Question about flying with LO

iluvhimso

We have the opportunity to go to Hawaii in May.  We are finalizing our LO's adoption next week but our agency said it typically takes 6+ months to get the birth certificate.  So my question is, do we have to have a copy of his birth certificate in order for him to fly?

GLynn2009

In TN it only took 2 weeks for DD birth Certificate, then you have to get the SS card. I would check the airlines policy to see what they say you need.

Kristinmo

I have flown with DS several times.  I have never been asked for a birth certificate.  The airline did warn me they reserve the right to ask for it but I assume that would only be in cases where they were questioning if LO was really under 2 or if we needed to buy him a seat.

Temp206787500007404

We've been asked to show a birth certificate (even though DD was obviously under 2) by Air Tran, American and Delta/Northwest.  Their websites all state that it isn't required, but they reserve the right to request to see it -- and they all have with us.

Southwest requires it.

It only took us a couple of weeks to get our birth certificate -- is there a reason given for the delay?  We took our copy of the adoption decree and used the information to fill out the request on one of the online websites.  The state actually called me and told me someone was looking through a recent shipment of adoption decrees from our county to find ours so they could process it.  We gave them about 10 days to send the docs to the state before we made the request and they had received the docs the very day we made the request.

You might also call the airline and see if they will accept a copy of your adoption decree (which will have birth information and your names on it) in lieu of a birth certificate if they request one.

iluvhimso

Our agency just said that it typically takes 6 months to get the birth certificate after the finalization - I'm in Louisiana and this doesn't surprise me that it may take this long. We are reconsidering our trip until LO is older and then we will not have this issue anyway. 

Thanks for all the replies!