BootsnAll Travel Community

So, I have these two married friends who are pregnant...due any day, actually. Very happy for them and all that.

Thing is, they are both so stubborn as to make little ol' Stoo seem down right compliant. And she (just the female half of the marriage) plans on traveling to the UK, with her newborn son this upcoming summer. She is a British national and never bothered to change her last name to her husband's.

Now two things bother me about that...as I had the idea that a) cross-boarder air travel with young infants is a problem, at least unannounced to the specific carrier, and b) traveling with a child that has a different last name (because of international child abduction protections or whatever) is problematic without certain documentation, and even then poses issues.

But what do I know? I'm single and childless. Am I just paranoid? Or should I raise the alarm with my friends? I had mentioned it to the misters, but he is not willing to even raise it with his wife for fear of a pointless argument. (He is not going on this trip.)

Edumacate me, pweeze. I'd like to, ever so politely, mention any requirements to the soon-to-be-mother if need be.

Hello there.
I'm also childless and so I can't help you much. However, I wanted to let you know that here in Quebec, it's against the law to take your husband's name (and it has been for some years now). And so many kids don't have their mother's name. A divorced mother and her boyfriend could travel with a child that has his father's name, her ex...
and I never heard of people having problems when traveling. With the right documents, she should be o.k.

As for the last name thing, no idea. It is becoming more common not to take the last name, so I am sure that it is not a "big" problem, but probably something that is worth your friend looking into before they travel.

In regards to the infant six months or younger traveling, no problem. My first daughter had flown multiple times before she was six months and once from Sweden to the states. My second daughter has taken two trips to the states before she was six months. Our friend is a pilot (not sure how true this, so take it with a grain of salt) and she says that it is actually better that the child flies before she is 1 year. After one year it becomes harder. She went on to explain why, but I can't remember why (yea, I know, big help then).

I'm travelling with my son who has his father's last name (changing your name when you get married is SUCH A HASSLE, and I already did it once before, then changed it back to my maiden name after the divorce, and I really did not want to go through all that again). So, I looked up the passport requirements for kids, and here's what I found:

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/minors/minors_834.html

I don't think this is relevant to you, though, if they're in Zurich where you are (last time I checked, Zurich wasn't in the States...)
I think as long as their paperwork is all in order, it shouldn't be a problem.

Wow, how awesome is Quebec?

Well, we do not have a baby, but we each have a different last name on our passports and have never had a problem. I still have my maiden name, my husband has his name and our child's legal last name is the two combined with a hyphen.

My husband and I have different last names. We took our son to Costa Rica, had my husband NOT been present, we would not have been allowed outside the US. This is what the check in lady told me at the desk.
I think you need a " notary" saying that your husband knows about the travel arrangements and that he is ok with it.
I think thats all.. If he is WITH you, then I dont think its a problem at all..

I'm not sure, but I think you can sometimes have problems in Europe because of the child abduction thing. I've heard of people needing a signed letter from the father saying that he is OK with the mother taking the child out of the country. I don't have my husbands last name and have never had any problems, but I've never travelled abroad with my kids alone.