Would you let your six year old fly unaccompanied?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I flew alone at about 9 or 10, but it was a different and safer world then. While airport security itself is tighter, airline staff seem way less attentive and I wouldn't even let my 10 yr old fly alone now. And do airlines even let parents/family who aren't flying put their kids on the plane or meet them at the gate on the other end? I thought in this post-Sept 11 world those arent allowed?

Not to mention, did they ever find that 10 yr old that flew alone within the last 4 months or so and never made it to her destination?

Exaggerate much?

[Anonymous]

You request a gate pass and accompany to gate

[Anonymous]

Good to know she was ok, but this is exactly why 6 is way too young:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/14/united-airlines-loses-10-_n_1775731.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I flew alone at about 9 or 10, but it was a different and safer world then. While airport security itself is tighter, airline staff seem way less attentive and I wouldn't even let my 10 yr old fly alone now. And do airlines even let parents/family who aren't flying put their kids on the plane or meet them at the gate on the other end? I thought in this post-Sept 11 world those arent allowed?

Not to mention, did they ever find that 10 yr old that flew alone within the last 4 months or so and never made it to her destination?

Exaggerate much?

About which part? The last time I heard anything about the 10 yr old in the link I just posted, the camp didn't know where she was. Only found out the airline forgot her googling it tonight.

What exactly are you saying I'm exaggerating?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Good to know she was ok, but this is exactly why 6 is way too young:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/14/united-airlines-loses-10-_n_1775731.html

The girl was lost, in the sense that the parents didn't know where she was. I'm sure that was scary for them, and I know I wouldn't want to go through that myself. However, it seems she was with flight attendants the entire time. She was never in danger.

If I was sending my child these days, I'd send a cell phone, and some change, and instructions on how to call collect.

[Anonymous]

Totally depends on the child. My nephew flew alone around that age to visit us, but my niece would have been too scared so we waited until she was older.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good to know she was ok, but this is exactly why 6 is way too young:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/14/united-airlines-loses-10-_n_1775731.html

The girl was lost, in the sense that the parents didn't know where she was. I'm sure that was scary for them, and I know I wouldn't want to go through that myself. However, it seems she was with flight attendants the entire time. She was never in danger.

If I was sending my child these days, I'd send a cell phone, and some change, and instructions on how to call collect.

Still, at the time it made the news they still didn't know where she was, so even though she may have been with airline staff the whole time, the awful communication on the part of the airline is frightening.

[Anonymous]

I flew by myself when I was under six. Not sure how old, maybe four or five? It was a short flight, about 45 min., from Berlin to Bremen, to see my grandparents. The flight attendants watched over me, and I didn't mind at all. Only later did I go through a phase of flight anxiety, when I flew with my mom.

[Anonymous]

No freaking way

[Anonymous]

A lot of people have good questions about what happens in the event of a weather delay, emergency, plane diversion, etc. These are good questions- and seeing as how an unaccompanied minor charge must be "registered" with the airline (usually for an extra charge) they probably have some policy on how care of an unaccompanied minor would be handled in the event of an emergency. Why not try to contact the airline you're considering booking on and ask them? They can probably give you a better idea of how these situations are handled and that will help you make an educated decision.

[Anonymous]

My 10 year old nephew flew the first time solo, my sister had to pay an extra $100 and at one point at arrival he was semi-lost. She was pissed, the airline had no idea where he was and he is a very mature 10 year old. 6 is just too young

[Anonymous]

I flew alone the summer after 3rd grade (age 9). It was okay. Just okay. I think 9 is the minimum age, but recognize that I am biased based on my own experience. My kids are ages 3 and 1, but thinking ahead to when they are 6 - I would buy a ticket and escort them to Grandparents' house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A lot of people have good questions about what happens in the event of a weather delay, emergency, plane diversion, etc. These are good questions- and seeing as how an unaccompanied minor charge must be "registered" with the airline (usually for an extra charge) they probably have some policy on how care of an unaccompanied minor would be handled in the event of an emergency. Why not try to contact the airline you're considering booking on and ask them? They can probably give you a better idea of how these situations are handled and that will help you make an educated decision.

A friend of mine's son was flying unaccompanied when a weather issue caused them to divert to a different airport. The planes were then grounded and all flights were cancelled for the next day or so. The airline called my friend and gave her a few possible options. Someone was with him at all times and he wasn't left to figure anything out on his own. They resolved it eventually (his grandfather drove about 4 hours to pick him up). Everyone was fine.

[Anonymous]

Op here. Thanks for all of the great feedback. We've discussed it and decided to wait before we let him fly alone. I think we'll discuss it again around 8 or so. The question about diverted flights really concern me and I don't think my son would handle that scenario well. My mom will fly here to pick him up and I'll fly there to retrieve him.

[Anonymous]

I had to sit next to an unaccompanied six year old and it was hell. I needed the plane time to prepare for a presentation when I landed. He kept talking to me and demanding attention.