Anonymous
Post 07/15/2015 14:46     Subject: Re:Would you let you 5 year old fly unaccompanied overseas?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Have you discussed this with your child?

My 5 year has traveled extensively since he was a baby and I know he would not feel comfortable or safe alone on a plane for 7 hours plus transfer. Pretty much I could see how upset he would be.


OP here: I plan on revisiting this conversation when he turns 5. The focus and conversation right now has been around preparing him for our almost 16 hour flight to South Africa (which we have done together once before but he was much younger). Depending on how this trip goes and his reaction on the conversations, I will reevaluate my decision. But if airlines allow children to fly unaccompanied at age 5, I am pretty sure it is more common than we think.


As a test run, get seats really far away from each other and tell him he is on his own. See how he does.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2015 14:43     Subject: Re:Would you let you 5 year old fly unaccompanied overseas?
Anonymous wrote:Have you discussed this with your child?

My 5 year has traveled extensively since he was a baby and I know he would not feel comfortable or safe alone on a plane for 7 hours plus transfer. Pretty much I could see how upset he would be.


OP here: I plan on revisiting this conversation when he turns 5. The focus and conversation right now has been around preparing him for our almost 16 hour flight to South Africa (which we have done together once before but he was much younger). Depending on how this trip goes and his reaction on the conversations, I will reevaluate my decision. But if airlines allow children to fly unaccompanied at age 5, I am pretty sure it is more common than we think.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2015 14:41     Subject: Would you let you 5 year old fly unaccompanied overseas?
I don't understand how a 6yo can't walk home from the park with an older sibling, but a 5yo could fly alone to another country, change planes and fly again, all over a 16 hr period and that's ok.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2015 14:36     Subject: Would you let you 5 year old fly unaccompanied overseas?
Hell to the no
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2015 14:36     Subject: Would you let you 5 year old fly unaccompanied overseas?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It really depends on how outgoing your kid is. My oldest could never do that- he would be too afraid and too shy to say something if he needed help. He would be a nervous wreck. My younger son who is five I really could picture flying alone and having a great time. He is really outgoing, will be the first to speak up or ask a question, and figures out things. When we send both boys to the snack bar alone during a baseball game, the youngest likes to hold the money and order the food. Our oldest said last time someone tried to cut in front of them and the little one spoke up and said to get behind them. He is a cute, friendly kid who people notice and help out.

If you have to do it OP, I would find a family who is flying on the same flight in the waiting area and ask them to keep an eye on him just in case too. If a single mom asked me to do that on an overseas flight, I would totally keep my eye on the kid and check on him during the flight.


OP here: Thank you. And my son is totally your younger son.

And the person who you are replying to has no clue about flying on 16 hour flights to two different continents - there are no "waiting areas" in the 21st cetury airports where a person without a ticket can get to - you are saying good byes to your kid at security gates and there is no way to tell who is going to be on their flight.

You are obviously not interested in any critical responses but I think majority of the "hell no" responses come actually from people who fly a lot internationally and speaking from experience. If you however prefer to look for confirmations to your ideas coming from people who last set foot in the airport in 1973 - well, that's your choice.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2015 14:36     Subject: Would you let you 5 year old fly unaccompanied overseas?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:People call CPS when they see kids playing alone in their own backyard these days. How do you think something like this would ever, uh, fly in today's world?


I just looked up international airline policies on min. ages for unaccompanied minors and transfers:
El Al - age 5 - 100 dollar fee, no transfers allowed
British Airways- age 5, 150 dollars, no transfers; age 6-12 child can transfer flights
Air France- age 5, can transfer plans and there is a special lounge for unaccompanied minors at Paris-Orly and DeG., 75euros
http://www.airfrance.us/US/en/common/guidevoyageur/assistance/enfant_seul_um.htm
Emirates Airlines- age 5, must pay for adult ticket, can transfer but only onto Emirate flights. The website said they would even take a picture of your kid on board or give them birthday cake if it is their birthday.
Singapore Airlines-age 5, transfer only
Lufthansa-age 5, transfers aloud, special lounge for unaccompanied minors in Frankfurt and Munich airports


So actually in today's world it would fly for a five year old to be an unaccompanied minor.



OP here: We have flown Emirates and Air France a few times and those would be the two airlines that I would likely consider. The two close friends I have who did this had their children fly on Emirates and they were treated very well and arrived happy and excited about their adventure. I respect everyone's feelings and opinions, even those who have questioned my judgement. Nothing said has been taken personally. What I have learnt is you do what seems most comfortable for you, baring all the risks and being fully aware of what you are can live with. Worst case scenario, this is a terrible experience for him and I will fly overseas to get him so we can return back together. Best case, he is 100% fine and gets one the plane unaccompanied again on the journey back.


I think it could be okay as well, depending on the child. It's a service that is offered and he's being escorted from place to place. And yes, I suppose they can't have eyes on him 100% of the time, but my experience with airline lounges (where he would spend the layover) is that people coming and going are seen by multiple people manning the front desk. They watch the entrance/exit like a hawk to make sure that the riff raff don't come in. And there is only one way in or out.

Yes, there is a small chance that something terrible can happen - but that can happen anytime you have your child out of your sight - say at daycare or even at school.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2015 14:34     Subject: Would you let you 5 year old fly unaccompanied overseas?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP- have you considered driving him up to NYC to get him on a direct flight? I would probably let my 5YO fly unaccompanied if the grandparents would be there on the other end. The layover makes it much less appealing.

OP never said what the final destination is - so there is a possibility that there are no direct flights from US to there at all. From the connecting airports she mentioned and the price range I'm picturing something like Iran or Ethiopia - but I guess that she decided that the thread "would you let your 5 year old fly unaccompanied to Iran?" would not be taken so seriously


There is no direct fly to the destination. There has got to me a European or Middle Eastern lay over.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2015 14:32     Subject: Would you let you 5 year old fly unaccompanied overseas?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:People call CPS when they see kids playing alone in their own backyard these days. How do you think something like this would ever, uh, fly in today's world?


I just looked up international airline policies on min. ages for unaccompanied minors and transfers:
El Al - age 5 - 100 dollar fee, no transfers allowed
British Airways- age 5, 150 dollars, no transfers; age 6-12 child can transfer flights
Air France- age 5, can transfer plans and there is a special lounge for unaccompanied minors at Paris-Orly and DeG., 75euros
http://www.airfrance.us/US/en/common/guidevoyageur/assistance/enfant_seul_um.htm
Emirates Airlines- age 5, must pay for adult ticket, can transfer but only onto Emirate flights. The website said they would even take a picture of your kid on board or give them birthday cake if it is their birthday.
Singapore Airlines-age 5, transfer only
Lufthansa-age 5, transfers aloud, special lounge for unaccompanied minors in Frankfurt and Munich airports


So actually in today's world it would fly for a five year old to be an unaccompanied minor.



OP here: We have flown Emirates and Air France a few times and those would be the two airlines that I would likely consider. The two close friends I have who did this had their children fly on Emirates and they were treated very well and arrived happy and excited about their adventure. I respect everyone's feelings and opinions, even those who have questioned my judgement. Nothing said has been taken personally. What I have learnt is you do what seems most comfortable for you, baring all the risks and being fully aware of what you are can live with. Worst case scenario, this is a terrible experience for him and I will fly overseas to get him so we can return back together. Best case, he is 100% fine and gets one the plane unaccompanied again on the journey back.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2015 14:32     Subject: Would you let you 5 year old fly unaccompanied overseas?
Anonymous wrote:14:17 again - I should add that my 5 yo is also the outgoing, never met a stranger she wouldn't talk to type. But she is 5 and has a 5 year old's judgement and simply isn't ready for that level of independent action.


This is a lot like my oldest. I still wouldn't send her alone, even at 6 or 7. Not only can I not predict how she would react if something happened, but I also think it is profoundly unfair to the other passengers. She would talk and socialize for hours, but poor Joe Shmoe in seat 17f didn't part $1700 to hear the plot of Frozen acted out line for line.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2015 14:24     Subject: Re:Would you let you 5 year old fly unaccompanied overseas?
Oh, OP is back and obviously not interested in any feedback different from what she thinks is right (why do we even bother?)

But I still want to hear what the final destination is. But alas...
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2015 14:21     Subject: Would you let you 5 year old fly unaccompanied overseas?
14:17 again - I should add that my 5 yo is also the outgoing, never met a stranger she wouldn't talk to type. But she is 5 and has a 5 year old's judgement and simply isn't ready for that level of independent action.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2015 14:18     Subject: Would you let you 5 year old fly unaccompanied overseas?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Doesn't anyone care that this 5 year old is going to be away from his mother for the summer - - is it all summer? If it's more than a week, I think that's cruel


No, it's cultural. My 6 year-old goes to her grandparents for at least a month over the summer, and we have friends who sent their toddler (they flew with her and then came back) overseas with grandparents for the whole summer.


My parents used to send me to my grandparents' country house in the summers. I loved it. I could play and run around outdoors all day every day with all my other cousins.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2015 14:17     Subject: Would you let you 5 year old fly unaccompanied overseas?
I wouldn't. I am just about ready to let my 5 & 7.5 yo kid fly UM on a direct, domestic flight of ~3.5 hours. They have flown regularly for years, on recent flights we have begun talking through how it would work, and they would be together. I would consider sending the 7.5 yo solo, though we'd both prefer she have her sister with her, but there is no way my 5 yo is ready to fly completely alone.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2015 14:16     Subject: Would you let you 5 year old fly unaccompanied overseas?
Anonymous wrote:It really depends on how outgoing your kid is. My oldest could never do that- he would be too afraid and too shy to say something if he needed help. He would be a nervous wreck. My younger son who is five I really could picture flying alone and having a great time. He is really outgoing, will be the first to speak up or ask a question, and figures out things. When we send both boys to the snack bar alone during a baseball game, the youngest likes to hold the money and order the food. Our oldest said last time someone tried to cut in front of them and the little one spoke up and said to get behind them. He is a cute, friendly kid who people notice and help out.

If you have to do it OP, I would find a family who is flying on the same flight in the waiting area and ask them to keep an eye on him just in case too. If a single mom asked me to do that on an overseas flight, I would totally keep my eye on the kid and check on him during the flight.


OP here: Thank you. And my son is totally your younger son.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2015 14:09     Subject: Re:Would you let you 5 year old fly unaccompanied overseas?
Anonymous wrote:What about a 12 year old on a direct flight, being picked up by family on the other end?

(considering this for next summer)


I am a firm hell no! for the five year old but would totally do what you are suggesting.