Has anyone flown recently with children?

[tjmw2727]

You mis-read my post. I was not suggesting you need ID. I was suggesting you need a medical power of attorney---and not for TSA's benefit, but for the benefit of the child should they, say, break an arm while in your care. Without such a document, the child's parents would have to be contacted to approve any care the child receives. You may also want insurance coverage information, and other explicit permissions from the child's parents or legal guardians as well, depending on the precise details of the trip, but that's the minimum I would want to have. I would not take anyone else's child on a trip without such approval.

No I undersood your post and again while its a good idea you don't "need" any documents to travel with minors.

FWIW I do carry documents for my neices but IMHO it has nothing to do with the topic and can be misleading for folks reading along. Unfortunately I have been in a situation where I needed medcial authorization documents so I do understand their importance. (several stitches just over the eyelid and the need for a plastic surgeon asap the first time, fish hook to the knee the 2nd time!)

The question was do you need ID for passengers under 18 to fly. A few posters suggested its a good idea to prove you are the childs parents but to date that simply isn't necessary.

The simple fact remains that passengers under 18 don't need ID to fly within the US.

 

[samshane]

Last time we flew, the only time the kids were asked about their ages was by the TSA agent as we were going through security. They asked each on their age, birthdate, and who their parents were.

 

[Hannathy]

No I undersood your post and again while its a good idea you don't "need" any documents to travel with minors.

FWIW I do carry documents for my neices but IMHO it has nothing to do with the topic and can be misleading for folks reading along. Unfortunately I have been in a situation where I needed medcial authorization documents so I do understand their importance. (several stitches just over the eyelid and the need for a plastic surgeon asap the first time, fish hook to the knee the 2nd time!)

The question was do you need ID for passengers under 18 to fly. A few posters suggested its a good idea to prove you are the childs parents but to date that simply isn't necessary.

The simple fact remains that passengers under 18 don't need ID to fly within the US.

Thank you I wish people would simply answer the question asked without muddying the waters. This happens every time this gets asked.

Plain and simple kids do not need ID to travel on an airplane in the US.

PS the BC is only if the child is under 2 and flying free. If they are buying a ticket then they do not need anything.

 

[Brian Noble]

No I undersood your post

Then why did you interpret it to mean that I said you need ID for minors for whom you are not legal guardian? I said no such thing---and agree that you do not, unless you are claiming an infant as a lap child, in which case proof of age is generally required.

 

[npmommie]

I just booked our flight on Jet Blue last week. Jet Blue didn't ask for any of our birth dates nor did they ask for our middle names. There wasn't anywhere on the online reservation form to put our middle names.

maybe they haven't implemented it yet.

So I just booked our June flights with Southwest and came across an area of their website that said I had to pre-prove my childs age by sending them a copy of her birth certificate. So I called them. I only had to prove age if the airline was selling me a "childs" fare. We were not buying that fare we just got a good deal. Some airlines may require proof of age in these instances but most do not I believe. TSA does not require you to show ID for kids though unless you are travelling internationally.

so did you have to still provide the secure flight info for them, in that box on the soutwest website? did you give their birthdate or did sw say you didn't even have to do that? just curious

Last time we flew, the only time the kids were asked about their ages was by the TSA agent as we were going through security. They asked each on their age, birthdate, and who their parents were.

why are TSA agents questioning kids like that? are they supposed to do that?
one asked my littlest his name once, but he wouldn't answer and kept walking the tsa guy just shrugged.

 

[Hannathy]

The only time TSA staff asked my kids their names was when my DH handed the man 3 boarding passes all at the same time and he was trying to sort it out so he knew whose ID to see. All he said was who is .... and my DS said me and he said oh ok and knew to ask my DH for his ID not my son. And if my DH would have given the kids their passes then nothing would have been asked.