TSA Policies While Flying With Children (YMMV)
I Â am getting the impression that either 1) TSA has not decided on a comprehensive plan on how/what kids need to do while going through security or 2) They leave it up to the individual airports to decide. On four flights over the past four months out of three different airports, we have experienced different requirements and policies when it comes to dealing with traveling with children.
First, the things that are the same. One, kids under the age of 12 do not have to take their shoes off to go through security. Two, all of us go through the old-fashion metal detectors, not the new monstrosities that have become standard now where you have to stand in a certain spot, put your hands over your head, etc. etc..
On the non-Spirit Airlines flights we took, the kids were automatically given TSA pre-check status without me filling out an application or doing what adults have to do to get pre-check status. When we arrived at DFW we were told we all had to go through the normal security line even though the kids had pre-check status which seemed pointless to me. If the parents don’t have it and can’t escort the kids through pre-check, why give kids pre-check status in the first place? The kids had pre-check status again when we flew out of Honolulu, but there they told us there we could go with the kids through the pre-check line.
On this latest Spirit flight with the kids they did not show up with automatic pre-check status on their boarding passes so we went through the normal security line at DFW. However in Detroit, they had a special line for people traveling with children (anyone under age 12) and seniors who were 75 and over. It had the exact same rules as pre-check, no one had to take off their shoes (in a regular security line we do, but the kids don’t), we could leave our laptops and liquids in our bags and we could keep our light jackets/sweaters on. The only thing that had to be removed from bags for screening was if you were carrying a breathing machine. While this concept is nice and all, they’re like anything and sometimes these lines hurt us more than they help us. It seems like we always take longer when we go through the special “family lines”. Our kids have flown so much we have going through the security line down by now and can get our stuff ready pretty quickly whether it’s just me or both me and my husband there. I admit I can get pretty frustrated when we’re now stuck waiting behind other families who don’t know what they need to do or not do for security.
Different airports may have different policies/procedures for going through security with your children but these things should be standard at all U.S. airports:
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I have a home town and thus a home airport. I’m very familiar with how TSA’s screening procedures are. I tend to consider that sufficient.
All the other airports are “aways,” and if they have different procedures, it’s their home rule and not mine to resent.
Also, it seems like you have never dealt much with the big blue menaces, aka the back scatter body scanners, if you call the millimeter wave scanners a “monstrosity.” If there’s a choice between metal detector and millimeter wave scanner, I’d rather do millimeter wave, although most airports I’ve seen make you go through both, so it’s a moot point.
You give the TSA too much credit, they can’t get their act together when it comes to adults and security. How will they on kids. Example every week I travel with a C-Pap and have pre-check every other trip I must take it out of my carry on. Tsa says you don’t need too, but yet my bag gets extra screening and they take it out to scan.
I used to work for the federal government so I know that part of the problem may be a constant change in policies that may be difficult for TSA agents to keep up with. I know that’s not unheard of so I’m trying to give the agents the benefit of the doubt. =)
The pre check drives me nuts, my kids get it every time but only some airports let us use it – laguardia abd Atlanta don’t, but Cincinnati, Houston Hobby and San Diego do, or for us did. Frustrating!
That’s what makes me think it’s the local airport’s discretion whether they let families use pre-check or not. It at least sounds like TSA has told the airports they can do that if they want to; but it’s their choice. If we’re not pressed on time the next time we fly out of DFW I should ask someone and see what kind of answer I get.
I have only flown once with all 4 of my girls…the youngest who was 4 at the time, but we all went thru the big scanners with no problems…even with shoes on…and light jackets can sometimes be left on if you zip it up like it is a shirt. 🙂 DFW is my home airport too and I just found your site…I like it.
S
The main point having extra check is still much better than having a sick psychopath bring something that endanger the safety of me and my family, thanks tall the people how make us fly safer, including TSA.