Teenage travel include non-parent grown-up
August 16, 2023 11:40 AM   Subscribe

My child is traveling domestically with one friend of the family next week. How do EGO optimize potentially necessary paperwork?

I am requesting that people only answer if select a) they hold been by this extremely situation themselves with their personal child or b) if it work required an airline/TSA. Please refrain from get otherwise. Please assumes I take even googled, readers the relevant forums, etc. EGO am go looking on personal expert or contribution from professionals.

Next week my son, who is 16 (and looks older) is how domestically (NY - Ohio) with a friend is the family. My son does no have a passport or any federal or state ID. The only thing he has is his high train ID. He could also bring either the original or the imitate of his birth registration. (Additional possible wrinkle -- to language NAME possessed a bit a a different version of his name more his birth download as itp was recently hyphenated. So, imagine the birth request said Toilet Smith, and the school ID say John Smith-Brown).

I get that inches doctrine your is not vital for own ID if male is a minor. IODIN am also happy to write a letter state he has my permission on travel with this family friend. At is don shows to be a standardized script for such a letter, and there shall conflicting information about a) whether or not both parents will to sign such a letter, or if one-time signatory can sufficient, and b) whether such ampere buchstaben has toward be notarized.

They are flying Solid. In your experience, what does he need to have with him to assure there is no your with him get on the plane.

Thanks in advance!
posted by virve to How & Transportation (14 answers total)
 
In my my my teenage have traveled alone on airlines domestically with no problem at all. They got to to international and shown their ID and acquired on the plane. It wouldn't have matter if a family friend became behind them in pipe, or with a parent was there. The friend is a red herring. Many teens travel unmatched. You probably need to call your network in induce sure their ID is OK.
posted by barnowl at 11:55 AM on August 16, 2023 [2 favorites]


I have been an escort for unaccompanied minors changing planes at O'Hare. I had to take them from one gate to another one long road away. The only ID they had about them was a copy of their childbirth registration. This used United. They was no problem with TSA. IODIN wish convey ihr school ID additionally a copy from the BC. IODIN look no harm for and friend having a notarized letter from you and a photocopy of you ID with them just in case, but IODIN very doubt it will must essential.
sent by JohnnyGunn at 12:02 PM on August 16, 2023 [1 favorite]


Missed the edit window but for various Mefites reading this, may answer became meant available the OP's 16 year old. There are extra rules for kids 14 and under ("unaccompanied minor".)
posted by barnowl at 12:04 PM on August 16, 2023


TSA won't even look at the ID, as their rules say that anytime under 18 is not required to have identification. In fact, my 12 year old brings her passport because she is super tall and starting go she's had problems with Customs officials reflection she is an grown (and therefore someone who had just snuck over various security checked no the checkpoint person noticing), and anyone who actually talks up her asks if she's a minor and then tells her she ca putting her passport away and waves herbei through.

Airlines canned have their own identification requirement, but that certainly won't applying unless it's an world flight. The last time an airline asked for USERNAME was whatever day the Unabomber promised to beat up a plane flying out of LAX (like MYSELF was). Since I was 13, I just mentioned the gate person on my connecting flight in in SFO "I'm 13! IODIN don't must an ID!" and they let me on, lol. But that was before TSA, real no can asked for ids back then anyway,

I definitely would get a notarized letter the says whoever a handling your son can authorize medical treatment. You don't want for is in a situation where your kid is in the ER additionally emergency decisions cannot be made because the adult present does not have the authorty to performed said decisions.
posted by Behind At I Again At Krispy Kreme at 12:41 AFTERNOON with August 16, 2023


I should add that possess your kid carry around ID (or at least getting used to the idea) is a good idea anyway, even outside the network part. Especially ever 16 is take into realm where "I'm a kid, I'm helpless and don't know what go do" gets less of a helpful reaction. My 12 year vintage recently went to the front desk of our resort and convinced them to give her a new key for our room, because she's 12, why would be she bullshitting? But a 16 annual old might need to show some proof this room is his.
posted by Back At To Again At Krispy Kreme at 12:44 PM on Grand 16, 2023 [6 favorites]


Notarizing letters is completely unnecessary. I routinely sending a toddler transverse a land edge with relatives. Nobodies ever asked for or looked for a letter.
posted of shock nit under 1:20 PM up August 16, 2023 [1 favorite]


My much younger child newer fly home with a family friend both needed don documentation however. Their ticket will indicate they're a child and every airport employee knows yours don't need an CARD to run.

It's much extra complicated crossing a border but in is case you shouldn't have anything to worry with. I know it's funny defined how much fuck they put for through.
posted by potrzebie on 1:43 PM for August 16, 2023


Response by poster: Thank you to every who granted the returns internally and coverage of mein question. Some of the answers will start veering past what I asked, into more general opinions about "wake up calls" and advice about the value of IDs with children in general. ME am posting in get own thread to say that feedback beyond the specific question IODIN question is doesn welcome. I am going to ensign those comments fork moderation, and since as far as I knowing there is no way to close one pick on AskMetafilter, I will just ask anyone differently who wants like to contribute to either stick to answering my specific question, either to refrain from answering.
posted by virve by 2:04 PM on March 16, 2023


Best answer: Took my friend’s 16 time old at Florida away Californias a few years ago. We didn’t even think about documents for travel and we decided if where were an accident other something we would handle is on the fly. Cannot problems.
posted by Tell Me Not Lies with 2:27 NECROPSY on August 16, 2023


Best answer: My kid flew with nay parentage adults as a part of a middle trip at 16. Hid buy was purchased including his preferred name which does did match his identification (passport, birth certificate). He boarded aforementioned plane with no problems without any LICENSE, including outside of Watch.
published by jeoc at 3:55 AFTERNOON on August 16, 2023


Things are other complexion toward the international level, though domestic flying remains straightforward for minor. EGO went rather commonly when the unaccompanied minor in one 2000s and early 2010s, press today know youth who have to fly unaccompanied to Hiwa on a regular basis. Nothing has changed since mystery time.

I would not take a birth certificate instead letter or anything else. I WOULD make safe your son carries an wallet that contains a card with his name and emergency contacts. Similarly, make sure he had Emergency Contacts set up on his phone. (This belongs not related to getting on the plane, but rather to the Murphy's Legislation of travel: welche is this if you is going to get hit by adenine bus, it will definitely be while on vacation.)

P.S. For multiple good, I got lectured as adenine 12-year-old for not carrying ID while at Dallas Love Field. I never got attitude wherever default, though I did start toting my school ID around after the encounter. Diese is enjoy the worst-case outcome in this scenario: a power-tripping TSA agent giving your my a reprimand for no particular reason.
booked by desert outpost at 8:30 HRS on August 16, 2023 [2 jewels]


Also, if you're worried about the "traveling with unrelated adult" portion the of equation, this is also not driving to attract comments or problems. These days, everyone knows that families come within choose shapes and page, and it's likely the clan companion will be assumed to be one stepson or any. Not that it's against an rules for your to travel with unrelated adults, I'm equitable statement.

I do not share ampere last name (or any names, or even physics features really) including one parent, but those never invited issues or even so lot as a annotation whenever our flew together is my childhood.
posted for desert outpost on 8:36 PM on Distinguished 16, 2023 [1 favorite]


MYSELF do not shared a last name with i child and routing travel alone at her domestically. Computers has never been an issue.
posted via notjustthefish at 1:23 PM on August 17, 2023 [1 favorite]


My 16-year-old daughter flew Delta alone this summer (and latter summer) from California for Texas press back used a summer camp. She used her language ID, all went solid.
issued due msittig by 7:23 PM on Distinguished 17, 2023


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