at what age did your child first fly alone?

[Anonymous]

My son is 4- he still seems too young to do the short one-hour flight to grandma's and grandpa's by himself. DH and I think it will be great once he is able, though, because we have no problem sending him up to our home town for a week's vacation, but we always have to drive the 1000 mi roundtrip if it's going to happen. Thoughts? 6 YO? 7 YO?

[Anonymous]

My oldest is 6, and as mature as he can be I don't envision him being able to fly on his own yet. Perhaps if we flew more together as a family he'd be more capable of doing it on his own.

It depends on the child. I personally would wait until 8 or 9 at a minimum.

[Anonymous]

I looked this up recently; US Airways, at least, requires the kid be 5.

I *might* send my kid alone at five, if we could escort him to the gate, if the grandparents could meet him at the gate, and (critically) if my kid was okay with it. But I really would have to wait until he was five.

FWIW, we fly reasonably frequently, he's a good flyer, and he likes flying.

[Anonymous]

7. No problems.

[Anonymous]

Here's a recent thread on this:
http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/324390.page

[Anonymous]

Funny, I was just discussing this with my MIL today. DS is still much to young, but we hope to do this at some point.

We were laughing though about the time that my parents sent me (10) and my sister (9) from CA to NY to visit my grandparents for a week. Something happened on the trip, and we got stuck in Chicago overnight. The airline couldn't put us in a hotel room alone, so my sister and I slept on the floor at the gate in the airport. No idea what we did for food etc. LOL.

[Anonymous]

I once sat next to a 6 year old flying alone. It was a disaster. I was feverishly working on a presentation I'd be giving the moment we landed and he needed adult attention the entire time. The flight staff couldn't help. Maybe some 6 yos can do it but he couldn't.

[Anonymous]

My kids goarents live a 6 hour flight away, which is probably different from a one hour flight, but my 3 and 7 year olds are in no way capabke of entertaining themselves for that long (or taking themselves to the airplane bathroom, or being happy sitting next to a strange adult). Maybe when my youngest is 7, but I can't imagine any earlier.

[Anonymous]

We did it when my son was 7, and it was fine. I think he might have been ok at 6, but certainly not before.

At that age, I was comfortable with a short flight. I made my brother who was meeting him on the other end get to the airport and through security (they will give you a gate pass if you are meeting a child or a passenger who needs assistance for another reason) before the plane took off. I worried that my brother would get in a fender bender, or get held up at security, and he wouldn't be there to meet him. I was also reassured that it was unlikely that weather would change enough to redirect the flight in an hour.

[Anonymous]

I was riding public transport Alone at age 12 and I remember being terrified that the bus didn't show up at the regular time.
My child will do planes at age 15.

[Anonymous]

I flew to Ireland when I was 12. I was fine, even though my parents had me bringing liquor to our relatives and then the relatives sent different alcohol back in my bag. My how times have changed.

My ILs live a 6 hour flight from DC, I don't envision DC being able to do it alone until at least 10, maybe later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was riding public transport Alone at age 12 and I remember being terrified that the bus didn't show up at the regular time.
My child will do planes at age 15. [/quote

That's because, presumably, you were waiting for the bus alone. If the plane is late you'll be there with your child while they wait. Much less scary.

[Anonymous]

It was cheaper to buy another RT ticket from DC to Boston than the fees for 2 unaccompanied minors. I sent my kids with my college neighbor who was thrilled to spend the night with a friend there and come back the next morning!

[Anonymous]

My son started flying to Grandparents at 6. He loves it and we are so glad it's an option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was riding public transport Alone at age 12 and I remember being terrified that the bus didn't show up at the regular time.
My child will do planes at age 15. [/quote

That's because, presumably, you were waiting for the bus alone. If the plane is late you'll be there with your child while they wait. Much less scary.

You're welcome to do anything you're comfortably with your kids. Ill do what I'm comfortable with mine.

Thanks.