13 year old flying solo yes or no?

Depending on the aircraft, the galley can be in the back. It was on my most recent trip to Orlando on American. That way the FAs are usually closer to the back row.
Well I guess I should add the rest of the story, turns out a really large guy arrived and sat in the window seat next to her and then proceeded to open a big bag of smelly McDs food and take over half of her seat.
I am just happy that is all he did... could have been a different story with some of the strange not always pleasant things nowadays.
I know flight attendants are busy and can not always protect themselves on airplanes so the risk is there.
I have only flown AA & SWA .I think SW seats in front rows or they used to.
 
In today's world? No, no and no. Wouldn't even consider it. There are just too many weird things that can happen. Maybe they wouldn't, but in my opinion, it's not worth the chance. The what ifs are too great. Miss the meet or an adult stay behind and fly with her.
 
I would also agonize about this. We sent our son solo on a flight MCO>MIA when he was about 14 and that made me a little nervous. We stayed in Orlando an extra night to be sure we were there if the plane came back, and his mom was in Miami to receive him. Worst case, I had a car and could drive to wherever he might be diverted. This was a ridiculously short flight. I would not have been comfortable with a longer flight and would have insisted that a relative or trusted friend accompany my son.

Also, I put him in First Class, knowing that the flight attendants would give him a little extra attention and he would have more personal space to protect him from bad actors.

Perhaps this is sexist but I think I would not have done with this a girl of the same age. There are just too many creeps out there. My mother once intervened on a flight to protect a girl from a potential molester. Sad but that is reality IMHO.
 
Reading OP’s post again, I will also note we were using a legacy carrier and accompanied minor service was required. That is absolutely essential in my view. While it’s not perfect as a few publicized cases have indicated, that extra surveillance of the child is very valuable.
 

Do the unaccompanied minor service with the airline and no problem. Our now 13 year olds has traveled alone as unaccompanied since he was six. A parent or designated adult walks them alll the way to the gate, they board with an attendant and stay until the plane departs, and when they land a designated adult is required to be at the gate and the flight attendant walks the child off. Checks paperwork. Easy, especially for kids that are used to traveling. Heck. My kids first flight, his flight was direct Texas to PA, because of summer storms they were diverted to Virginia. Then the pilots were over flight hours, they had to get a hotel room. My kid stayed with the attendants until his grandparents came down to get him, but had the time of his life and was well taken care of. Airline had given him his own room (at 6 years of age) but connecting to the flight attendants, not like he used it, he watched tv and ate dinner with the pilots in the hotel restaurant. Never have I ever had a direct flight cancelled, halfway through... figures right! But he had his watch phone and a bag of activities and was fine. My point is. A 13 year old will be looked over and will also be fine. Heck they get their drivers permit in two years, now that’s scary. I wouldn’t hesitate to do unaccompanied service.
 
I'm with everyone here. Is this child going to the meet herself? Is someone watching her that Saturday? If so can that person escort her to the gate via the services? If it was me I would just miss a day of my trip to travel with my child.
 
We have already scheduled our February trip and it turns out my 13 year old daughter has a gymnastics meet the day after we are flying out. We fly out on Friday meet is on Saturday. How comfortable would you be allowing a 13 yo to fly solo on a direct flight. I am thinking about letting her fly down after her meet. She has probably flown into MCO about 10 times. Of course I would be there to meet her. My mom (who is traveling with us) thinks I’m crazy. But my dd really wants to go to her meet. She would be flying SW because there is no unaccompanied minor fee for 13 yo and I can get a ticket for under $100.
We have done it. It’s pretty easy. If it is a direct flight and a responsible adult is walking her to security, I think most cases a 13 year-old can handle it. I would give some coaching on how to choose her seat on sw,
 
Do the unaccompanied minor service with the airline and no problem. Our now 13 year olds has traveled alone as unaccompanied since he was six. A parent or designated adult walks them alll the way to the gate, they board with an attendant and stay until the plane departs, and when they land a designated adult is required to be at the gate and the flight attendant walks the child off. Checks paperwork. Easy, especially for kids that are used to traveling. Heck. My kids first flight, his flight was direct Texas to PA, because of summer storms they were diverted to Virginia. Then the pilots were over flight hours, they had to get a hotel room. My kid stayed with the attendants until his grandparents came down to get him, but had the time of his life and was well taken care of. Airline had given him his own room (at 6 years of age) but connecting to the flight attendants, not like he used it, he watched tv and ate dinner with the pilots in the hotel restaurant. Never have I ever had a direct flight cancelled, halfway through... figures right! But he had his watch phone and a bag of activities and was fine. My point is. A 13 year old will be looked over and will also be fine. Heck they get their drivers permit in two years, now that’s scary. I wouldn’t hesitate to do unaccompanied service.
Reading this gave me heart palpitations! I cannot imagine my 6 year old in a hotel alone, with adults I don’t know. I get it was a freak thing, but I would have been so upset.
 
Do the unaccompanied minor service with the airline and no problem. Our now 13 year olds has traveled alone as unaccompanied since he was six. A parent or designated adult walks them alll the way to the gate, they board with an attendant and stay until the plane departs, and when they land a designated adult is required to be at the gate and the flight attendant walks the child off. Checks paperwork. Easy, especially for kids that are used to traveling. Heck. My kids first flight, his flight was direct Texas to PA, because of summer storms they were diverted to Virginia. Then the pilots were over flight hours, they had to get a hotel room. My kid stayed with the attendants until his grandparents came down to get him, but had the time of his life and was well taken care of. Airline had given him his own room (at 6 years of age) but connecting to the flight attendants, not like he used it, he watched tv and ate dinner with the pilots in the hotel restaurant. Never have I ever had a direct flight cancelled, halfway through... figures right! But he had his watch phone and a bag of activities and was fine. My point is. A 13 year old will be looked over and will also be fine. Heck they get their drivers permit in two years, now that’s scary. I wouldn’t hesitate to do unaccompanied service.


Reminds me of a flight I was on from UK to Canada when I was 13-years-old. At the time, you didn't have to be an unaccompanied minor once you were twelve, so I wasn't (I had flown quite a lot as an UM and was totally confident in flying solo). We had to divert in Newfoundland due to a medical emergency and, like with your son, the flight crew timed out so we had to stay overnight. We got to the hotel and I went to check in and the hotel check-in person said that I wasn't allowed to check-in because I was under 18-years-old and you had to be eighteen to check-in alone. As an adult, I can see how stupid this woman was (I was clearly coming in with the group from the plane - I was even handing over a voucher), but I was preparing to spend the night on the couch in the lobby. Luckily, some of the crew noticed. After letting the check-in lady know exactly what they thought of her actions, they did a similar thing to what happened with your son. They made sure that I was in a room that connected with a (female)* FA who showed me that I should keep my side of the door locked but she's keep hers unlocked (so I could access her room in an emergency, but I could feel that I didn't risk her coming into my room). Then I ordered room service :)

ETA - I should add that, despite my name, I'm female (Sir Duff was a nickname for my cat named Dufferin).
 
I often flew by myself to MCO when I was less than 13 years old. My family would take me to the counter and then a flight attendant would watch and escort me on and off the plane. But times have changed since I did that.
 
My oldest flew alone every year starting at 11, by 13 we stopped paint the fees. She was able to have a family member ho through security with her and wait at the gate. One time her flight was canceled, but she was 16 by then and just lined up to get on the next flight.
 
In today's world? No, no and no. Wouldn't even consider it. There are just too many weird things that can happen. Maybe they wouldn't, but in my opinion, it's not worth the chance. The what ifs are too great. Miss the meet or an adult stay behind and fly with her.
The world is much safer now than decades ago, we just know more do to constant media. I would see this as a situation for personal growth.
 
I flew as an unaccompanied minor a few times starting around 10. I’m 38 now. I never felt unsafe. Your parents walks you to the gate, someone takes you on the plane and sets you up and then someone gets you off the plane. Parent was at the gate with ID to meet me.
 
Does your 13 year old get stressed traveling? Not all do.
No not at all. We travel (pre-covid) - 6-7 times a year mostly to Orlando, but other US locations as well. She is a bit naïve to the world around her, so we would have to have some discussions regarding personal safety. She is on her phone constantly and we have Life 360 so she knows where I am at all times and I know where she is.
 
As others have said, it is what you are comfortable with.

Airlines have procedures and policies for unaccompanied kids and they see it every day.

Various people will have various opinions about this, but you shouldn't let their input second-guess yourself. Everyone has different comfort levels.

In the end it is your decision and yours alone.
 
No not at all. We travel (pre-covid) - 6-7 times a year mostly to Orlando, but other US locations as well. She is a bit naïve to the world around her, so we would have to have some discussions regarding personal safety. She is on her phone constantly and we have Life 360 so she knows where I am at all times and I know where she is.
as I have said my 2 biggest problems with the flying alone are not the flight if all goes well but what if it does not. it happens more than you think a problem with airplane or weather. will person who puts her on plane stay until plane had taken off not just left the gate? with flight after her meet, could be last flight of day. what if flight is canceled while at airport. this happened to my girls with their bowl game trip. granted harder to rebook with a larger group. their flight was in Orlando and was snowed out as plane ended up snowed in in Detroit. also who would be able to get her medically treated if something happens at meet?
 
as I have said my 2 biggest problems with the flying alone are not the flight if all goes well but what if it does not. it happens more than you think a problem with airplane or weather. will person who puts her on plane stay until plane had taken off not just left the gate? with flight after her meet, could be last flight of day. what if flight is canceled while at airport. this happened to my girls with their bowl game trip. granted harder to rebook with a larger group. their flight was in Orlando and was snowed out as plane ended up snowed in in Detroit. also who would be able to get her medically treated if something happens at meet?
I would never let a minor take the last flight of the day. When my daughter’s flight was canceled, BIL was already gone, but he was only 25 minutes away and could’ve gone back for her. DH and I have been out of state from our kids, and in different countries, when they were minors (sometimes my daughters would travel to overseas dance competitions with their teacher). I did fill out forms giving someone permission to make medical decisions.
 
I believe it depends on your child. We have four and I would say absolutely NO with two of them. The other two probably yes!!!
 
We have already scheduled our February trip and it turns out my 13 year old daughter has a gymnastics meet the day after we are flying out. We fly out on Friday meet is on Saturday. How comfortable would you be allowing a 13 yo to fly solo on a direct flight. I am thinking about letting her fly down after her meet. She has probably flown into MCO about 10 times. Of course I would be there to meet her. My mom (who is traveling with us) thinks I’m crazy. But my dd really wants to go to her meet. She would be flying SW because there is no unaccompanied minor fee for 13 yo and I can get a ticket for under $100.

I've been flying solo since 13 (my first solo flight was San Francisco to Atlanta) Personally you know your daughter best and know how she feels. I traveled a lot with my prior so I felt comfortable flying and being in an airport. The flight attendents check on you a lot.
 












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