Travelling abroad with different surnames

[Rattlerattleshakeshake]

Hi ladies
I recently split with my LO’s dad.
we had a holiday booked with my parents, he doesn’t want to come but I’m still going.

LO sadly has his surname. So far I have packed passports (obviously) birth certificate, and will ask LO’s fathers to sign a consent form stating all the details.

is there anything else I need to do? And has anyone encountered a lot of problems? I am really nervous as I’m travel with my parents who of course have my surname and then LO’s surname is different. So I’m panicking a bit.

My sister and her son have different surnames… she’s travelled with him every year and never had to show anything.

Has her son’s father been present though?

Don't panic. Same here different surname. Over last 10 years asked maybe 4 times (fly frequently alone with them ) Last couple of times it happened children enjoyed looking at me in a puzzled way when asked who I was and did they know me.
Take a birth certificate as you already are. Enjoy your holiday

No, always on her own. She has never been stopped or asked any questions. Never taken his birth certificate.

We took my niece abroad several years ago. She has a different surname and looks nothing like my two DDs, who look very alike. We were asked what her connection to us was and whether we had proof of permission to take her out of the country. This was at Dover ferry terminal.
They asked on the way home too.

Different surnames here and flew last year. No one cared. And I've heard before that other people haven't been checked etc either.

I took birth certificates anyway and a letter of confirmation from dad that he was OK with them going out of the country

I have a different surname to my DC because I didn't change mine, and have never been stopped.
I would advise checking the country you're travelling to though, South Africa for example requires a bit to certificate and letter if you're travelling alone with your child and they have a different surname.