insurance card (not needed for flying) as it could speed things up a bit in case of emergency. In this day and age that really isn't even necessary as the info can be found quickly via fax, phone etc.

1) Airlines are supposed to verify you have the right to transport kids not of the same name.
2) Without a notarized authorization, the kids are to be prevented from boarding.
3) Kidnapping and/or custodial interference are major problems.
4) I would have the authorization.

 

[lala3291]

The quote below is simply not correct - a quick search of the airlines website and the TSA will verify this.

I travel often with my nieces and nephew and for various reasons and have never, ever been asked for any of the below. None of us have the same last name and we are of various skin colors and ethnicity.

The airline and the TSA only care that the name on the ticket/boarding pass matches the passenger. They will sometimes ask a minor what their name is but that is about it.

I would bring a copy of the health insurance card (not needed for flying) as it could speed things up a bit in case of emergency. In this day and age that really isn't even necessary as the info can be found quickly via fax, phone etc.

Thank you for your info! I feel much more comfortable with flying with her thanks to everyone's help.

 

[lala3291]

This is just not true. Look at it this way, who's to say that ANY letter you have is not forged? I know for a fact that the TSA does not accept anything other than government ids. No letters whatsoever.

The only thing that may be handy is authorization for medical treatment. the hospital will probably ask and may call the parents anyway.

That's what I was thinking- how would they really know if the letter was forged? I'm not going to worry anymore about this. I'm sure we will be fine. Thank you!

 

[Alesia]

1) Airlines are supposed to verify you have the right to transport kids not of the same name.
2) Without a notarized authorization, the kids are to be prevented from boarding.
3) Kidnapping and/or custodial interference are major problems.
4) I would have the authorization.

There's no need to just make stuff up.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

1) Airlines are supposed to verify you have the right to transport kids not of the same name.
2) Without a notarized authorization, the kids are to be prevented from boarding.
3) Kidnapping and/or custodial interference are major problems.
4) I would have the authorization.

I agree with everyone else. This is completely untrue. Why would you post this?

 

[Kellykins1218]

I agree with everyone else. This is completely untrue. Why would you post this?

That's the 2nd post in 2 days that I've seen by this person with completely inaccurate information

 

[SamSam]

When our daughters go on trips with friends' families, we give the parents a note stating that our daughter is allowed to travel with them, the dates of travel, method of travel (i.e., car, air, train), and authorize the parents to seek medical care for our child if necessary. We also attach a copy of our Health Insurance Card. We type out our emergency contact information and have the letter notarized. Probably overkill (I work in a law firm), but we want to have all bases covered.

This is what we always did when our children were still at home, we also would require the same when we took other children with us on our vacations.

Now, when our grandchildren travel with us or stay with us, I have their parents (our children) stating basically the same things. I just feel better being prepared.

 

[ejcraft]

When our daughters go on trips with friends' families, we give the parents a note stating that our daughter is allowed to travel with them, the dates of travel, method of travel (i.e., car, air, train), and authorize the parents to seek medical care for our child if necessary. We also attach a copy of our Health Insurance Card. We type out our emergency contact information and have the letter notarized. Probably overkill (I work in a law firm), but we want to have all bases covered.

this is the same as what we have done, even going so far as to have the note notarized, by my bank just in case. this may have been done the first time, because my daughter was going on a cruise outside of the USA, and the second time was when we brought a friend with us to WDW, probably more for piece of mind but in this day and age better safe then sorry and it didn't cost anything to notarize and only took 5 mins out of my day

 

[tjmw2727]

this is the same as what we have done, even going so far as to have the note notarized, by my bank just in case. this may have been done the first time, because my daughter was going on a cruise outside of the USA, and the second time was when we brought a friend with us to WDW, probably more for piece of mind but in this day and age better safe then sorry and it didn't cost anything to notarize and only took 5 mins out of my day

Not everyone can get notarization for free and frankly nobody is going to look at this. The airlines don't need/want it and the hospital can now get in touch with parents/guardians at the touch of a finger and don't need/use a note anymore.

My 16 yo dd presented her license at the security check last time we flew and the agent asked her if she was 18, when she said no he told her to put the ID away.

Leaving the US is a different story and has different requirements and should be researched separately. This thread is about flying domestically so the OP does not need any documentation for this trip.

 

[Capt_BJ]

I'd always asked for

or provided as the case may be

a notarized limited power of attorney

does it cost a couple of bucks ... yes maybe, depending on your situation (I drew mine up using standard forms available on line and our bank/credit union will notarize for members at no charge.) Is it required? Never cared. Would it work in any situation ... well that's the intention and it never failed for us, altho we were never tested either.

Kids spend summer months 'on the farm' with Granny ... fishing, milking goats, riding the tractor. This is what we gave granny and never had a problem.