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Travel with an infant- birth cert

Marilyn87
Explorer C

Hello, I am going to be traveling with my 2 month old as a lap rider. We do not have her birth certificate yet as we have not yet received from our local health department (comes by snail mail). She is very obviously under two years old which, from what I can gather is why they want proof of age. I have easy online access to her pediatrician records, I still have her hospital bracelet (and mine), I have her social sec card, and I have the record of birth from the hospital (though this is handwritten and signed by physician and witnessing nurse therefore not a govt issue). Would any of those things be sufficient to prove her age? Or am I just completely stuck because the birth certificate wont get here in time???

2 REPLIES 2

Re: Travel with an infant- birth cert

jksobonya
Aviator A

According to Southwest's "Baby On Board" policy (located here: https://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/family/baby-on-board-pol.html

What special rules apply to infants and toddlers?

If you're traveling with an infant or small child, you should know that proper use of a Child Restraint System (CRS) enhances child safety on aircraft. For this reason, Southwest Airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) strongly recommend that infants and small children who weigh 40 pounds or less be secured in an appropriate CRS when traveling by air. See below for additional information.

  • Southwest Employees may ask for age verification at any point within the Customer journey, so Customers should travel with a copy or original of any government-issued ID, such as a birth certificate or passport, for their Lap Child.
  • A medical release for travel is required for any infant under 14 days old.

 

If you have a social security card, that will be fine, since that is a government-issued ID!

 

--Jessica

Re: Travel with an infant- birth cert

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

ID is no longer required when the child is obviously under 2 years of age.  Check-in can be done at the kiosk and you no longer have to talk to an agent for a lap child check-in.

 

--TheMiddleSeat