Reply to Have you/Would you let your children fly alone?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Thanks everyone! They would be flying nonstop, and have done that exact flight many times with us to visit their grandparents. If the kids feel good about it, I'll let them. If they're hesitant, I won't push it.[/quote]

I think this is a good way to decide. Fwiw, I think this scenario is probably fine. I happen to think anyone who sends children alone under the age of 10 is insane. A five year old? Come on. [/quote]

I'm the "insane" parent of the five year old who flew alone--DC wanted to do it and was completely fine, grandparents met him at the gate there and I met them at the gate when they returned. Watched an iPad the whole flight, had a snack and a soda. They loved the one-on-one time with grandparents and asked to do it again the next summer. We did have to pay $200 (each way, I think) for an unaccompanied minor although maybe with older kids they don't require that.

Completely depends on the kid though--I have another kid who would not have been ok traveling alone at that age.[/quote]

Just because nothing bad happened on one or two different occasions doesn’t mean it was a smart or safe decision. Five year olds want to do all kinds of things. That doesn’t mean we automatically indulge them in their every wish. They have no way of knowing all the things that could happen. They can’t even read the airport signs if they get lost in most cases! I also would never give a five year old soda (and I’m pretty lax about food in general). You are free to live your life, but you don’t really sound like a great parent if I’m being honest. [/quote]

Np.

They basically can’t get lost when they are flying unaccompanied minor unless the parent or guardian looses then. Unaccompanied minors on a nonstop flight are escorted to the plane by their parent, to their seat by a flight attendant, then from the seat to parent/guardian who is waiting for them right after they get off the plane. There is no need for the child to have a clue what’s going on. [/quote]

That’s when they are five, anyway, since at that age they can’t do connecting flights. [/quote]

That is wrong.  Most airlines allow unaccompanied minors to fly/connect starting at 5.   You pay a $150 fee, and they are escorted through the airport by someone who has a background check.  There is a kids-only lounge for layovers, usually pretty great.

My kids started this at 7 and 10.  They did really well and love flying without us.  But they have been flying since they were babies and are perfect on flights.[/quote]

I mean if a kid is five, they can only do flights that don't have connections. For most airlines they can't do connections until they are eight. So a five-year old will never be anywhere but the plane without a parent or guardian seeing them. 100% no need to be able to read an airport sign. [/quote]

Hmm, I know my kids did connecting flights when the youngest was 7 with Delta, connected in Detroit.  Both grandparents and we live near regional airports, so nonstop isn’t an option.  This would be 2 summers ago.  DTW is an “easy” airport to negotiate and if needed we could drive 4 hours there to get them.  It was fine.[/quote]

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