Will an airport let me into customs to assist my wife?

[Palmetto032 0]

Wife just had Cr-1 approved and will be traveling soon with our 4 month old daughter. I am worried about her having to enter immigration/customs by herself with our baby daughter and 2 big suitcases.

Does anyone know if an airport, particularly Ft Lauderdale airport, would give me special permission to enter this secure area to help my wife with the baby/bags?

To clarify I will not be traveling with her. I will just be meeting her at the airport. At Ft Lauderdale airport, you must pass through immigration, go to baggage claim and (most of the time) wait in a very long line with your suitcases in a secured area before you re-check them.

Edited April 16, 2015 by Palmetto032

[loscharros 20]

Hi there! i think for specifics you would have to contact the airport itself.

but from my experience they will not let you into customs to assist even if it is your spouse and child.

What she can request is help to the airline so they may assist her all the way

through, off the plane, through customs, and all the way through baggage claim until she reaches you outside the airport.

From my experience that help from airports is always available upon request.

best wishes and blessings :goofy: :goofy: :goofy: :goofy:

[Hypnos 6,576]

No.

[Palmetto032 0]

Thank you charro for your advice. Hypnos do you have experience in this area or are you just assuming? I ask because Ive had people respond negatively before on this board only to find out their advice us wrong.

[lost_at_sea 995]

How is she going to deal with the suitcases and child before the flight?

I'm sure once upon a time, before the pre-security nightmare that is US airports, something like this would have an iota of a chance of happening, but not these days.

There will be baggage trolleys at baggage claim.

http://www.broward.org/Airport/Services/Pages/Assistance.aspx

Edited April 17, 2015 by lost_at_sea

[Palmetto032 0]

Family members will help her check baggage at her home airport.

**And thank you for the link.

Edited April 17, 2015 by Palmetto032

[Boiler 45,671]

They did use to let you meet domestic flights at the gate before 911 etc.

Never heard of that happening for International flights,imagine the chaos.

Assuming it is similar to every other US airport I have arrived at, she gets off the plane and first stop is Immigration so no bags etc. Then head for the baggage reclaim pick up a trolley and wait for the bags to arrive. There will be people there to help. Then push trolley through Customs and out into the arrival hall. So unless hse has some medical issues not a lot to do.

My mum needed a wheelchair and that gave her a pass to the front of the queue with her own driver.

[lost_at_sea 995]

I remember the good ole' days when people could come wave you off at the gate. That was nice.

Ignore me. I just realised she's obviously making a connection. Even still, trolleys!

Edited April 17, 2015 by lost_at_sea

[NikLR 13,227]

It's not likely but you can ask the airline if they will give you a security pass and allow you to meet your wife at the gate. You'd have to go through security and customs, meet them at the gate, then go back through. Customs is a sticky thing and I kinda doubt it.

When my daughter flies from Canada I can get a security pass to meet her at the gate and also to drop her off but I also pay for her to be an unaccompanied minor. Her father has to drop her off at the check in and isn't allowed through US customs or security to take her to the gate. He also isn't allowed back through to get her on the way back and the airline takes her through Canadian customs at the other side.

[NikLR 13,227]

---

~~organizer hat on~~

~~moved to general immigration as topic is about helping a family member through POE at a particular airport~~

[Morganalmonshid94 84]

I've had experience no they don't let you in for security reasons I flew pregnant and simply asked people to help me people will help her if she asks she'll be ok .

[TheCaptain 67]

They will not let you into a secure area of the airport, especially into an international arrivals area. you are not a foreign traveller entering the country, a citizen returning to the country nor are you an airline employee who has security clearance to be in the area. This is the only 3 ways you can get in there.

[madtownguy 164]

Nope, flights inside the US a child can fly alone. And then you can get a special pass to pick them up. International flights won't let children fly alone so no way to get the pass.

[Torete 121]

Nope, flights inside the US a child can fly alone. And then you can get a special pass to pick them up. International flights won't let children fly alone so no way to get the pass.

OP, doubtful. Others have offered good suggestions.

MTG, not completely accurate.

As an example, Philippine Airlines does.

Website says:

"Unaccompanied Minor

Children aged eight to below twelve years of age may be allowed to travel alone.

Requirements for International Flights:

DSWD Travel Clearance. Application forms can be obtained from any DSWD field office or can be downloaded from the DSWD website (http://www.dswd.gov.ph)

A service fee shall be assessed on each unaccompanied minor 8-11 years of age for travel on PAL international and domestic routes.

[madtownguy 164]

OP, doubtful. Others have offered good suggestions.

MTG, not completely accurate.

As an example, Philippine Airlines does.

Website says:

"Unaccompanied Minor

Children aged eight to below twelve years of age may be allowed to travel alone.

Requirements for International Flights:

DSWD Travel Clearance. Application forms can be obtained from any DSWD field office or can be downloaded from the DSWD website (http://www.dswd.gov.ph)

A service fee shall be assessed on each unaccompanied minor 8-11 years of age for travel on PAL international and domestic routes.

If this is correct it may be possible to meet them at the gate. I have a feeling this would exclude U.S. as a final destination though. I would imagine someone tried to fly their child alone from the philippines, parenting today is shady. If U.S. doesn't allow kids to fly alone international I'm not sure why they would let them come in unsupervised.