Anonymous wrote:Mine will be going in an international 9hrs flight as soon as she turns 5! I cannot wait for her to be able to go visit my (and her) relatives more often than once a year, be more exposed to our language, form stronger bonds, etc.)

I seriously hope I will not be on the same flight! frankly, 5 is a lot young for a 9 hour flight (especially if it is s night flight). i confess that it is difficult for me to tolerate a long flight, I usually break my flight back home so each leg is not longer than 8 hours. and I am not sending my 4 and 7 alone, I fly with them saving other passengers or flight attendant the hassle of taking care of them, helping them sleep and so on.............

I would never do it. HOWEVER, it would almost certainly be totally fine. There's the conundrum!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And just cross your fingers and hope for the best. OK.

Isn't that what you do when you put her in the car every day? Kids fly alone every day. The very few times an unaccompanied flying minor made the news it was because something going wrong is RARE.

Presumably, you don't let your six year old ride around in a car in the company of strangers.

Anyway, I don't like this scenario because of all the unknowns-minor (what if kid is sitting near a creep or jerk; what if kid has a potty accident (can happen to even well trained six year olds); what if kid gets sick; what if kid spills drink on self) and major (what if plane is re-routed; what if there is an emergency and kid needs to use the oxygen mask or evacuate the plane). You can go on and on about how the flight attendent will help, but, the bottom line is that person is a stranger and you have no idea how much they will actually help your kid. Would you trust a stranger you just met to babysit your kids? Why is it ok on a plane where that stranger is also responsible for taking care of 100 other people in additon to your kid?

My DC didn't fly alone until 13, and I gave less than a good damn what anyone thought that DC could have flown younger. DC was mature enough to handle an emergent situation by then. Of course, DC had a cell phone, cash, and a prepaid Visa just in case.

Anonymous wrote:And just cross your fingers and hope for the best. OK.

Isn't that what you do when you put her in the car every day? Kids fly alone every day. The very few times an unaccompanied flying minor made the news it was because something going wrong is RARE.

And just cross your fingers and hope for the best. OK.

Mine will be going in an international 9hrs flight as soon as she turns 5! I cannot wait for her to be able to go visit my (and her) relatives more often than once a year, be more exposed to our language, form stronger bonds, etc.)

Nope to nth degree.

Hell NO.

Several years ago, I had my son fly as an unaccompanied minor on Southwest on Xmas Day when he was 5 (Providence-BWI). Was a direct flight, and XH was at the airport waiting form our son before he had even boarded the flight.

Son had a cell phone with him. He had our phone numbers memorized, and he knew how to use the phone. We made sure he had plenty of snacks, drinks, books, games, and toys with him to keep him occupied. He is an only child, so he is use to keeping himself busy.

Had no issues. The flight attending was very nice, both when my son was escorted on and off the plane. My son was excited to fly by himself (had flown several times previously). So it worked out fine. Not to say I wasn't a nervous wreck about it, but I felt my son was capable of going on an hour flight by himself. He was well behaved and well mannered at that age, and we spent quite a bit of time talking about the whole situation before the flight so that he was prepared mentally.

I think it really depends on the child. I would've never had done it if my child had a different temperment, if there had been layover, or what not. He's eleven now, and I would defintley let him go again on his own, on a longer, direct flight. In the end, it's a very personal choice, and sometimes circumstances dictate that it become a consideration.

I flew alone at six or so and it was fine. But that was forty years ago and airline travel was a VERY different thing. Not sure I'd do it today.

I would speak to the airline. Most of them obviously take special precautions when children are traveling alone. I think 6 is young, but it probably depends on your child. Mine has flown around the world in his 7 years, but always with us and I am not sure how he would do alone. My mom flew me to South Africa alone, but I was 9 and did fine. I remember the airlines being incredibly helpful and nice, leaving my mom behind and saying goodbye was honestly the hardest part. The flight was long and boring