Travel with Children - Good news! TSA says shoes can stay on for under 12's

I didn't see a start date.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/ct-tsa-cuts-back-on-screening-for-kids,0,1920498.story

I guess that now that the 9/11 anniversary is behind us, and perhaps the busy high season as well, the TSA is looking for ways to avoid the gridlock at security.

I looks like it's full steam ahead as the TSA website is fully updated.

http://www.tsa.gov/what_we_do/screening_under12.shtm

http://thetraveltot.com

TSA will make a judgement on how old the child appears- so my 5'5" fully pubertized mascara wearing 12 year old girl is going to be showing her passport when we fly this weekend.

...so that she's exempt from putting her platform boots through the X-ray machine??

Goo luck :D

Is a 12 on or off?

Do they ask the kid, how old are you?

It says 12 and under.

I'm thinking she'll be wearing skinny jeans and Ugg knockoffs. That seems to be the uniform of the moment.

Is a 12 on or off?

Do they ask the kid, how old are you?

if showing a passport would they not know how old the child is?

Most of the times kids fly they aren't showing a passport. It says that it is up to the TSA officer to judge age. I have to say that some of my DD's 12 year old friends look like little kids and some look like full blown teenagers, it really varies and I wouldn't want to have to figure it out.

In her defense, at age 12, I was 5'6" (two and a half inches would follow later) and had hit puberty (I'll spare you all the details). Even without her fashion sense, I was still asked for my driver's license sometimes.

Then I got braces :D

I'll check but I believe it's under 12, for the reasons discussed.

Stories from the war zone please. Those of us with kids in this age category, report back on what's happening!

Great news.. we've been taking off shoes for our 6 year old and 1 year old for their entire lives..

Can't imagine how it will be like not having to take their shoes off to get through security..

LOL! I'm now wondering if they're not stopping parents pulling little booties off their infants or not.

Or whether they just let them go on through with the routine!

Great to know - it's so hard to take shoes off 3 small kids everytime we go through TSA, especially in winter.

Hopefully they will remove the liquid ban too - it's just ridiculous as not all airports have water fountains after security.

LOL! I'm now wondering if they're not stopping parents pulling little booties off their infants or not.

Or whether they just let them go on through with the routine!

I've seen both occur, but I've seen mostly the latter -- probably because the TSA is -- as usual -- distracted.

Since the rule went into effect, my very-soon-to-12 year old has left his shoes on in PHL, ATL, AMS, and ORD without a comment from the TSA. Of course, he walks up to the belt, grabs one bin for his jacket and kippie bag, backpack in the next bin and sets his laptop in the third, which he keeps next to himself until he can shove it into the x-ray machine, so usually the only thing the TSA says to him is "Next!" as they beckon from the other side of the WTMD.

He's faster through security than 90% of adults.

Under Holiday Travel heading..

"New Screening Procedures for Passengers 12 and Under: TSA has implemented new procedures that reduce, though not eliminate, pat-downs of passengers 12 and under that would otherwise have been conducted to resolve alarms while also ensuring effective security measures. Passengers 12 and under are also able to leave their shoes on through security checkpoints."

http://www.tsa.gov/what_we_do/screening_under12.shtm

So must be fairly soon with Rush season coming up soon..

I'd be interesting in hearing from more flyers who've flown with children recently. This new change seems pretty straight forward. But, I'm wondering if its just easier to take their shoes off than risk being questioned/scolded by TSA who may not know the rule change.

I can report back next week on my experience.

I've done about 3 RTs since last Thanksgiving with my kid and we have kept his shoes on every time. He is still in my arms to go through the metal detector--he's two and a half. I fly out of DCA and BUF.

I'd be interesting in hearing from more flyers who've flown with children recently. This new change seems pretty straight forward. But, I'm wondering if its just easier to take their shoes off than risk being questioned/scolded by TSA who may not know the rule change.

I can report back next week on my experience.

I've flown a bunch of times with my two-year-old recently. Often the TSA person makes a point of telling us that we don't have to take his shoes off. Even when they don't say it, they don't make us take his shoes off anymore.

I was just through DFW (Dallas) and YVR (clearing to fly into the U.S.) in the past two weeks with the kids and it was no problem.

http://pintsizepilot.com