What is required when child flying with only one parent?
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Anonymous
| I understand that, when travelling internationally, a child travel consent letter/form is required from the parent not also travelling? Is anything similar required when flying domestically? Both child and parent have the same surname. |
Anonymous
| Nothing is required, but I always brought my child’s birth certificate or passport. |
Anonymous
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Nothing.
A kid can also fly with an adult who isn't their parent. |
Anonymous
| Nothing is required flying domestically. Children are allowed to travel with people who aren't parents, by themselves, whatever. |
Anonymous
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The above is true, legally. But if your child is a different race than you, or mixed race, I think it's reasonable to be concerned about "well meaning" airline employees potentially asking you questions. I would bring documents with you as a backup. It's common enough to be a concern.
https://www.google.com/search?q=flight+attendants+report+mixed+race+families |
Anonymous
This post has a good summary of some of the more public times this has happened, and why airline employees do it. https://viewfromthewing.com/delta-flight-attendant-accuses-grandparents-of-trafficking-mixed-race-grandson/ |
Anonymous
My kids are adopted and a different race than me. Internationally I certainly bring their documentation. Domestically, I have never brought anything at all. It's never been an issue for us, but more importantly if some ignorant TSA agent or flight attendant asked me for some documentation I would absolutely refuse to give it and ask to speak to their manager. Call me a karen if you'd like, but I won't give up my children's right to travel domestically at will just like any other resident in the US just because their skin color doesn't match mine. |
Anonymous
| I've taken a friend's child on flights within the country. Obviously we have different last names. Nobody blinked or asked any questions - she didn't even have to show ID (which was good since she didn't have any). |
Anonymous
Is it always ignorance though? Flight attendants are supposed to be looking out for kids possibly being trafficked. |
Anonymous
I am a single mom by choice via adoption. My child is a different race from me so I alwys carried her adoption papers, despite having her passport. We traveled internationally about 2x pr year. I was never asked for the adoption papers, though I always told the agent(s) I had them with me. |
Anonymous
Then perhaps flight attendants should be trained to look for actual signs of a child being trafficked rather than just skin color that doesn't match. Because if that's what someone is going on then yes, they are ignorant. If you actually care, here are some good ways to recognize when to be concerned. (Note that a child and adult of different races living a boring life is not on the list) https://humantraffickinghotline.org/en/human-trafficking/recognizing-signs https://www.missingkids.org/content/dam/missingkids/pdfs/CST-Identification-Resource.pdf |
Anonymous
Right, kids don't have to show ID to travel domestically, unless they are traveling on an age restricted ticket (like an under-2 Lap Baby) |
Anonymous
Yes, that's the "reason" for the questions when it happens. As the article explains at the end, it is a very poor policy that ends up with over-zealous employees falsely accusing people based on race. |
Anonymous
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As the parent of 2 children who are a different race from me (and from each other), I am concerned about profiling. If the powers that be are going to question me about traveling with my children, they better be questioning *every* parent with children on that flight.
My children have my name and their passports. |
Anonymous
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Call the airline
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