bs83

Hello...I tried searching boards but found few posts on the subject of *very young* unaccompanied minors on flights.

Our family is dealing with a medical situation, our 8 month old son is going to be getting a liver transplant, which will require my husband and I to stay in the LA area for approx 3 months (we live in AZ). During that time our 7 year old son and 5 year old daughter will fly out to visit us for a few days every other week.

We thought they were too young to fly unaccompanied, but since the flight is non-stop they can. We are unsure of it though. They seem awfully young to be alone on the plane-- (the getting to the gate and being picked up part doesn't worry me, we have plenty of family & friends that could take them to airport and see them off properly, and we would be waiting at the gate for them at arrival) its the sitting next to a strange person for an hour who may touch/talk to them innappropriately that worries me.

The first couple of flights we would fly out and then return with them and vice versa so they could get the hang of it...but still...I may be overprotective, but I am very antsy about these kind of things. (It doesnt help that I actually have a good friend who was groped under a blanket by an older male passenger while flying unaccompanied as a child.)

I'm just not sure how safe this truly is...will the flight attendant have their eyes on my kids the WHOLE hour, or is there really a risk here? It would save us so much time & money if they went alone (2 sets of round trip tickets = $400 each visit, approx $1,200 a month!). But if I have ANY lingering doubts at ALL for their safety, we will chaperone them every single time.

Any personal thoughts/experiences, opinions on the subject to share? Thank you very much!

dfr4848

First, good luck with the transplant. I assume you've checked the specific requirements of each potential airline (thus your comment about the nonstop flight) - they do vary.

Our daughter flew as an unaccompanied minor several times (primarily on CO and WN, but a couple of times on NW) - her first time was age 7. She had flown several times before, so the experience itself was not new to her. We never experienced a problem at all. The airlines are extremely careful about minors, for obvious reasons. No, they do not watch them the entire flight; they have the usual duties to perform of serving other passengers.

Most are seated in the front (at least on WN) so it is easy for the FAs to watch them. The kids wear big tags around their necks so they're easy to spot and keep track of. Usually they are the first on and last off so a FA is with them and, in our experience, they absolutely do not let them out of their sight.

If you have the getting to the gate and pick up resolved, that's the biggest issue IMO. ID is very strictly checked. And your idea of going with them the first couple of times is excellent - just explain to them in detail the process as you make those first trips (especially if they haven't flown before).

I think they (and you) will do fine.

illnative

bs83

First of all - I really hope the surgery goes well for your 8 month old - our thoughts and prayers are with you!

I actually don't have kids but travel a lot for work and fly a considerable amount. My 2 cents is that please, please don't count on any airline employee keeping any kind of watch over your kids - especially on the airplane. These folks are generally very overworked and sometimes, have very bad attitudes (rightly so in some cases) - but my point is that even if you are paying an arm and a leg for them to fly unaccompanied, I think the only thing you can count on is assistance on and off the plane. My second thought is that there are plenty of wierd people that fly (that I have sat next to!) and you can't count on people being decent towards children - unfortunately.

Is there a family relative or friend that could fly with them? I have a 4.5 and 7 year old niece and nephew and I know if called upon I would gladly be their escort. Not sure of your situation, but hopefully there would be someone you know well that could accompany them for you.

Best of luck to you all!

caribtraveler

bs83: Good luck with your baby! I cannot begin to imagine what you're going through.

Since you asked for opinions. We have a 6-year-old and we would never do it. Strangers (the flight attendants in this case) simply will not care as much and will not be as vigilant with your children as you would be. That's just a fact. I'm also in agreement with the previous poster regarding weird people who fly.

Another thing to think about: I've always read that different airlines have different policies regarding unaccompanied minors. You might want to look into it. I just looked at Southwest's rules on its website and here's the 2 parts that caught my eye:
1. "Southwest Airlines will be unable to transport Unaccompanied Minors on flights anticipated to terminate short of or bypass the child's destination due to weather or other operational situations."
2. "Southwest Airlines personnel are not permitted to take children home or remain with them overnight in a hotel. If the child is not met and the adult sending the child cannot be reached, or if the child cannot be returned to the originating city at the sending adult's expense, the child will be turned over to the custody of the welfare department or local police."

Yikes! What is something happens while in flight? Weather turbulence, mechanical issue and they have to land somewhere else? The way air travel is these days, I wouldn't chance it on them being alone.

Whatever you decide, good luck and I wish you all the best!

P_M

Nothing to add except I would like to send best wishes and prayers your way for your baby's surgery.

dutyfree

As a flight attendant of 35 years with a major US airline I disagree.

Every UCM that we carry on our airline is always watched. The agents always try to seat them near the flight attendants and usually they pick a seat that has a "normal type" person sitting next to them-ie.a mom,possibly another child with family,grandma,etc.

I will admit that the days of us sitting down and coloring,etc.with them have gone but we always watch over them as we are going back and forth in the aisle. I have reseated kids when I thought that they wanted to talk(near the galley) or if they want to look out the window,etc.

They are NEVER released to anyone except the person who is to pick them up and that is always with a check of a driver's license,etc. We have had agents take the kids home to their own families after checking with the parents when something unusual has happened like storms,mechanicals,etc.

A group that you might look into is AIRLINE AMBASSADORS. It is a group of airline employees that work worldwide to do various special jobs(volunteer) because of their pass privileges. One of these is flying with children whose parents cannot fly with them to medical situations,etc.Perhaps they could offer some type of suggestion as this is involving a medical situation.

Also, if there is a particular airline that you are partial to-perhaps you could see if there is a group of their airline employees that would offer to travel with them since AZ to LA is not that long of a flight?

I wish you all the best-sorry that I live in Chicago or I would offer to help.

bs83

Thanks for the responses so far!

To answer questions...

Illnative- yes, we have lots of family and friends, who if called upon, would be glad to help and chaperone them on a flight. That was our original plan, but after talking to Southwest on the phone, they said the kids could actually fly alone since it was non-stop (PHX to LAX). Our issue is mainly thinking about the financial side of of it. And admittedly, it would be a lot less stress to not HAVE to arrange chaperones (it would probably take that person approx 5 hours of their day after picking up the kids, getting to the airport, checking in, flying over to LA w/ the kids, checking into their return flight, then driving home, etc.) Although perhaps the stress of worrying about them on the plane ALONE would be equal to that!!!

CariB- yes, I saw those on the website and also wondered exactly what that meant. I read a thread on this subject over at Frommers and nearly had a heart attack with all the horror stories and imagined situations people conjured up that could go wrong!!! Since it is only an hour long flight, I am not as concerned as I might be for a longer flight...but still...like you said, the risk IS there.

Dutyfree- that program sounds awesome! I will surely look into it. I hope they do offer it at Southwest...it seems like the person we talked to on the phone would've mentioned it if they did though. It is nice to hear an opinion from an actual flight attendant though. I have read lots of comments on other sites from passengers that make it sound like FAs highly dislike UMs and it shouldn't be part of their job description at all. I wouldn't want my kids to be a burden on someone else!

dutyfree

bs83-I am only speaking for myself but I am a mom although they are older and know/remember how it was when they were younger and traveling even with my husband and I.So many flight attendants are parents so we are savvy about kids and the angst!
Just make sure that they always have something to occupy themselves along with some snacks to munch-you would be so surprised how many parents don't even send a toy,books,craft project,etc. with their children on a flight.

clevelandbrown

I don't recall the specific site, but I recall that one of the alarmist articles recently about how airlines were adding and increasing fees for services, they said that one item under consideration was adding a fee for handling unaccompanied minors.

coldkelly

Seeing that it's only a one hour flight and that you'll do some trial runs, I'd give it a try. Wishing you the best of luck with your youngest one.

abram

After you make the flight with them, you'll probably get a good handle on whether they can comfortably do it on our own.

When my daughter was almost five (I'm embarrassed to admit that we liked about her age by a few weeks), she flew a one hour non-stop flight we had taken many times together to visit my parents. My son was nine before he was willing to do that, but he'd probably have gone with his big sister.

tenthumbs

My stepchildren had to fly from San Jose, CA, to Fairbanks, AK, to visit their mother when they were 5 and 7. Due to a late departure, they missed their connecting flight in Seattle; an airline representative stayed with them until they were able to board another flight to Fairbanks, and they were allowed to call their parents. Neither of them seemed overly concerned with anything other than boredom. My daughter has flown by herself as an unaccompanied minor and enjoys it, but she's a pretty independent kid! If your kids are adventurous and independent, they will probably be fine. As far as a stranger touching them inappropriately~the flight attendants are aware they are unaccompanied minors and will be watching out for that~your children will not be ignored.
Some airlines charge an unaccompanied minor fee, so be aware of that.
If your children are flying Southwest, make sure you get each of them a Rapid Rewards number; for every 8 rountrips they fly in 2 years, they receive a free flight.
Best wishes for a successful surgery and speedy recovery for your baby!

pat

It`s been awhile, but I had an unaccomanied minor sit next to me. The flight attendant moved her, to a section where other kids were sitting. They were coloring and seem to be having fun together.

Momliz

how do you think your kids will handle it? are they adventurous? or nervous? are they OK asking someone for help?

leavingsoon

I have an idea:

Is it possible for one of you two fly HOME on the same schedule?

I understand that you have a need to be with your baby at the time of the operation, but is there any reason why you both must be there for three months?

You can take turns being the parent who flies home for a visit.

Alternatively, no one has suggested Ronald McDonald House, but they are set up for this exact situation. Perhaps you want to look into that solution as well.

Good luck.

FainaAgain

Speedy recovery to your baby!

I remember once a father put his daughter on-board of Southwest. They allow him to go to the gate, make sure she'll get on the plane, she pre-boarded accompanied by a flight attendant.

I was sitting not far away, the flight attendant brought her crayons and a book to color, drinks and snacks.

Didn't see who'd met her.

tenthumbs

the airline can only release the child(ren) to a specified adult at the gate; that adult must show photo ID.

jbella

It is so funny that dutyfree affirmed my thoughts about UAMs & me.

I am the "grandma" type and if there is a lone child aboard, he or she always seems to end up next to me!

As I am a grandma, I don't mind at all. Your little ones should be fine on their own after a couple of flights with someone they know.

If I should happen to sit next to them, I know all the words to Little Bunny Fufu.

Best wishes for your little ones.