"And they call Disney expensive"

[Simba's Mom]

That was DH's response to the fact that United is charging $150 each way for unaccompanied minors traveling on its flights. Its reasoning is that it's so important to give a "fun" experience (as well as safe and comfortable) to children traveling alone. An extra $300? That's a lot of "fun". I think I'd rather go to WDW!

 

[Woodview]

Travelling from where to where ?

 

[Simba's Mom]

Any flight additional charge

 

[JimMIA]

That's one of those totally opportunistic "because they can" charges. If you want to send your unaccompanied child to see Grandma and Grandpa, you have to pay whatever they ask.

And they wonder why people make a fuss when they kick paying passengers off flights because a crew member is having a bad day!

 

[sam_gordon]

A quick google search shows Delta and American also have gone to $150 also.

 

[sam_gordon]

It's almost cheaper to pay for an adult to fly with the kids.

 

[NotUrsula]

And it's total BS. The only thing that that fee really gets you is a bulkhead seat and a few minutes of the GA's and FA's time. The kids are really pretty much on their own during the flight; the only real service is escorting them on and off the aircraft and waiting with them at the gate until their parent/guardian shows up (And in addition, when you take a child to the airport as a UM, you are required to remain at the gate until the flight is airborne; they are not watching your child in the gate area unless there is a connection.)

SWA is your best bet with UM's; they charge a lot less, and IME, the FA's actually take time to check up on the kids during the flight.

 

[toddinboston]

four years ago I paid $100 extra each way to fly my 12 yr old son from Boston to Pittsburg on JetBlue...65 minute flight...$600 rt total...

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

That was DH's response to the fact that United is charging $150 each way for unaccompanied minors traveling on its flights. Its reasoning is that it's so important to give a "fun" experience (as well as safe and comfortable) to children traveling alone. An extra $300? That's a lot of "fun". I think I'd rather go to WDW!

This isn't anything new. What is your point, except to complain?

 

[NYCgrrl]

Been paying $100 or more for unaccompanied children to air travel for at least the last 15 years.
As others have pointed out, unfortunately, nothing new.

I think AMTRAK charges nothing but does require a pre-trip interview to assure the minor meets their behavior standards.
The last child who was a member of my trip who did this was....11 y/o and her train trip needed no train changing. She passed the interview with flying colours but her mother felt too anxious to attempt it. 'Course the mother balked at paying the extra fee the airline charged for complete peace of mind so the child took an under insured "Chinatown" bus alone instead.

There are many times I wonder about my youngest sister's sense of logic, LOL.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

I did as a minior and nearly killed my mom when I got to the destination

I had a connecting flight and almost missed it because I was waiting for my escort so for future flights she had me fly as an adult in a kids suit so I could take care of my needs with out waiting for a escort

 

[bumbershoot]

she had me fly as an adult in a kids suit

What does that mean?

As far as I know, modern unaccompanied minors can't take connecting flights.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

Well, yeah, in an actual emergency you can leave but if you're just bored you stick it out, take a nap, whatever. My son is incredibly bored during It's a Small World but he sits through it to humor me. With announcements at the beginning saying you can't leave it's rude and selfish to get up and leave.

For me, technology is a great help. It lets me do all kind of things I couldn't before (like art, I'm making and selling digital pieces that I could never have done with traditional media). But... It's different for everybody. And technolongy definitely gets more confusing as you get older. My dad is nearly 90, and he did okay when he was still working and they introduced computers, but he's completely mystified by the internet, no matter how I explain it.

What does that mean?

As far as I know, modern unaccompanied minors can't take connecting flights.

My mom chose not to pay for the service from 16 forward she just paid for my ticket without the service

 

[jsilvers]

As far as I know, modern unaccompanied minors can't take connecting flights.

Umm... what you "know" is wrong. Some carriers - such as United, JetBlue, and Southwest - don't allow connections, but others do.

• Alaska - Various restrictions, but unaccompanied minors age 8 and older can take connecting flights. See https://www.alaskaair.com/content/travel-info/policies/children-traveling-alone.aspx.

• American - Various restrictions, but unaccompanied minors age 8 and older can take connecting flights. See https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/special-assistance/unaccompanied-minors.jsp.

• Delta - Various restrictions, but unaccompanied minors age 8 and older can take connecting flights. See https://pro.delta.com/content/agenc...vices/unaccompanied-minor--umnr--service.html.

 

[Shanti]

That was DH's response to the fact that United is charging $150 each way for unaccompanied minors traveling on its flights. Its reasoning is that it's so important to give a "fun" experience (as well as safe and comfortable) to children traveling alone. An extra $300? That's a lot of "fun". I think I'd rather go to WDW!

It's likely that at least part of this cost increase is opportunistic, but I wonder if part of it is also due to some parents sending kids who aren't really able to fly independently. Those kids' needs could eat up a lot of flight steward time. I'm a teacher & will always remember one parent who mentioned that she sent her 9 year-old on a solo flight and that he didn't do well on the flight. I wasn't surprised, because he had serious intellectual and behavioral disabilities. Very sad that he was inappropriately stuck on a plane by himself. So maybe the airlines are trying to discourage that. There are a lot more special needs kids these days than there used to be, and they aren't always easy to handle, especially when in a strange situation like a flight, and surrounded only by strangers.

 

[NotUrsula]

My mom chose not to pay for the service from 16 forward she just paid for my ticket without the service

AFAIK, no airline has ever offered mandatory UM service for kids that age. The normal cutoff for UM service used to be 13, but recently several airlines changed it to 15. There are apparently a handful that offer it as optional up to age 17 nowadays, but in no case do you have to trick the airline to avoid it at age 16. (The US State Dept. issues adult passports at age 16, so you can even fly abroad without being a UM.)

Most of the airlines that allow UM's to take connecting flights have age limits that ban younger UM's from such itineraries. The reason that the bans are in place has to do with hotel rules: if a connecting flight is cancelled and the child is stranded overnight, no hotel will accept a minor traveling alone.

 

[writerguyfl]

It's likely that at least part of this cost increase is opportunistic, but I wonder if part of it is also due to some parents sending kids who aren't really able to fly independently. Those kids' needs could eat up a lot of flight steward time.

I concur. Certainly, for-profit airlines want to make a profit. And I also agree that unaccompanied minors sometimes require extra attention once onboard the plane. But for the most part, once the minor is in her or his seat, there's usually not much that needs to be done.

What some people fail to consider is all the extra attention that is required at the originating airport, destination airport, and connection airport (if applicable). The airline has to pay an employee to escort the minor from the ticket counter to the gate. A gate agent must be present to supervisor the minor before boarding. If connecting, there has to be an employee present to escort the minor to the next gate. Upon arrival, another employee must be ready to deliver the minor to the person waiting outside security. All of that involves a lot of labor. In a big airport, it could easily take 15+ minutes to accomplish each segment.

 

[NYCgrrl]

^^^
and don't forget the increased liability cost.
I'm wondering what babysitting costs are through out the country now.

 

[Simba's Mom]

. The airline has to pay an employee to escort the minor from the ticket counter to the gate. A gate agent must be present to supervisor the minor before boarding. If connecting, there has to be an employee present to escort the minor to the next gate. Upon arrival, another employee must be ready to deliver the minor to the person waiting outside security. All of that involves a lot of labor. In a big airport, it could easily take 15+ minutes to accomplish each segment.

They do all that now? When DS flew unaccompanied (8-12 yo), they always gave me a special pass to go to the gate and supervise him myself.

 

[NYCgrrl]

They do all that now? When DS flew unaccompanied (8-12 yo), they always gave me a special pass to go to the gate and supervise him myself.

The first time, youngest son, flew unaccompanied, internationally I was given a special pass but was not allowed to enter the plane with him. That was back in the late '80's and they also didn't charge for the service. By the '90's, the airlines were charging but I don't recall if the special pass part was enforced. Certainly, they feed him, played at least one card game with him (he learned belote and kicked my butt when he got home) and ensured he was escorted to his father on the other side.