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[quote=Anonymous]OP, I spent the summer between high school and college being the person at the airport who meets UMs and either finds their parents or keeps them with me until the connecting flight.

I was only 18, but I was really responsible and took that job VERY seriously... and still...  I was two weeks after graduating from high school.  And things go wrong all. the. time.

For example,

1.  I met a flight at the gate, and the flight attendant didn't know anything about a UM that was supposed to be on the plane.  The UM was, in fact there, and was fine.  I just stood there looking for the kid without any adults and asked him his name.  It all worked out, but that kid was, essentially, totally uncared for for the duration of the flight.  (I like to believe that a different FA actually knew about the kid and just never said anything... who knows.)

2.  Kids are told to stay in their seats until everyone else disembarks.  That is because FAs have other duties to do upon landing and can't worry about the kid.  If the UM follows that rule, all is good.  Twice a UM got up and left with all the other passengers, so when the FA tried to look for them, they weren't there.  I found one with their parents in the gate and one with their parents at baggage claim.  So again, it all worked out, but the kid was unaccounted for.

The reason I really wanted that job was because I'd flown as a UM a lot as a child.  My mom worked for an airline, so we'd fly to visit my grandparents and stuff.  I was very very comfortable flying by myself by the time I was 10 or so.  At 5, I flew on a 45 minute direct flight from my parents to my grandparents.  Despite litterally growing up at airports and airplanes, I can't imagine I would have felt comfortable by myself on an international flight at 5 years old.

I am now an adult with a 6 year old.  I would be willing to put him on a domestic direct flight by himself.  But an international flight with a connection?  NO way in hell.  I've seen the inner workings of airlines.  I think you're putting way too much faith in high school grads making minimum wage.[/quote]

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