Minor Flying Without Parent Question

[StitchesGr8Fan]

I’m taking my daughter to Florida and my best friend and her daughter will be coming as well. There is a chance that I may need to leave early to go to a funeral. I would totally trust my daughter to stay with my friend and her daughter (the girls are good friends too). My concern is my friend taking my daughter through security at the airport. My daughter will have her boarding pass and I can give my friend her birth certificate. But is there a letter or anything I would need to give my friend so TSA doesn’t think my daughter is being abducted? My daughter is 9, btw, and very well spoken. She would gladly tell an agent about how mom had to leave for a funeral but she got to stay with her BFF and is now going home.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

I would call the airline to see if they require anything. I've hosted my daughter's bff before when she's flown up to stay with us and she traveled as an unaccompanied minor and required special paperwork. Obviously she won't be unaccompanied but you need to see what the airline may require. It may be nothing but I would call/research to find out the rules before you go.

 

[SteveH]

Hit up a search engine and look up "unaccompanied minor travel consent letter"

 

[Grankm21]

I was wondering the same thing before a recent trip where we flew home with my 9 year old nephew (different last name). His dad had to come home early for work. I called Southwest and made sure they linked my nephew’s return flight ticket to mine just in case there were any flight changes. Otherwise there was nothing special that we needed to do. We all checked in together and went through TSA pre check together. I believe if the flights are international you may need documentation.

 

[sam_gordon]

A birth certificate shouldn't be needed. Not sure why you'd take it on the trip to begin with. Odds are no one is going to say anything. JUST in case, you can type up a simple letter that says you (your name) give permission for your daughter (her name and DOB) to travel between (city names) using any transportation necessary with (friend's name). You can include the dates if you'd like. Note that (friend's name) also has permission to authorize any medical treatment she feels is necessary.

Go to the library and get it notarized. Your friend then carries the paper with her. *IF* (and I highly doubt it would come into play) someone questions, they present the paper.

 

[Moliphino]

I was wondering the same thing before a recent trip where we flew home with my 9 year old nephew (different last name). His dad had to come home early for work. I called Southwest and made sure they linked my nephew’s return flight ticket to mine just in case there were any flight changes. Otherwise there was nothing special that we needed to do. We all checked in together and went through TSA pre check together. I believe if the flights are international you may need documentation.

Definitely. My BIL had to bring a friend's daughter back to the US from Costa Rica (my sister and the friend tested positive for Covid and weren't allowed to fly, kids had to get home for school). They needed all kinds of paperwork for that.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Definitely. My BIL had to bring a friend's daughter back to the US from Costa Rica (my sister and the friend tested positive for Covid and weren't allowed to fly, kids had to get home for school). They needed all kinds of paperwork for that.

different rules for international trips than trips with in the USA

 

[Moliphino]

different rules for international trips than trips with in the USA

Yes, I was replying to the bolded part in the text I quoted.

 

[daisy2013]

You don’t need to give them anything for domestic travel . When we were foster parents we had a letter from the agency but that was permission to leave the state and obtain emergency medical treatment. Shoved them in the diaper bags and never were asked for them.

 

[tjmw2727]

You won't need anything for her to fly with your adult friend, TSA doesn't care who is flying with who or why. For all they know it could be a mom & dd with different last names, nobody will look twice.

 

[rwdavis2]

Forget all the documents and letters. TSA won look at them and the airline won’t care. TSA will ask the girl some questions of they think there is a problem.

 

[brockash]

I’m taking my daughter to Florida and my best friend and her daughter will be coming as well. There is a chance that I may need to leave early to go to a funeral. I would totally trust my daughter to stay with my friend and her daughter (the girls are good friends too). My concern is my friend taking my daughter through security at the airport. My daughter will have her boarding pass and I can give my friend her birth certificate. But is there a letter or anything I would need to give my friend so TSA doesn’t think my daughter is being abducted? My daughter is 9, btw, and very well spoken. She would gladly tell an agent about how mom had to leave for a funeral but she got to stay with her BFF and is now going

I’m taking my daughter to Florida and my best friend and her daughter will be coming as well. There is a chance that I may need to leave early to go to a funeral. I would totally trust my daughter to stay with my friend and her daughter (the girls are good friends too). My concern is my friend taking my daughter through security at the airport. My daughter will have her boarding pass and I can give my friend her birth certificate. But is there a letter or anything I would need to give my friend so TSA doesn’t think my daughter is being abducted? My daughter is 9, btw, and very well spoken. She would gladly tell an agent about how mom had to leave for a funeral but she got to stay with her BFF and is now going home.

Assuming it's all domestic there will be no issue and you won't need to do anything. I've flown with minors who weren't my kids and just a few days ago my 2 minor children flew with my sister. They won't care nor probably even ask.