Travel with Children - How many children can travel with one parent internationally?

Hi - my wife wants to go visting her parents in the summer with kids. We have 3. Will she be able ( does not equal manage, and believe me I admire her for even attempting!) to take all 3 kids on a plane or are there limits? Kids will be 7, 4 and 2 by then!

Thanks

Why wouldn't she be able to? They would need passports and visas (if necessary for their destination), of course. And, she would need a letter (check around other threads for the specifics, or try your airline) or other document from you giving her permission to take the kids out of the country.

Why wouldn't she be able to? They would need passports and visas (if necessary for their destination), of course. And, she would need a letter (check around other threads for the specifics, or try your airline) or other document from you giving her permission to take the kids out of the country.

Some of the consolidators let you only check for prices for max of 2 kids for one adult. Hasn't happened when I checked individual airlines though.

I've been flying by myself internationally (Europe to California) with my three kids since they were babies. As a Flight Attendant, I had passengers travelling with more than that (not too often! usually military). I don't know of any restrictions, except for lap babies.

My kids are around the same age, just over 2 years apart. I manage just fine and I always bring a car seat. It's not a problem and I recommend she do so too for the youngest. For the 4 year old, if you need car seats at your destination, you might want to look into a Ride Safer vest, which is safer than a booster. Do NOT check in any seats as luggage! (too high a risk of damage or loss).

Here are my non-commercial flying tips;
http://flyingwithchildren1.blogspot.com

A lot of people on this board have contributed (and yes, to the others, I'm going to add the recent changes some recently suggested, now that the holidays are behind us!)

Legally? Can't imagine there's any limit. Sanity? Depends on a wide-range of factors, including age, personality, maturity level, etc. I can see limiting to 1, I can see going to 10. Depends on the children, and the parent. Or... just depends.

Some airlines do have limits when it comes to infants/lap kids due to the number of oxygen masks available in each row (I think the max is 1 lap child per adult). Not relevant in this case though.

Some airlines do have limits when it comes to infants/lap kids due to the number of oxygen masks available in each row (I think the max is 1 lap child per adult). Not relevant in this case though.

Max is usually one lap child per group of seats. My understanding is that most planes have one more oxygen mask than seat on each side of the aisle in each row. But again, that's for lap children. As long as each kid has his own seat, I don't think there's any restriction.

There is no limit. Also, if OP's wife feels she can handle the three kids, it should be OK from a sanity perspective.

Piece of cake! She has one who can go to the restroom by himself and only one in diapers. I've flown with three in diapers (well, one was PT'd but he still slept in them at night so he had to wear a pull-up in case he fell asleep on the flight). They were 4 mos, 2 & 4 years, flying from Europe to California with a connection. Many more times I've done this trip with two in diapers.

I survived so she should too!

P.S. The letter is not always required. I've never needed one. Check the thread on this subject and be very careful that if she does need one, it conforms to the specifics of her destination and transit countries!

Got sucked into reading the DL CoCs (there's a domestica and international one), here's a fun fact. Page 13 of 58 in the domestic states:

2) Accompanied Children Less Than 2 Years Old.
One child less than 2 years old not occupying a seat may travel with an adult fare-paying passenger at least 18 years old or parent/legal guardian at no additional charge. Additional infants and infants occupying a seat must pay the applicable fare. A maximum of 2 infants is permitted for each adult. Delta recommends the child be placed in an approved safety seat.

Yes this isn't called out in the international CoC (or at least can't find it yet).

So if you can handle 2 infants and 10 children domestically... more power to you. :)

I had to laugh at that one!

I once had a group of Indian children, headed for adoption in the U.S. I can't remember how many they had but we actually cheated. The flight was full and we didn't want the nice couple (who had no kids of their own btw) to be inconvenienced, coming all the way from India, so they handed the babies to other passengers to hold during the flight lol! Everyone was really "into" this good cause and one Polish couple couldn't even speak English but were happily bouncing their little charge on their laps...

I honestly think some of them were sorry to give the babies back when we arrived...

Is there anything about the babies having to actually belong to the passenger over age 18??