S/O Flying with babies

jcwinsto

Does anybody else find it incredibly creepy how easy it is to take a baby on a flight with you without documentation of anything?  When I book tickets all they need is "Infant in lap" on my boarding pass.  They don't need baby's age, name, nothing.  Going through security is also creepily easy.  They don't ask for any identifying information on the baby.  Anyone can basically take any baby on a flight across the country with them. 

And as long as someone makes sure to steal baby's passport I would think anyone could take a baby to another country as well.  Am I missing something here?

km_md

Maybe it depends on the airline? I called to add DD as a lap baby to our flight and they asked for her name and birth date and when we fly we have to take her id to the ticket counter so that they can verify her age and give us a document for boarding.

I can't speak to the actual airport security process though because we haven't flown yet.

jcwinsto

Maybe they asked for his birthdate to verify he was within the age limit but I took all his paperwork from the hospital (since we didn't have SS card yet) and NOBODY asked ofr it anywhere.  I even asked the person checking ID's at security if they wanted to see his paperwork and they said no because it said "Infant in lap" on my boarding pass.

Rebis58

Honestly I never thought about it but you're right, the times I've flown with DD they never asked for any documents for her (I brought her care card and birth certificate just in case but never needed it. It does get more complicated when leaving the country. I live in Canada and when MIL took H's half brother (he was 12 or 13) to the States she had to bring ID for him as well as a letter from his dad giving permission for him to leave the country (but that  might be because she has a different last name than them, not sure if I would need that from H if I tried to leave the country alone with DD as we have the same last name).

teacher0708

Rebis58 said:

Honestly I never thought about it but you're right, the times I've flown with DD they never asked for any documents for her (I brought her care card and birth certificate just in case but never needed it. It does get more complicated when leaving the country. I live in Canada and when MIL took H's half brother (he was 12 or 13) to the States she had to bring ID for him as well as a letter from his dad giving permission for him to leave the country (but that  might be because she has a different last name than them, not sure if I would need that from H if I tried to leave the country alone with DD as we have the same last name).

If you do travel without your H, you need a notarized letter written by him saying he knows that you are travelling with your DD. 

We have passports for both kids for when we cross the border. For us, it is easier. The customs officers have always checked the kids to their passports. 

runnergrl6675

I just flew on Southwest and they require a birth certificate for a lap baby.

karah4816

I just flew American Airlines and I had to have their birth certificates but thats all. I thought it was too easy also, all those certificates prove is that I have access to two birth certificates for babies around the same age. not that these babies are them

ccip82

When I travel with the both LOs it is usually by myself and internationally. I've yet to have anyone ask for a notarized letter for permission to fly, but maybe it depends on the country one is traveling to?

When we applied for DS's passport we needed so much shit to mail before the appointment. Marriage certificate, passports, forms, and DH and I had to write down and summit every. single. time we left the US. 

teacher0708

Hmm..... Maybe it is a canada thing for a notarized letter.

MaryBB77

Yeah I just flew to Ireland on my own with DD & just needed her passport. No letter