D.C. Area Babies
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Lap child?
So I went ahead and bought a ticket to fly to Ohio this summer.
J is going to fly on my lap. Do I need to call the airline to add him to my ticket so he can go through security?
How does this work, do I need to bring ID for him or do I serve as his ID?
TIA
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Re: Lap child?
We'll be flying with DD as a lap child in June. The airline's website said I had to call them to alert them (which I did), and says I have to bring an original birth certificate (which I will). I posted on the board a while ago about the need to bring an original birth certificate, and while most people were never asked for it, it sounds like it's better to have it just in case.
I would check the airlines website.
This is all good info. In 4 1/2 years of flying with little ones I have never had to show the birth certificate, but you never know, so I always bring them with me, mostly in the case of lap child to prove that the LO really is under 2 (if you have big kids like I do that look older than they are;)
Also be aware that most airlines will let you board early, but they won't always offer, so it's worth it to ask. Some people would rather be the last ones to board to maximize the kids' time to run around, but I have always preferred the opportunity to get settled and not feel like I am holding anyone up. And as soon as you get to the gate, ask for a tag for your stroller so that you can gate check it.
You do need to call the airline and alert them to the fact that you will have a lap child. In addition to airport security reasons, the airline has to be sure to put you on the side of the airplane with the additional oxygen mask.
The gate agents don't always check to make sure your seat assignments work for the oxygen masks on the plane - I learned the hard way that the flight attendants might switch your seats after you settle in once they realize you have a lap kid.
Oh, and the other thing to note is that when you have a lap child (at least with the Delta and whichever other airline we used recently) you can't check in online the day before - you can only check in at the airport. If the flight is overbooked, you could get chucked for being the last to check in even if you get to the airport 2 hours early because everyone else checked in online ahead of time. (We learned this the hard way as well.)
We just flew last week with a lap child and were able to check in online and print our boarding passes at home (on United). I think it varies airline to airline. You need to add him but you can do it at any point-I'd do it before you get to the airport.
I have always travelled with an official shot record from LO's pediatrician, instead of his birth certificate.