OT 10yo flying alone?

[princessh]

This summer my ds10 was going to spend a week with his grandparents in Charlotte NC. His grandmother has been offered a new job, and they are now moving to Wisconsin. We live outside of Baltimore. We were going to make the drive to NC (only 7 hours), but the drive to WI is 17!!!!! There is no way we can do that drive with ds2. SO, we are now thinking of flying. We were thinking Dh, ds2, and I will stay for a long weekend, and then fly home. DS10 wants to spend the week and fly back by himself. I am a little worried about this since he would have a connecting flight. Any thoughts on this?

 

[ksumn1]

and request a gate pass for the Escort on the departure and for the escort on the return . I work for an airline nad we have to have this information documented in the reservation if you plan on taking the child to the gate at the airport, for safety purposes. If Grandma wants a gate pass and the request is not noted that she be allowed to pick up Jr, the airport will not allow her to do. ( It may vary with other airline so check with them for specific policies and procedures) And make sure whomever takes the child to the gate brings their photo id along also because they will check it at the ticket counter and of course at the Security Checkpoint. Keep in mind that if there is a heightened security alert at the airport you may not be able to get the gate pass but that is very rare. If so, an airline employee will be called to escort the child to their flight.Also, where is your son's conection at? IF it's Atlanta, GA there is actually an area in the Airport with a TV, vending machines, restrooms etc that is manned by airport personnell, specificlly for children who are traveling unaccompanied. You have to show your airline ID and document when you come to pick up the child for their connecting flight out of Atlanta. It's very secure and the people who work there are wonderful!! I've had to call there quite a few times when little Jr's flight out of Atlanta is delayed because of weather etc to pass along a message for Jr to call Mom on her cell, she wants to make sure you're OK. Make sure you send along a little snack money so they can get something out of the vending machines, cause the Cokes and pretzels on the flight won't last for long. In general, just talk to your son and let him know that many, many children travel without Mom and Dad, and the flight attendant and the airline employees are there to help them. Tell him not to hesitate to ask if he has any ?'s, is nervous etc. Keeping safety in mind, make sure he still knows that ALL airport and airline personnell wear a badge with the Airline/Airport name, the employee's name and their job title on it. So, it's safe to talk to them and they will help him get from point A to point B, but of course still be mindful of "strangers" if he has to go to the restroom, while he's inflight etc. I can say to you with 100% certainty that children do travel unaccompanied all the time so the procedure is very clearly defined and we take it very seriously. After all, we are transporting somone's most precious "cargo".
If you have any other specific ?'s PM me or just post to the list. Hope this sets your mind at ease!

 

[princessh]

Thank you for your post!. I eased my worries!

 

[allboyz]

Personally, I would not do it but as my husband says sometimes I'm a little over-protective. I would just worry myself sick. HOWEVER, my uncle and his wife divorced when their kids were small. They lived in different states. The kids would ALWAYS fly back and forth unaccompanied. Of course they had each other but no adult. They never had a problem at all. One of his kids has graduated college now and the other is still in college. To this day they travel by plane all the time. They don't think twice about it.....

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

One more thing--some airlines have extra fees...or special services you can purchase for unaccompanied minors, so check your airline.

We are not in a situation that needs this--but I remember a while back a discussion and I started looking on websites just to check.

I've flown unaccompanied for the first time at age 4. To say my mom wanted to kill my dad is an understatement. He flew over to pick me up and then sent me back on my own. And then some snafu happened and I think for some strange reason we ended up at a completely different airport. It may have been that's just where my dad sent me, I don't remember. But he wasn't up front about it at all.

You 10yo will be find. I personally would recommend paying any service fees that keep your child in contact with a flight or ground crew person at all times.

My children will not fly alone ever if I can help it. I have no place I wish to send them unaccompanied, so it should not be an issue.

 

[Vijoge]

My step-daughter used to fly several times a year between her parents homes. She started when she was about 6, I think. I do remember that connecting flights were not allowed, though.

 

[DisnyMama]

My DS is 14 now but has been flying as an "unaccompanied minor" back and forth to his father's in Texas since he was 10. His dad has to pay a $45.00 fee each way and the airline hangs a big plastic packet around my sons neck with all his info. When I take him to LAX they give me a pass to escort him to the gate since I am his mother and the flight attentant calls his name and takes him on the plane before the rest of the passengers. This has been with American Airlines. When he comes home I go to the check in counter and give them my name and ID and they look it up in the system (his dad would have designated in Dallas that I would be the one picking him up) and they give me a pass to go through security to the gate to pick him up as soon as he steps off the plane. I have even been able to do this when the nations security levels have been heightened and never a problem. They take very good care of our kids and the flight attendants are very dillegent about checking my ID to make sure that I am the one he is to be released to.

 

[princessh]

Thank you all for your insight! I feel much better about the situation.

 

[gris gris]

I would let him go. I flew the first time alone when I was 12 and was responsible for my 2 cousins & 1 sister (10, 9 & 6). We did this every year for 6 years. Our parents would put us on the plane here and our grandparents would pick us up in FL. But that was back when you could stay in the boarding area even if you weren't getting on the plane. I do remember connecting one time in Philly and being a little scared about that, but the flight attendants showed us where to go. I think your son will be fine! How cool that he gets to spend extra time with his Grandparents!