Question on Unacccompanied Minors

[anabelle]

Has anyone sent more than one child unaccompanied? Is there an airline that does a good job of making you child feel comfortable. I am thinking of sending my kids to Mexico to visit their grandparents and I am unsure about sending them alone or spending the cash to take them down and then picking them up a month later.

 

[ducklite]

How old are they? Do they speak Spanish? Have they flown before?

Anne

 

[bavaria]

It really depends on yoru children more than the airline. How independent are they? I would ask the same questions as Anne. Do they get nervous away from you?

Please don't expect that they will get much attention from the FAs or other passengers. I was in a row with a six year old UM on a 5.5 hour flight a few weeks ago. The FA seated her with the preboards, and they gave her a meal, and then told her to stay put after we landed. They also did a brief safety briefing with her. That's par for the course. The woman next to me spent most of the flight entertaining the stranger next to her, but that should not be expected.

I'm not trying to be harsh, just realistic. You know your kids best. Are they ok with strangers? would they speak up if need be? ie if they need to go to the bathroom and the stranger next to them is sleeping, can they deal with that situation?

 

[dvc guy]

I sent DD 13 to Florida to meet us in Feburary. She went on Delta and for the 50 dollar fee they did nothing. She is an experienced flyer and she told me that the flight attendents did not do anything for her in flight( not that she needed anything. When the plnace landed they told her to stay in her seat and they would take her off. The only reason she went as a minor is so that someone could take her to the gate in NYC.
Can't speak for our airlines, but if you child is not comfortable flying alone don't count on the flight attendents for any help.

 

[Letsbgoofy]

We are traveling to Mexico this summer. My TA told me that children under 18 years of age are not allowed into the country alone. Are you sure that you can send them without an adult on the plane with them to get them into the country?

 

[Hannathy]

First I'm suprised Delta took your 13 yr old as an Um When my DD flew USAir when she was 12 they wouldn't let me do that. They said it was for under 12 only. So she was on her own. They gave me a pass to walk her to the gate. She did the transfer herself. Must be different rules for different airlines.

My DD has flown by herself since she was 6 with no problems. They don't babysit but make sure of their safety. Some of the larger airports have kids waiting rooms some take them to the gates to wait where the gate agent can see them.

 

[anabelle]

How old are they? Do they speak Spanish? Have they flown before?

Anne

They are 12, 11, and 8. They do not speak Spanish, but they have flown. Airtran does let them fly international alone. But they do not speak Spanish. So I don't think that they are up to this if they do not get Flight attendant attention. I thought someone stayed with them the whole time.

 

[ducklite]

They are 12, 11, and 8. They do not speak Spanish, but they have flown. Airtran does let them fly international alone. But they do not speak Spanish. So I don't think that they are up to this if they do not get Flight attendant attention. I thought someone stayed with them the whole time.

With those ages and going to a country where they don't speak the language, no way. There are just too many risks.

There isn't anyone "assigned" to them the whole time. You can take them to the gate, and then that's it. There is "supposed" to be someone who is "supposed" to make sure they get on the connecting flight OK, but as we've all heard in the news, breakdowns in communication happen and kids have been left unattended, put on the wrong flights, you name it. Additionally what if there is a North America ground stop (God forbid) and they are at a connection--possibly in Mexico. They do'nt speak the language, jsut no way.

If they were older, say 17, 14 and 12 and at least one of them spoke reasonably passable Spanish I'd maybe think differently. but at those ages, no way.

Anne

 

[bavaria]

Don't they need to clear customs in Mexico? how would that be handled?

No, they don't get an escort - they may be escorted to the gate area, but someone doesn't stay with them. Nor do they have someone with them on the flight. Again, they may get an escort from the gate area on landing, but I am not sure how customs is handled. So even if the grandparents were meeitng them on arrival, they may be allowed as far as baggage claim but not into the customs area.

I go through international customs every two weeks or so and they even frown on people waiting to meet another flight (ie a family member arrives on a 2pm flight, and is waiting for another family member who is arriving on a 3pm flight)

 

[bavaria]

Also as Anne pointed out, if they have a connection I would be concerned. Enough adults have trouble with connections ie finding the new gate, changing terminals, etc etc etc.

The expectation may be that an agent meets the flight and escorts them to their connecting gate, but that one agent may be dealing with multiple passengers such as those requiring mobility assistance, etc.

 

[dvc guy]

First I'm suprised Delta took your 13 yr old as an Um When my DD flew USAir when she was 12 they wouldn't let me do that. They said it was for under 12 only. So she was on her own. They gave me a pass to walk her to the gate. She did the transfer herself. Must be different rules for different airlines.

All I wanted was to take her to the gate, Delta told me that they cannot guarantee a gate pass unless you pay the UM fee. Go figure