Question about a minor flying alone

[mommy22gurlz]

Good Morning!!
Well this is not a Disney travel question...although we will be flying there in 6 weeks!! YAYYY!

My DD13 is out of school the entire week of Thanksgiving and wants to go spend it with her sister who lives in San Antonio about 4 hours away for college. So, we decided to fly her there because it's cheaper than the drive, then we'll drive up and meet them on Weds everning.
So my question is, being that she is a minor, will I be able to actually go with her all the way to the gate so that I see her board? And will my DD20 be able to go and meet her at the gate when she lands? She'll be flying out of Houston Hobby into San antonio.
Thanks!
Tammy

 

[StacyMarie]

Good Morning!!
Well this is not a Disney travel question...although we will be flying there in 6 weeks!! YAYYY!

My DD13 is out of school the entire week of Thanksgiving and wants to go spend it with her sister who lives in San Antonio about 4 hours away for college. So, we decided to fly her there because it's cheaper than the drive, then we'll drive up and meet them on Weds everning.
So my question is, being that she is a minor, will I be able to actually go with her all the way to the gate so that I see her board? And will my DD20 be able to go and meet her at the gate when she lands? She'll be flying out of Houston Hobby into San antonio.
Thanks!
Tammy

Yes! My 14 year old DD flew by herself last year. When we checked her in, they asked to see our IDs and marked on her ticket that she was a minor. We had to go through security with her and we got to go right to the gait with her. Also, when she returned home, we went to the airline desk and told them we were expecting our minor daughter on a return flight home and they checked our IDs, gave us some sort of paper to give to security. We went through security and were able to wait for her to come off of the plane right at the gait.

 

[mommy22gurlz]

That's great to hear!!! I was a little worried about that. Thank you!!!
So, I guess my DD20 will need to just do the same when picking her up from the airport? Just let them know that she is picking up her minor sister?

 

[StacyMarie]

Yes, we just went to the airline desk that she was flying in on and told them we were there to pick her up and that she was a minor. They gave us some paper after checking our IDs and sent us through security to the gait where she would come off of the plane.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Our DS was 14 when he flew from Ontario to Alberta with a friend (for a two week vacation with the friend's mom, who lived in a different province).

Our experience was a little different than the PP. DS and his friend both arrived at the airport at different times, with us arriving well ahead of the other boy (who barely made it to the gate before boarding). While they eventually agreed to let me wait with DS at the gate, it came after a lot of pleading on my part. They eventually told me they would "make a special exception" as they "normally reserve such exceptions for much younger children".

This was in 2010 on Westjet from Toronto. Perhaps other airlines are different. I definitely had to be "assertive" (though not in an unfriendly or threatening way.....just very insistent) or they very much would not have allowed me to accompany him to the gate.

 

[Disflyer]

I would add that it depends on your airline as well. If the airline considers her a unacompanied minor you will have to pay a fee for her to travel alone and go to the gate with her.

 

[StacyMarie]

Yeah, I should add my daughter flew out of and flew into Grand Rapids airport, which is very small. Not sure how they would deal with that at busier, larger airports. I know our experience was a positive one thankfully as I was so nervous putting my daughter on a plane by herlself (I have a fear of flying, not her, lol). I cried. I can't imagine what it would have been like if I hadn't been able to be with her.

 

[momjeeps]

This summer my four kids ranging in age from 7-13 flew from my inlaws to my parents. On both ends someone was able to go to the gate after getting a special approval from the ticket counter.

 

[momjeeps]

BTW we were on southwest.

 

[chartle]

OP you have to check with your airline.

Last time this came up I was surprised to see what some airlines consider the upper limit for an unaccompanied minor. Some were 16 some 12. There are also age limits on how the minor can travel.

On Southwest a 12 year old does not have to travel as a UM.

http://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/family/unaccompanied-minors-pol.html

 

[dawnball]

If your daughter is flying UM (unaccompanied minor), you shouldn't have much trouble going to the gate with her, or having her picked up at the gate. Technically, either the airline or the TSA can decide that you won't be allowed that day, but that would be a pretty rare situation, and your daughter would be escorted by airline personnel until she's handed off to an adult on the authorized list. If your daughter is not flying UM, you probably have a 80/20 chance of being able to accompany her to the gate/having her picked up at the gate.

You can make that a 100% chance if you have available funds. Fully refundable fares are... fully refundable. Even if you've checked in, received a boarding pass and transited security. In fact, they're fully refundable if you checked in, received a boarding pass, volunteered for the vol-bump list and been told you wouldn't be needed.