Can i lie about my kid's age for an unaccompanied minor flight?

[Anonymous]

My daughter needs to fly solo--one hour each way, direct fights.
The major carriers won't let her fly unaccompanied until age 15. There is a $300 fee for flying her as an unaccompanied minor (age 14 and under).

She'll be a week shy of her 15th birthday at the time of the flights.

Is there any way to lie about her age?
We could check her in and then she'd just have to present the boarding pass at the gate. Would they require an ID at the gate to get on the plane if she looks like a teenager?
She could have a passport to make it through security.

Any idea how this could work?
Is it a really bad idea?

She is an independent kid who takes the bus and Metro around town and has flown dozens of times. She could totally find her way through the process and would be allowed to a week later.

I'm just curious what the chances are that we would be caught if we just lied about her age. I.e. what the check-in process would be like

[Anonymous]

“Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive”.

[Anonymous]

The chances are ZIP. Passports have birthdates on them. She’ll need ID to check in, ID to go through security etc. Why can’t she fly a week later?

[Anonymous]

Generally speaking, you shouldn't lie. Is she okay with what you are considering?

[Anonymous]

Bad idea.

[Anonymous]

As your post concedes, this is not true:

The major carriers won't let her fly unaccompanied until age 15.

She can fly unaccompanied at 14, there's just a fee ($150 each flight). And you want to save the money.

At least be honest about your motivations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The chances are ZIP. Passports have birthdates on them. She’ll need ID to check in, ID to go through security etc. Why can’t she fly a week later?

Security will check her ID against her boarding pass but they won't check to see if the age on her ID is >15, right?

And do they ID check at the gate? Not for an adult---they just scan bleep the boarding pass. I wonder if they do for teenagers. Anyone know?

[Anonymous]

I would do it in a second. My kids fly unaccompanied all the time, I walk them to the gate, the Child never provides ID, I am not sure why PP is mentioning a passport. If its a domestic flight that is not needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The chances are ZIP. Passports have birthdates on them. She’ll need ID to check in, ID to go through security etc. Why can’t she fly a week later?

Security will check her ID against her boarding pass but they won't check to see if the age on her ID is >15, right?

And do they ID check at the gate? Not for an adult---they just scan bleep the boarding pass. I wonder if they do for teenagers. Anyone know?

The check in agent will check her ID! This is a bad idea all around. Just pay the $150 or delay the trip.

[Anonymous]

Is Southwest an option? No fees for 12 and up. https://www.southwest.com/faq/unaccompanied-minors-terms-and-conditions

[Anonymous]

OP here.
She is flying for a funeral of a friend who died. It's very sad.
We really don't have the extra $300 for this fee (on top of $400 for the ticket).

[Anonymous]

You can't, they check the age with the passport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The chances are ZIP. Passports have birthdates on them. She’ll need ID to check in, ID to go through security etc. Why can’t she fly a week later?

Security will check her ID against her boarding pass but they won't check to see if the age on her ID is >15, right?

And do they ID check at the gate? Not for an adult---they just scan bleep the boarding pass. I wonder if they do for teenagers. Anyone know?

The check in agent will check her ID! This is a bad idea all around. Just pay the $150 or delay the trip.

The gate agent will check the ID?
I've never had this happen.

You check-in online and only use an ID for TSA, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
You can't, they check the age with the passport.

who does? And when?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here.
She is flying for a funeral of a friend who died. It's very sad.
We really don't have the extra $300 for this fee (on top of $400 for the ticket).

This sounds like something you should accompany her to -- sorry that's not something i would send my teenager alone to do.