Unaccompanied child on airline
 

Yesterday I went to pick up my 13 year old from the airport and as I was waiting in line for my pass she walked up to me, unchaperoned. The airline simply told me to send an email that they're good with that kind of thing. What should I expect for compensation?

Compensation?
We have a young'un who flew to NY to visit us every year from the age of 5. He was accompanied by one of the flight attendants .
But when he got to be old enough to manage on his own, but still under 16 , he walked off the plane on his own..
We were there at the gate waiting on him so it was never a problem for us.
What does the unaccompanied minor paperwork say ? You had to sign something right?

PS..I think up to the age of 12 is when they are considered unaccompanied minors.

Did you request and pay for unaccompanied minor service? I know that for some airlines, it is mandatory at 13 (e.g., American) and for others (e.g., United), it is not.

We did have this happen last year with United (12yo - very experienced traveler, but flying alone for the first time; we paid for UM service). Due to a procedural error at check in, she was not supervised after take off and exited the plane, collected her luggage, found grandma, etc., on her own, with no signature. I submitted an email complaint and received a reply about five weeks later, with a $75 travel voucher (essentially the cost of the UM service for one segment of the trip).

My grandaughter is 14 years. Three weeks ago she flew to Arkansas to her summer camp.
The Mom had to sign her in and took her at the gate .
Also she had to leave the name of the person that was going to pick her up at the Airport in Arkansas.
The Airline was quite strict and she had a Chaperon when she changed planes.

I don't understand what compensation is in order. <b>Unless</b> you paid for unaccompanied minor services, then you should get part of your fee back.

If you didn't pay for UM services you aren't out anything. Which airline/airport?

It was required to pay for this service. I dropped her off at the gate and showed ID, signed papers, it was the same when her father picked her up. When I showed up I was supposed to get a pass at the ticket counter so that I could meet her at the gate. The airline, AA, didn't seem to have even missed her.

Did her flight arrive early? I don't understand how, as you're making a big deal about something you think an airline &quot;should&quot; have done, you didn't make sure you were there in plenty of time to get your pass and get to the gate before the plane got there.

The poster Mellissa signed a document and paid the fees, and it worked on the first leg of the journey.

Did the child's father sign the same documents for the return flight? If the UM was booked and paid for, it is the airlines responsibility to make sure all the documents are in order AND to capherone the child UNTIL the person listed on the documents are there to collect the child.

My children have flown several times as UM's (in Europe) and only once was there a &quot;hick up&quot;, the plane landed early, and person collecting from London City Airport was stuck in traffic due to and accident. I had a phone call from British Airways, and my children were waiting in the offices until my friend came to collect.

UM's are listed on the flight documents and it is the flight attendants and ground staff's responsibility to check before disembarking the passengers.

Obviously a mistake has been made somewhere, unfortunately it has happened before and children has been left unattended, although I have to say never to us.

If you paid for the unaccompanied minor service and the airline did not &quot;acompany&quot; the child, then I would feel you should get your paid fee reimbursed since they did not do what you paid for.

I have to admit that if I paid for the service for a child and the airline left them unattended, I would not be happy. If you pay for unaccompanied minor service, then the airline is supposed to ID the person retriveing the minor on the other end and not leave the minor to fend for themselves, nor are they supposed to let the minor out of their sight at any time since they are 100% responsible for that person. Or at least that has always been the way it's been handled by AA for my husband's daughter in 10 international trips. She wasn't even allowed to go to walk to the ladies room alone and we were thankful for that and paid for that service and accompaniment.

Even if you get no compensation, at least be happy that no harm came to the child being unattended when you didn't mean for her to be.