Help!! Flying Delta with someone else's children!

[KissMickey4U?]

Hey Everyone,

My mom and I and coming to WDW in 3 weeks and we are flying with Delta. We are also bringing my 3 (Disney deserving and excited) Godchildren along with us, however, I am not a mother, therefore, I have never flown anywhere with children. When my mom and I travel we fly Delta and we do the self check in and we each have to enter ID to prove we are the correct people flying. What do you do with Children that are not yours AND that are not old enough to show ID? Do they even check Children to make sure they are who we say they are? When either me or my mom check in do their names automatically come up on the screen and print them out a ticket too? When you get ready to walk through security and they make sure everyone has a ticket and proper ID or passport do they ask for ID for the children? I have never been through this process with children especially with children whose parents will not be there.
I am always nervous going through all the security checkpoints as it is don't know why they just make me uneasy and now I will have 3 children with me and I really would like to know what to expect so if anyone could share their knowledge of flying with children and flying with someone else's children it would be greatly appreciated. At least my mind will sort of be at rest. Oh we are flying from Detroit to Orlando so it's not an international flight or anything.
Thank you,
Elaine

 

[Tara]

Children under age 18 are not required to show ID. They will have their own boarding passes, checked luggage allowance, carry-on baggage allowance - everything you have. They just won't have to show ID.

Given the children's ages, I'd try to get seat assignments where you are sitting with the younger two and your mother is sitting with the oldest one, or you sitting with the older two and your mother sitting with the youngest one.

What I would recommend is having their insurance information and a notarized letter that indicates you have the authority to allow them to be treated if one needs medical care. (In a life-threatening situation, they'd be treated no matter what, but in a non-life-threatening situation, they'll need permission.)

As for the flight, I recommend letting each child bring a small carry-on bag with items that will entertain her or him. If those items are handheld games, iPods, etc, be sure they have earphones. Snacks are helpful as the flight will be about 3 hours. Bring gum for them to chew in case the air pressure bothers their ears.

(FYI, that large, bold, purple text makes your post attention-getting but also hard to read.)

 

[phred52]

When I've flown with nieces or nephew, perhaps 6 or 7 times in the last 10 years....we've always had a discussion and they are told to ACT like I am their Mom. I point out that for the trip, they are MINE and nobody elses!

I have never been asked for their ID.

The 2 year old got singled out for special screening once. She was pulled aside, 'wanded' and checked for exploside residue. Luckily she cooperated ....her eyes were absolutely HUGE. Once they cleared her, she plastered herself to my chest and sobbed and sobbed. But not a peep while holding her arms out to her sides .... poor kid!

 

[francie57]

Agree with pp, when we have traveled with our kids and their friends we always made sure we had a notarized letter giving us permission to make any decisions necessary for them for medical purposes and make sure you have a copy of an insurance card. It probably also wouldn't be a bad idea to also get a notarized letter stating that you have permission to be traveling with the kids since you are not the parent.

 

[Brian Noble]

Wow. That's a big font.

You do not need ID for anyone under the age of 18 for domestic flights. You probably *do* want to have a medical power of attorney, and for that having some form of ID for the kids is probably a good idea. But, unless you are flying with a lap child (in which case you have to prove they are under 2), the airlines don't care, and neither does TSA.

 

[KissMickey4U?]

OK Thanks guys... sorry for the Font I didn't know it was going to be that big .. I didn't click preview b4 I submitted it!

 

[WildGrits]

If you need some permission slips PM me. I am a GS manager and have been taken other folks kids of state lines for years. Legally that is

I am shocked they would pull a child for screening. I have a child with HF Autism and I can't imagine what a mess things would have been if they pulled her when she was young.

As phred52 stated, make sure they know how they need to act.

As for ID, I have never once been asked for ID for my scouts. Of course when they were younger, I usually insisted on full uniform. Easier to keep an eye on them then.