GLewis

Ok so I’m flying tomorrow on southwest with a 12-year-old who is a friend of my son’s. His mom can’t go due to an emergency situation with her other son. I know 12-year-olds can technically travel alone but has anyone else gotten a Consent to Travel from a parent just in case? I’m worried we will get to the airport and someone will question us because of different last names. The mom still hasn’t done it even after we requested and she insists it won’t be a problem. I don’t want to get stuck at the airport with her son. Thoughts?

COSPILOT

We send our son all over the place without us, but tie his reservation with whatever person we know going to the same soccer tournament. It’s been a non issue.

NoStressHere

The silly part of getting a letter that I always shake my head at.

ANYONE can make up a letter and sign it. And even witness it. How would the airline know?

guv1976

That's what notaries are for.

AllThePants

We've sent our kids with their aunts/uncles (different last name) on several occasions, and never had an issue. You can't even book the minor reservation without tying it to some sort of adult reservation typically -- unless you are specifically booking/paying for an unaccompanied minor reservation. So it's just assumed that whatever adult reservation they've been booked on has consent to travel with the child. And that person is necessarily identifiable by virtue of having a ticket.

The major exception to this would be international travel -- in which case the child needs to be traveling with their parent, if not both parents. And this is primarily to avoid parental abductions -- i.e. one party in a divorce fleeing to Mexico with their child to escape local jurisdictions.

The one thing I would recommend is that your friend call up Southwest and see if she can get her son's minor reservation re-associated/linked with your adult reservation. Otherwise they may not let her son check in without her present.

Mwenenzi

Many children have a different last name to a parent.
I know of a (married) couple where the son had the fathers last name and the 2 daughters the mothers last name. But did create confusion. Children now adults so less confusion.

Beckles

I travel with my children and one thing that has started happening recently is that they will be asked at security checkpoints who they are traveling with, even when we're standing right there, the checking of minors' boarding passes has gotten much less perfunctory at some security checkpoints than it used to be. I think it would be prudent to have some sort of documentation provided because I have personally seen there is an increased emphasis on trafficking at security checkpoints. Maybe a notarized letter along with a copy of their passport (or their passport) if they have one to confirm their identity?

LegalTender

This worked out for you, then?

ftnoob

Welcome to FlyerTalk, Urufira!

COSPILOT

We book without knowing who is also traveling for our son. Granted he is 15 and has a permit and passport and more traveled than most, but we have never had an issue. Once we find out who is traveling on his flight my wife somehow links them.

Cledaybuck

We've never had an issue.

dmbolp

I've never been pulled over for speeding, therefore speeders are never caught

guv1976

Since we are talking about a 12-year-old traveling on Southwest, it's worth noting that Southwest's unaccompanied-minor service is only offered for kids under 12. Kids 12-17 are considered "Young Travelers," who may travel alone without payment of any special fee. Details here:

https://www.southwest.com/help/flyin...and-conditions

("Information for Young Travelers")

Cledaybuck

The OP (presumably) isn't breaking the law. In fact, I don't see any rule or policy that the OP is going against.

TheRoadie

TSA is perfectly capable of inventing rules on the fly at document check. I would be more worried about them than any airline in this situation.