Flying with Your Kids
Yesterday, I flew to and from Las Vegas for some meetings.
As I was going through security, I thought about some tips for flying with your kids if you’re a divorced parent.
Tip #1: Coordinate the flight with your ex.
Whether you’re going out of town on vacation, or flying the kids back and forth between you and your ex because you live in different states, it’s always a good idea to let your ex know flight logistics and coordinate with him/her.
This doesn’t mean your ex gets a veto over your travel and vacations, but coordinating does help things go smoother and ensures you won’t spend your time fighting over petty scheduling issues.
Tip #2: If you’re flying international, get a letter from your ex saying you can travel internationally with the kids.
Usually, traveling international with kids when you’re divorced isn’t a problem. Sometimes, though, you get an overly cautious airline employee who won’t let you fly alone with your kids unless you have a letter from the ex. Stupid, I know, but it’s reality.
Best thing to do is get a blanket letter letting you fly with the kids. That way you can use it whenever you need to.
(Note: this sort of inconvenience isn’t limited to divorced parents. My wife and I are adoptive parents, and, for years, we’ve had to bring our son’s birth certificate, along with his adoption papers, with us when we go on vacation.)
Tip #3: Get the most direct flight you can.
This has nothing to do with divorce, but it’s good advice. We fly a lot as a family. We learned long ago that longer flights with more stops are never worth the cost savings.
Buy the shortest flight you can with the least number of stops, even if it costs more. You’ll never regret it.
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