Have never flown with children before, can you help me with a couple of ?s

[Duck77]

Hi,
We will be flying with our 4 and 9 year old in May. Have never taken them on a flight, so I was wondering...

1) What security document or ID do you need to show for kids in the security line?
2) How does checking a stroller work? We'll have one for our 4 yr old, and we'll probably use it in the airport (he walks most of the time, but I just thought for speediness, it might be useful). Do they hold it on the plane, somehow, so that you can use it up to boarding, and then right off?

TIA!

 

[jroof13]

Hi!

We flew with our 4 now 5 year old over the summer. We did not have to provide any documents for him. On the safe side maybe being a copy of their birth certificates. We flew with delta, I had called and they said we didn't need to provide any sort of ID. But better safe than sorry.

As far as a stroller goes. You can take it through the airport, when you get to security they will make you fold it up and send it through on the belt so it goes through the X-ray machine. When you get to your gate go to the desk and tell them you have a stroller, they will give you an ID type tag to put on it. When you go to board the plane you will leave the stroller at the end of the ramp. They will put the stroller underneath the plane and then that is where you will pick it up when you land at your destination.

Make sure to bring gum. It helped with our sons ears. Also since it's their first time flying if you let the flight attendant know they sometimes ( delta let us) but they let our son go talk to the pilot and go in the cockpit. He even got a pair of gold wings to pin on his shirt. Towards the end of our flight they brought him a certificate and a bag of goodies ( which came in handy when we were on the magic express). Good luck! And you can PM me if you have any more questions!

 

[Duck77]

Thank you so much, very helpful!!

 

[Jennia]

You could also bring lollipops or a type of juice/drink he doesn't get often (drink it with a straw though) if he doesn't like gum.
I always bring the kids' passports but have never once had to show them aside from international flights.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

You don't need any type of id flying domestically for ages 17 and under, except for an under age 2 lap baby. It is a waste of time bringing a birth certificate.

Your airline's stroller policy will be on their web site. Also go to the TSA website for information on what is allowed through airport security:

http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/traveling-children

 

[squirrel]

I'd pack a water bottle with spout (empty) so you can fill with water or juice. Less mess if it gets tipped.

Snacks or lollipop are good for take off and landing. Chewing/sucking helps their ears.

 

[amym2]

You do not need to show ID for the kids, but you might make them aware that the TSA security agent who checks IDs might ask them their names or say their names and then look at them. We fly frequently and the TSA agents are always nice enough, but sometimes it can be a little intimidating to a kid to have a person in uniform address them by name.

 

[tiggy4686]

Make sure you take a change of clothes for kids on your carry on, if you take disney bus from airport you won't see your bags right away, also having a bag on wheels is nice. You can strap another bag to the handle, makes for getting down the isle of the plane alot easier. If you bring electronics for kids they all have to be put in bins at tsa, also have kids wear shoes that are easy to get on and off through tsa. Some tsa have a line for famlies, they do a pretty good job of getting you through smoothly. No liquids can be brought through either, gummies work well for take off and landing. Hope this helps you have a great trip.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[tms295psu]

Check your airlines stroller policy. Some airlines are charging to check full size stroller (think graco etc) and only umbrella strollers are checked for free. It varies by airline so u need to check with whoever you are flying.

 

[Gracie09]

Check your airlines stroller policy. Some airlines are charging to check full size stroller (think graco etc) and only umbrella strollers are checked for free. It varies by airline so u need to check with whoever you are flying.

American is the only airline with limits on checking a stroller. You can't gate check a full sized stroller but can check it for free. All other us carriers have no limits of what you can gate check and no fees. The same is true for regular checking of strollers

 

[CoffeeCup]

Unless the rules have changed since we flew last month, children 12 and under no longer need to remove their shoes.

 

[Gracie09]

Unless the rules have changed since we flew last month, children 12 and under no longer need to remove their shoes.

Correct. They also go through regular metal detectors not the scanners

 

[Julie711]

Correct. They also go through regular metal detectors not the scanners

This wasn't true in our case. This past trip in September DD (5) had to remove her shoes to go thru security, it was the first time we had to do that. Also the first time we had to show birth certificate for kids.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

American is the only airline with limits on checking a stroller. You can't gate check a full sized stroller but can check it for free. All other us carriers have no limits of what you can gate check and no fees. The same is true for regular checking of strollers

Other airlines do have limits on strollers which are gate checked. For example, United does not allow "large, non-collapsible strollers," and Air Canada allows strollers with a collapsed diameter of not more than 10 inches and length not more than 36 inches.

 

[Duck77]

Thank you, everyone! So, so helpful!

 

[Gracie09]

This wasn't true in our case. This past trip in September DD (5) had to remove her shoes to go thru security, it was the first time we had to do that. Also the first time we had to show birth certificate for kids.

Then something was not right. The TSa website is very specific about this. I would have asked for a supervisor. I travel with children who are not my own (foster kids) and I don't even possess their birth certificates. I have never been asked for a documentation for any child I have travelled with. I would have asked for a supervisor.

 

[Gracie09]

Other airlines do have limits on strollers which are gate checked. For example, United does not allow "large, non-collapsible strollers," and Air Canada allows strollers with a collapsed diameter of not more than 10 inches and length not more than 36 inches.

I said us carriers. I'm assuming air canada would be based in Canada??

And 99% of strollers collapse. So unless there was a specialty type of jogging stroller the op was using, which I doubt because they usually don't fit in cars or and wouldn't be allowed on Disney buses, she could check any collapsible stroller. We travelled on united with an uppa baby vista a large collapsible stroller. We gate checked it with no issues. We also traveled the next time with a city elite double a huge double stroller, also gate checked without a glance.

 

[dalayney]

We bought those earplanes? Type of earplug for flying... for my 8yr old as the desent into florida was torture for him even w/gum and suckers. So, we put them in on the trip back and they were wonderful! Worth every penny.