OP I'm the PP who wasn't able to do it at IAD or DCA for pickup. If your dc is still required to have you pay the unaccompanied minor fee and meet them at the gate, make sure you arrive very early for pickup. At the flight pickup in the summer, regular tsa took so long. I got to the gate b/f the plane, but 2 other friends doing pickup did not. It was a camp pickup, so tons of unaccompanied minors. Obviously, the airline can't just turn them over to anyone, so they were taken to a customer service area to wait for their parents. |
A friend did this both for PreCheck and to avoid the line to get the gate pass. Got a Southwest award ticket (they are always refundable) that left 3 hours after the kid's flight. |
OP here. You are hilarious and dramatic. My 15 YO is going on a fun trip and I simply WANT to walk with him to the gate and chat until he needs to leave. Go figure. Our time with them is short, as I learned when my two others left for college. |
Yep. I would have loved to send my 15 year old to the gate alone. But I booked him on United and he’s unaccompanied on United until age 16. When I book Alaska Airlines he’s free because their policy is age 13+. So you go with the flow. We used clear at Dulles by the way. No problem. |
Ah, so a helicopter. NP |
This is genius and a star aunt move. My sister would never do this. |
NP. Not at all. You used to be able to spend time with people (friends and family) at the gate before 9/11. It was normal to sit and enjoy their company while they waited for their flight. |
Mommy walking 15 yo baby to the gate IS the topic. |
How does that work if you have to cancel the flight 24 hrs before? |
Not PP, but don't think it does. But can certainly buy a refundable ticket for later that day and just cancel once you get past security. |