Flying with granddaughter

[tmonferdini]

DH & I are bringing DGD6 in Sept. Do we need anything special for her to fly? Copy of birth certificate? Note from mom? First time flying for her

 

[SteveH]

I'd bring a Child Travel Consent and a Child Medical Consent letter which has been signed and notarized by the child's parents or legal guardians. You can find this with online law document groups. Here is a good article from iFly.

 

[han22735]

Our daughter flew with her grandparents last fall and we didn't send her with anything and had no issues.

 

[georgina]

I would definitely want something authorizing medical treatment at the very least, SteveH form's look good to me.

 

[tjmw2727]

You don't need anything extra to fly with your granddaughter. I have traveled with my neices (different last name) and my dd's friends often. TSA may ask her to say her own name but that's it.

No need for medical authorization either as a medical professional will contact a guardian via zoom, facetime etc. if necessary.

 

[sponica]

As long as she knows where she's going and can say her name when asked, you'll have no problems.
Heck my sister went with my grandparents via car to Hershey/Gettysburg and ended up in the ER with a kidney stone at 17, I don't think they had any problems getting her treatment in the days before everyone had a cell phone. She had her insurance card with her.

 

[nolatravelgirl]

Everyone above is assuming that all parties are living in the US and flying domestically. If you are flying internationally then the rules are completely different. The medical authorization is not required for flying but is just a good to have in case of medical emergency.

 

[_19disnA]

The OP's profiles shows they live in the US, but I agree IF someone was traveling internationally they should check to see what sort of documents are required.

 

[rwdavis2]

You won’t need any paperwork to travel with your granddaughter. The TSA won’t look at it. Nor the medical consent. Who is to say it’s not forged in the first place?

 

[Betty Rohrer]

You won’t need any paperwork to travel with your granddaughter. The TSA won’t look at it. Nor the medical consent. Who is to say it’s not forged in the first place?

you can need if medical treatment is needed but the note needs to be notarized and yes I have needed for grandson to be treated at ER while traveling. not for flying

 

[sam_gordon]

you can need if medical treatment is needed but the note needs to be notarized and yes I have needed for grandson to be treated at ER while traveling. not for flying

So the medical staff would have refused emergency treatment for your GS if you didn't have the note?

 

[Betty Rohrer]

So the medical staff would have refused emergency treatment for your GS if you didn't have the note?

we were asked for note before they would see him so yes it appeared that way. he ended up with step throat. we were glad we had note as both parents were at work and easy to get to phone

 

[sam_gordon]

we were asked for note before they would see him so yes it appeared that way. he ended up with step throat. we were glad we had note as both parents were at work and easy to get to phone

Wow. I'm surprised. How long ago was that? I'm just wondering if policies and procedures have changed.

 

[LadyBeBop]

So the medical staff would have refused emergency treatment for your GS if you didn't have the note?

I don't think they'd deny treatment in extreme, life-threatening circumstances. But other than that, they need some legal authorization. In the days before cell phones and email (about 1990), my daughter was traveling with her grandparents and ended up in the emergency room with the flu. She had a medical authorization, signed by both my husband and me. However, the hospital wouldn't accept it, since it wasn't notarized. We had to send, via telegram, a medical authorization to treat her.

 

[sam_gordon]

I don't think they'd deny treatment in extreme, life-threatening circumstances. But other than that, they need some legal authorization. In the days before cell phones and email (about 1990), my daughter was traveling with her grandparents and ended up in the emergency room with the flu. She had a medical authorization, signed by both my husband and me. However, the hospital wouldn't accept it, since it wasn't notarized. We had to send, via telegram, a medical authorization to treat her.

I think it's hard to take something that happened 30+ years ago and be able to say definitively it would be the same now.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Wow. I'm surprised. How long ago was that? I'm just wondering if policies and procedures have changed.

about 5 years ago but what would happen today if parents can not answer phone calls at work. daughter works in a school not a teacher but in a classroom and not allowed to have her phone during classroom time. ps we had a death in family today. texted her just after start of school and I am still waiting to hear from her. would hate to be waiting all this time with a sick child

 

[sam_gordon]

about 5 years ago but what would happen today if parents can not answer phone calls at work. daughter works in a school not a teacher but in a classroom and not allowed to have her phone during classroom time

I don't know, you'd have to ask an doctor. Bottom line is the letters can so easily be faked (even with notary stamps). And, with so many different family situations, how would you know the adult with the child ISN'T the guardian?

What *I* would hope happen is the medical team takes the best interest of the patient into account? Broken leg? Set it. Strep throat? Here's your prescription. Any "optional" treatment? Sure, confirm the guardian is ok with it.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

I don't know, you'd have to ask an doctor. Bottom line is the letters can so easily be faked (even with notary stamps). And, with so many different family situations, how would you know the adult with the child ISN'T the guardian?

What *I* would hope happen is the medical team takes the best interest of the patient into account? Broken leg? Set it. Strep throat? Here's your prescription. Any "optional" treatment? Sure, confirm the guardian is ok with it.

that prescription could lead to death if child is allergic to and person seaking treatment does not know or forgets

 

[RoseGold]

Assuming you are flying within the US, I would take a picture of the birth certificate, but you shouldn't need it.

At the TSA ID check, they ask kids this age their name. She should be ready to say whatever her legal first name is. I've seen kids panic and freak out, including my own who has done this 2.5 billion times.

If you think the child will have issues saying her name, then I would try to get an ID issued for her, even a passport, which isn't a bad thing to have anyway. You can get kids this age Precheck and Global Entry, and you have time for this trip.

 

[sam_gordon]

that prescription could lead to death if child is allergic to and person seaking treatment does not know or forgets

And having the letter prevents either of those how? I mean, sure, a parent SHOULD tell someone caring for their child about an allergy, and you'd hope they'd remember if it comes up, but presenting a letter doesn't guarantee that.