Traveling with granddaughter

[Dlthibodeaux]

Hi . My husband and I will be traveling this month to Texas. We may need to travel with our 23 month old granddaughter. This would be our 1st time flying with her. What documents will we need to travel with her? She has a different last name. We do have a copy of her birth certificate. Thank you! We love flying Southwest.

[dfwskier · Accepted solution]

You do not need any documents - either for TSA or Southwest.

If she's going to be a lap child though, you might want to have something that proves she is under 2 - although you probably won't need it.

[Dlthibodeaux]

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@dfwskier wrote:

You do not need any documents - either for TSA or Southwest.

If she's going to be a lap child though, you might want to have something that proves she is under 2 - although you probably won't need it.

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Thank you. Yes, we plan on bringing the copy of her birth certificate just in case. 

[floridaguy]

Sounds like you will qualify for family boarding - that comes after a couple of dozen preboard passengers, all of the A passengers, but before the B passengers.

[Dlthibodeaux]

We have early bird check in which would hopefully get us boarded early enough to get good seats with her. Thank you!!

[TheMiddleSeat]

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@Dlthibodeaux wrote:

We have early bird check in which would hopefully get us boarded early enough to get good seats with her. Thank you!!

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FYI, family boarding may offer a better boarding position, it's not unusual to receive a B boarding position with EarlyBird.

--TheMiddleSeat

[Dlthibodeaux]

Thank you. Is there anything special we have to do to get family boarding? We are not sure yet if we are going to purchase a seat for her . We are concerned about seat belt not fitting as a lap child. How does that work? I doubt she will stay in a seat but this will be her first time flying with us.  If we do get a seat for her she wont be in the same boarding group we are in.

thanks!

[dfwskier]

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@Dlthibodeaux wrote:

Thank you. Is there anything special we have to do to get family boarding?

Just be at the gate after A list boards and wait for the gate agent to announce family boarding. Then you get on the plane. Of course if you happen to get an A boarding position, then you board  with that position. If you get a B or C position, then you disregard it and family board as described above.

We are not sure yet if we are going to purchase a seat for her .

Lap child means

1) no ticket for the child

2) no seat for the child

3) The child sits in your lap for the duration of the flight

We are concerned about seat belt not fitting as a lap child.

If you buy a seat, you'll need the same type of arrangement that you would need to seat the child in a car. You can't just belt a 23 month old in a plane seat just as you can't in a car seat.

How does that work? I doubt she will stay in a seat but this will be her first time flying with us.  If we do get a seat for her she wont be in the same boarding group we are in.

thanks!

Sure she would board with you, if you family board

[Dlthibodeaux]

Thank you for all the information . The more I aam reading, It mentions that we will need aa “BVD” aka boarding verification document. Where is this obtained? I am going to try to call Southwest later today. We cannot afford to get there and not be able to board. We are going to see my daughter who just had surgery. Thanks so much!

[TheMiddleSeat]

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@Dlthibodeaux wrote:

It mentions that we will need aa “BVD” aka boarding verification document. Where is this obtained? 

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From the traveling with an infant FAQ:

"you’ll need a Boarding Verification Document (BVD) for the infant so they can board. BVDs can be printed at the airport on the day of travel" 

--TheMiddleSeat