Can An Airport Divorce At Sky Harbor Save Your Marriage?

Finances are known for testing relationships, but so are more contained experiences like remodeling a home or going on a trip. Sometimes, what should be a small disagreement on a vacation can trigger a larger argument that might even lead to a breakup. Airport divorce is an informal term for a travel strategy meant to help couples avoid real divorce. If you have travel plans this summer, you may want to try out an airport divorce in Sky Harbor or your destination’s airport. It could save you and your spouse arguments that could throw your trip off to a bad start, or that make you dread returning home even more than usual. Read on to learn more about the concept of airport divorce, and if you are seeking more information straight from an Arizona divorce law professional, call 480-680-9126. 

How an Airport Divorce Works

As previously mentioned, an airport divorce is just a term, and spouses who use it remain legally married. Everyone has their own preferences while traveling, and it’s common for spouses to have entirely different airport routines. Some people would rather find their gate and wait there until boarding, while others would rather peruse the shops or find a bite to eat. Accompanying a spouse on their chosen activities can lead to stress and resentment, which obviously creates room for fighting. A spouse who wants to explore could feel rushed and monitored by a spouse who would rather sit and relax at the gate. Spouses with different needs and goals while traveling can agree to an airport divorce to curb these issues.  

There are a few strategies to make sure an airport divorce is successful, rather than causing further arguments. Clearly, the spouses need to agree to the airport divorce instead of one spouse unilaterally deciding to do it. The spouses should keep their phones charged and on them during the airport divorce, just in case there is an emergency. They should agree to a meeting time and place- usually their boarding gate right before boarding begins. 

Airport divorce might not be an option for married couples traveling with small children. It might be feasible with just one child, especially if the parents switch off who is responsible for the child in the airport and on the plane. But dealing with airport tantrums from more than child at once isn’t a task that anyone should have to deal with on their own. It will be up to you and your spouse to decide at which age is it okay to separate when the kids are in tow. 

Divorce vs. Legal Separation vs. Annulment

Frequently needing airport divorces and other forms of conflict management may be an indicator that it is time to legally end the marriage. Depending on your specific needs, there may be a few options available to you. The three main ways to end a marriage in Arizona are divorce, legal separation, and annulment. 

Divorce, or dissolution of marriage, is one of the most common family law filings in Arizona. It legally terminates the marital union between husband and wife permanently. About half of married couples in the United States end up participating in this legal process. To finalize a divorce, the spouses must complete property division and answer the question of whether spousal support should be paid. If they have children together, they also need to address child support and child custody. Divorce orders are enforceable by law enforcement, and it is highly difficult to overturn them or modify them once in place. Some divorces are drawn-out legal battles, but others end once the mandatory 60-day waiting period in Arizona has been satisfied. 

Legal separation is far less common in Arizona than divorce, although it has its benefits. When spouses legally separate instead of divorce, they can continue filing taxes together and remain on each other’s insurance policies. Some legally separate because their culture or religion frowns upon divorce. If they reconcile, they can end the legal separation without the need to remarry. But spouses going through a legal separation will need to deal with all of the same issues, e.g., spousal support, property division, as if they had filed for divorce. 

Annulment is available in more limited scenarios than divorce and legal separation. Instead of ending a marriage, it makes it so that legally, the marriage never occurred. It applies in situations like fraud, bigamy, and incapacitation. The parties may still need to address property division and child support and custody issues, depending on their marital situation. 

When the Threshold Has Been Crossed

Plenty of couples in healthy relationships use airport divorce while traveling, but some of them use it because their marriage is already in jeopardy. Getting home from a trip where airport divorce was the only thing keeping you and your spouse from explosive fights may make you realize it’s time to formalize the end of your marriage with one of the legal processes described above. Some of the signs that experts agree could suggest that it may be time to break up include:

• Contempt: Contempt is considered the number one sign that a married couple should divorce. Your spouse may have contempt for you if they act with derision and disgust when you ask for help or experience an embarrassing moment. They will act like doing anything nice for you is a chore, and being with you is a burden. It can take a great deal of work and counseling to bring a marriage back from contempt, and that doesn’t always end in success. 
• Different goals: Some marry young despite fundamental differences, and other people change over time so that they are no longer compatible with each other. For example, if one spouse wants to travel the world, it wouldn’t leave much room for another spouse’s goal to start a homestead. There is no compromising on some issues, which can necessitate divorce. 
• Domestic abuse and violence: Domestic violence is a horrible reality for too many spouses in Arizona, and a solid indicator that it’s time to leave one’s marriage and never look back. 
• Severe communication issues: Communication issues can often be addressed through couples counseling, but both spouses need to be willing to participate for it to work. Unfortunately, when a couple struggles with their communication, it can carry over into their divorce or legal separation. 
• Loss of respect: Loss of respect is another problem that can be dealt with through counseling, but in some instances, it is impossible to get that respect back. Here, the counseling may give one or both spouses peace of mind that it is time to end the marriage. But loss of respect can grow until it starts to look like other issues on this list, like communication issues and contempt. 

Considering Actual Divorce or Legal Separation in Arizona? Start Here with Your Free Phone Consultation. 

You may want to try out an airport divorce at Sky Harbor if you and your spouse are prone to getting into arguments while traveling. But you may also be envisioning a life in which you never argue with your spouse again, because you are no longer married. Want to explore your legal options so you can have more confidence and security in your decision? Our team offers skilled legal professionals in Arizona with competitive pricing and free consultations by phone to get started. Contact AZ Family Law Lawyers today for your free consultation at 480-680-9126 for more.