I was wondering if any of you know of a convenient way to figure out the security rules for specific airports -- maybe a website? I travel with my daughter (now 21 mos.) quite a bit and it seems we have a different experience at every security check point. Here are a couple of examples. We flew out of MSP last week and my daughter was allowed to wear her shoes and safety harness through security. We flew back from Cleveland yesterday and she was required to remove both. I had purposefully put double-tied high top sneakers on her that are difficult to get on and off (so that she wouldn't take them off on the plane). Everyone in line was waiting for me to remove her sneakers and her harness and get them stowed away in my bags -- not an easy task with a toddler who is trying to escape! In the past, I've been allowed to bring a snack cup of applesauce (4 oz.) with us at one airport and not allowed at another. At some airports I've been turned back at security because my daughter didn't have a boarding pass (even though she was flying as a "lap" child), while at most I don't need one for her. It's annoying and I cannot plan ahead when the rules are different everywhere!
From previous experience working in association with an airline, it seems the best way to the correct information is to CALL THE AIRLINE you will be traveling before hand. Sometimes websites are hard to navigate. Sounds like it's been pretty awful, I hope you don't have these problems again! Good luck!
we travel with our 4 year old pretty frequently too, and were running into so many hassles we just gave up trying to figure everything out.
we ended up getting him his own mn state id card (yes, for a 4 year old) just for traveling. it was worth the $20 or whatever to not get hassled about "which one of you is chase" when there were 3 of us traveling, clearly the 2 adults had id's & the child did not. plus, chase loves having his own "license." :) we always assume he has to do everything we have to - take off shoes, take off jacket, etc. we always pack an empty sippy cup (just in case, since he normally does fine with the standard issue airplane beverage cup) and dry snacks (pretzels, goldfish, etc).
good luck - i know how frustrating it is to travel with a little one period, let alone get hassled at security!
J.
mom to chase (4) & paige (due 6.2.08)
www.tsa.gov That's the website for the Transportation Safety Administration. You will find all the travel info you need. There is even a section on traveling w/ children.
you know, we only travel back and forth to LA a lot, and it seems like while there are "rules" for TSA, when it comes to kids, it depends a bit on the guards on duty. Every time we fly it is different and it's only the two same airports. We also assume that what applies to the adults applies to the kids. Mostly i have had to have some indication of the lap child, most airlines mark it on my or my husband's ticket, but a few don't and then the infant has needed their own boarding pass. It's frustrating and we travel with the absolute minimum carry on now to get through security the easiest =)
