Travel woes

Anyone who has ever traveled with a small child knows that it's no small task.  There is the extra luggage, carseat, pack-and-play, toys, bottle, food, diapers, etc... The list literally goes on and on!  As it's already such a huge hassle, I'm of the opinion that the airline staff and the TSA should do everything within their power to make life as easy as possible for parents.  Even a simple smile goes a long way with this travel savvy mom.  Unfortunately our last trip was less than ideal.

We flew Southwest.  We love Southwest!  We are loyal Southwest passengers, rarely flying any other airline unless we can't fly Southwest.  So, when we arrived at the Austin airport on April 21, we got in line to check-in. While we were standing in line, a woman behind the counter asked us if Juliet was a "lap-child."  When we responded that she was, the woman informed us (quite rudely) that "there is a sign" and we were in the wrong line.

"Why did she have to point out that we were idiots and can't read?  A simple direction would have sufficed," I whispered quietly to my husband.

So we schlepped our gear/baby to the *correct* line and waited.  When we finally got to speak with the counter agent, she asked for Juliet's birth certificate.

"Um, we didn't bring it.  I'm sorry, I didn't know it was needed." I said.

She informed us that it's an FAA regulation that parents need to present either a birth certificate or immunization record to prove that a lap-child is indeed under two years of age.  In my mind I was thinking that if this woman thought my baby girl (who's not even one yet) looked to be over two years old than she was an idiot.  Of course, I refrained from telling her that.  She too was quite rude.  She told us we'd have to have evidence faxed to us at our destination for our return flight.  REALLY???  Since Juliet's birth, we've flown with her four times, and this was the first time we'd been asked for this info.  I didn't even know I needed it honestly.  Besides that, what she wanted was impossible because both pieces of evidence were locked safely and securely in our fire-proof safe, which we had the key to.  By this point, I was more than a little miffed, and it must have shown, because when she entered Juliet's birth info, she also commented that I was annoyed with her for asking for this info.  The gate agent in Sacramento told us she had done that.  That made me angry too!

Let me take a moment to say that I don't have a problem with needing to produce a piece of info when my daughter flies.  But, in my defense, on Southwest's website (where I purchased the tickets) there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY to indicate one has a lap child!  That means that a parent would have no idea of this requirement unless they went looking for the information.  If the airlines expect parents, particularly first timers who are new at this, to know the requirement, they need to inform parents at the time of purchase that they will be expected to produce said documents.  Seriously, would that be hard??

After we finally got through that madness, we went through security.  It's really amazing that we made it on the plane because the TSA really almost pushed me over the edge.  First, they wanted me to put Juliet's shoes on the x-ray machine.  REALLY??  So stupid I won't even comment.  Second, we got flagged for extra screening (Juliet and I).  They wouldn't let me give her to my husband because I'd walked through the metal detector with her.  Fortunately, they didn't want to pat either of us down because if they'd tried to touch my baby we would have had words.  The TSA agent who called us over for the screening was short with me as I didn't respond quickly enough for her.  She wanted to test Juliet's milk, which was fine, and also my purse for explosives.  Yes, because I look like a hardened criminal, or maybe Juliet does.  Anyway, when she was finally finished, I sat Juliet on the table to put her shoes back on.  The TSA agent told me I wasn't allowed to sit her there because children have fallen off before, and I needed to have my daughter's safety first in my mind.  That is the point in which I lost it.  I'm sorry but how dare she tell me I'm not worried about Juliet's safety.  I was standing in such a way that it would have been IMPOSSIBLE for her to fall off, plus I had tons of stuff in my hands as I was trying to collect all my gear that she had pulled out and not put back.  "I think I've got her safety covered," I mumbled.

I guess I just don't understand why people have to be so rude!  On the return flight, the TSA wanted to screen Juliet's milk again, but the lady doing it was so friendly, smiling and making faces at my daughter.  I didn't mind following her directions at all....because she was polite!  I've worked in customer service before.  Yeah, sometimes it really stinks, but in my opinion, there's no reason to be so rude to a couple of parents who are attempting one of the most stressful tasks I've encountered as a parent.  Compared to our experience with Southwest and the TSA, the actual flight was a piece of cake!