– CHILDREN AND FLYING
You might have known: The airlines — members of that most proudly deregulated of U.S. industries — have, themselves, lots of regulations about children.
Flying together: The good news is that, until age 2, children may fly free on domestic routes and at a huge discount internationally. Just don’t be surprised if the airline asks for proof of age. The bad news is that these youngsters are not guaranteed a seat unless they pay the full adult fare. That means the squirming little darlings must sit in their parents’ laps the entire flight if adjacent seats are occupied, and they don’t even get a baggage allowance. Should these 2-and-unders wind up with 24-A or 17-D all to themselves, they’ll be required to use an approved child-safety seat. It’s a given that the children in question are traveling with an adult; little ones in this age group don’t fly alone.
Children flying internationally need proof of citizenship; and if they are traveling with only one parent, the parent who is not taking the trip may need to provide written consent for the child to leave the country with the traveling parent.
Flying alone: Children flying alone must meet minimum age requirements set by the airlines — usually age 5, and that’s only for non-stop or through flights. Each airline decides how old a child must be to travel with a change of planes. Whoever picks up the child at the other end must prove who they are; if not, the airline won’t hand over the child. Most carriers charge an “escort fee” for children flying without guardians. You’ll likely pay this at the airport prior to boarding — think of it as a kids’ departure tax — otherwise, the child will not be allowed to travel.
Now, if the airlines would do something about that brat who has been kicking the back of your seat since Pittsburgh.