At what age would you let your child fly alone?

[Jen D]

This might be mildly off-topic for Disney but I'm interested in opinions from all you smart Disers with such a wide range of world-views and experiences. Mostly airlines allow unattended children at age 5, although there is an extra fee for the special supervision they need. I think you pay the extra fee until they are 13 or 14 when they are basically allowed to handle themselves.

My dd will be 8 in September and my MIL has been nagging me for three years to send her down on an "alone" visit. Now I have plenty of issues with the visit itself but for these purposes I'm just talking about the flight. Some days I think I'd be perfectly cool to let her do it, kids do it all the time; other days I think it would be insanity and I'd never let her fly alone!

She's a pretty experienced flyer; knows not to kick the seats and when she's allowed to put the tray table down and so forth. I guess I just worry about... well I don't know what.

Just curious about others' experiences with this and opinions on it.

I think I flew alone first when I was 10 or 11. I loved it. 10 is much older than almost 8 though.

 

[Forevryoung]

I was 17 when I flew completely alone because I was going home from college. It was a frightening experience because I was all alone and I didnt have my parents doing everything for me. That is a different story.

IMO I think it partly depends on the airline oddly enough. Are there assigned seats or will someone be choosing to sit next to her? I fly southwest alone all the time now and if I see a child sitting alone I will try to grab a seat next to them to keep them company. I think it also depends on the length of the flight- will it be 5 hours or 2 hours? An 8 year old would probably be ok for an hour or two but definitely not ok for 5. For a 2 hour flight, some snacks, new activity books and a gameboy or something might be great. Only you know the maturity of your child though. Will she be upset being alone or is she really friendly and outgoing and will be excited to be on her own?

 

[minkydog]

my oldest DS18 has been flying since he was a baby. The first flight alone was when he was 5yo, going to Grandma's who was a 50min non-stop flight away and we paid the extra fee for him. He was seated next to a mother with a small child and she was gracious enough to help him out when he spilled his juice. However, the flight attendents watched him very well and he had no problems. I would not have let him fly alone if he had never done it before, nor if it were for a long period or changeing planes anywhere.

 

[Nicolepa]

Well as a child I started flying alone when I was 6. Every summer I either flew to see my dad or stay with my grandparents. I was lost once and they put me in a room for solo kids etc for 6 hours. They gave me food vouchers but I couldn't use them because I couldn't leave the room. My grandmother didn't get notified until well after the plane had landed and she was in a panic that I wasn't on the plane. I won't even tell you how many times I missed a connection and was terrified I would be "lost" forever. My parents paid the extra fee and they tried to blame me because I didn't get off the plane. I never saw my ticket so I had no idea where to get off. That was the last year they paid the extra fee. I did much better on my own.

I was a very mature child and it was always very terrifiying for me. Of course my flights always included a transfer and were around 5 hours long.

In todays day and age there is no way I'd let my child fly alone until they were in at least Jr High, but probably not until High school. There are just too many weirdo's out there and I don't trust any airline to protect my child like I would.

 

[momsgoofy]

The first time I ever got on a plane was when I was 12 and I flew alone to Denver to visit my sister. This was in the 70's and life was honestly more simple and less threatening. I have wrestled with the exact things that are going through your mind...my DS is a child of divorce and his dad has always been at least a 3 hour plane ride away. I've never had to say no to his dad because his dad has never wanted him to come visit, but I know that I wouldn't want to let him fly alone even now and he'll be 13 next month. Even when we fly as a family I insist that he sit near me or his step-dad if we have to be split. Call me paranoid, but if that plane goes down for whatever reason, I really want him to have someone next to him for comfort...he's still a kid for goodness sake! I just can't imagine what a kid on one of those planes on 9 - 11 would have felt like under those circumstances...alone without a parent on that plane....nope, my only child's safety and peace of mind is worth...well, it's like those commercials...priceless...as is my child.

You are the child's parent and you know your child best, so use YOUR judgement....momma's gut is usually right.

 

[cymomtx]

My neighbor makes her ex fly from PA to TX to get the kids every visit. Her reasoning is, "if the plane were to go down or there would be problems, do you really want your child to be turning to strangers or to somone they are comfortable with". At first that seemed ridiculous to me, but at Christmas there was a TX boy who was "lost" in bad weather (land of airline delays and changs) for 24 hours and his parents had no idea where he was.

 

[disneyjunkie]

My son will be 14 in October. He started flying alone to visit his dad in NC when he was 9 years old.

We always use USAIR out of LGA. We pay the escort fee and only book direct flights. USAir will escort kids 5-17. He's always booked on early flights out of NY and midmorning or noon flights out of NC.

We haven't had any problems and my son loves flying alone.

 

[rt2dz]

sorry, I did an edit & it double posted.

 

[rt2dz]

I flew alone for the first time at 15. I had to switch planes and deal with a 1.5 hour layover at Ohare. I was coing from NYC to Houston. I had no problems with it, although I was a bit nervous about it. I really ended up enjoying it. Of course, I was very mature for my age and was an exteremly experienced flier and in high school.

My sister sends her two oldest down to see my parents about once a year (at her kids request), and has been for about 5 years. Her kids are now 11 and 8.5. They usually, although not always, take solo trips b/c they want alone time with my parents. However, my brother-in-law works for the airport and can pick them up at the gate himself, the way security is now. Until 3.5 years ago, he worked for an airline, so he'd just go fly and pick them up personally. It is always a straight flight, and only about 3 hours.

Something to think about: My nephew as a name on the "do not let fly" list because it is just so common--not John Smith, but a name like it. The poor kid has to bring his birth certificate (Like it's not obvious he's a young child--he even looks younger than he is), have all his bags searched, shoes searched, & go through extra screening. They want to strip search him, but my sister throws a fit at that and really refuses--HE'S 11! They have to all sit seperately in middle seats (even try the 2 year old).

 

[southtexasmom]

My DS started flying solo when he was 10, we pay extra for the escort fee. He has never had any problems.

 

[J/T Gramdma]

In the early 80's I let my dd11 fly non-stop Tokyo to Chicago. She was exp with 4 Dc to Tokyo flt under her belt but I was a nervous wreck the whole time. In current times, my DGS age 6/8 came on a non-stop flight from Phoenix to DC and they did well. the FA were very good and took care of the boys. Next month they are again flying Phoenix to Dc on SW and hopefully will do well. Our reguirements is only non-stop flts and that they stay together at all times and under all circumstances. If you prepare him and give him situations that will come up and tell him what to do if things happen. He should be okay. But the best advice is prepare him and teach him what to do if ABC happens. Good LUck. As a grand mother I am grateful my DD is willing to let them come visit me.

 

[cymomtx]

The boy lost at christmas was on a direct flight and had paid the escort fee. The flight was diverted to another city because of weather and with the change in flight the escort was not at the divereted airport and he was let off the plane on his own.

So even with the best laid plans things happen.

 

[hugsquared]

I started flying alone at a very young age due to my parents being divorced and living in different states. I personally loved it as it made me feel grown up and I got so much attention from the stewardess'. Back then you got playing cards, a set of wings, coloring material...on and on.
This is my DH's and mine 2nd marriage and he has a 9yo DD who we're taking to Disney this year. While she will come to us prior to the trip and we'll all fly together, on the return trip, when we get to Atlanta we are taking her to a different gate and putting her on a direct flight back to her mom. We arranged for our layover to be 2 hours and we have almost an hour from when all 3 of us land in ATL to get her to her correct gate, accompanied by us and see her onto the plane. Her mom will be at the receiving end. We then pick up a flight just about the time she's landing. We're flying Delta and we feel very safe and satisfied that she'll be taken care of. This was to avoid flying home late on a Saturday evening then spending 6 hours Sunday driving her back to her mom (she meets us half way so its a 3 hour trip to meet and a 3 hour trip home) then everyone having to be at work/school first thing Monday morning. DD is well mannered and well behaved and wouldn't dream of getting away from where she's supposed to be without someone with her. We've talked this over at length with both her and her mom.

 

[Minnie824]

I don't think DH and I would let DDs fly alone til their 18, and then only because we don't really have a choice. We just don't trust people. Then you watch the show Airline, and the girl got on the wrong plane, and no one knew. I think something else w/a young age to consider too, is the bathroom...would they want to go by themselves on the plane? or would you want some stranger in there w/them?