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Minors flying solo. Any experience?

Nick Leduc

Nick Leduc

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We are flying our 14 year old daughter to visit her father from SC to Boston.
We went with American because it was a direct flight and they charge a 150 fee to "babysit" which seems like they hold the child until a parent takes over.

The father, purchased the flight home. He went Southwest, which has zero direct flights. They also don't charge the 150 fee, but the kid is on their own. Meaning during the 50 minute layover in Baltimore, she has to find her next gate and board herself.

I know my step daughter, she is not good on her own. My wife and I have put our foot down and said absolutely not to her flying solo with a layover, making his tickets useless right now. I don't care about his finances so I dont care if he is out $.

I'm I being a hovering parent here? Anyone ever let a kid fly solo?
 
It all depends on the kid. Some 14 year olds would be fine, and some would be completely lost.

SW has the most generous cancelation/change policy, so he will probably be ok. He can change the flight for something later that he can use.
 
Haven't done kids but have done elderly. Airlines generally will have someone waiting for them and will escort them including the gate changes. You've probably seen the uniformed attendant with wheelchairs waiting near the gates. That's them, for instance.

It hasn't be perfect but most of the time they've done a great job. And, yes, probably depends on the airline to an extent.

I'd call them to verify how they handle the service.
 
I flew with a layover to California when I was in 10th grade, so 16 years old and it was in Texas I’m pretty sure. It’s kind of different for guys obviously, but if she stays in the terminal and sticks to the itinerary I assume nothing would go wrong.
 
I flew from LA to SpaceCamp in Alabama by myself in the 8th grade. I think I was 13? Late 12?

I was skittish about the layover in Nashville, but I sucked it up and did it. Got there just fine, met my ground transpo, the works. I had a detailed set of instructions from my parents, and this was WAY pre-internet and pre-cellphone. It was fine. I'm sure my parents were completely nervous, but they never showed it; it gave me confidence that they didn't seem to worry.

She can do it, most likely. People rise to the occasion, most of the time. But with that said, you know her and I don't. Your call. Part of this isn't just about her safety; it's also about your peace of mind.
 
You might have had good experience in the past, but it's 2020. We live in crazy times. What if your kid were to run into a sticky situation? Would you chance that with a kid that's not good about things on her own? You're not being a hovering parent. It's a sick world out there and it's better safe than sorry.
 
I agree with lennypeters. I would never let my kids when they were that age fly alone and have a layover. Times are crazy now but I’m old school. Be careful bakers son not on the flight
 
My wifes grandson has done the unaccompanied minor with fee, he is 12. They wont do any with a layover at least Jet Blue. I think too much to deal with with any unforeseen issues.
They want you to stay at the gate until plane is in the air.
 
Depends on the kid. My son made a ton of trips BOS to FL to see mom, first with me (two round-trips for me...fun times...not. He almost made Silver Medallion on Delta at age 3 or 4). By 14 or so, he was going solo without accompanied minor fees on Southwest, though tried to avoid plane changes when possible, but he made a few at BWI. He was fine.
 
SKumar said:
You might have had good experience in the past, but it's 2020. We live in crazy times. What if your kid were to run into a sticky situation? Would you chance that with a kid that's not good about things on her own? You're not being a hovering parent. It's a sick world out there and it's better safe than sorry.
Click to expand...

This. zero percent chance I would let my kid fly solo with a layover.

I flew to Denver and back solo when I was 15, but that was 1995. Direct flights both ways.
 
Picton said:
I flew from LA to SpaceCamp in Alabama by myself in the 8th grade. I think I was 13? Late 12?

I was skittish about the layover in Nashville, but I sucked it up and did it. Got there just fine, met my ground transpo, the works. I had a detailed set of instructions from my parents, and this was WAY pre-internet and pre-cellphone. It was fine. I'm sure my parents were completely nervous, but they never showed it; it gave me confidence that they didn't seem to worry.

She can do it, most likely. People rise to the occasion, most of the time. But with that said, you know her and I don't. Your call. Part of this isn't just about her safety; it's also about your peace of mind.
Click to expand...

Ok....space camp? How have you not had a thread on that yet? I never wanted anything as much as I wanted to go to space camp when I was 12.
 
NickLeduc said:
We are flying our 14 year old daughter to visit her father from SC to Boston.
We went with American because it was a direct flight and they charge a 150 fee to "babysit" which seems like they hold the child until a parent takes over.

The father, purchased the flight home. He went Southwest, which has zero direct flights. They also don't charge the 150 fee, but the kid is on their own. Meaning during the 50 minute layover in Baltimore, she has to find her next gate and board herself.

I know my step daughter, she is not good on her own. My wife and I have put our foot down and said absolutely not to her flying solo with a layover, making his tickets useless right now. I don't care about his finances so I dont care if he is out $.

I'm I being a hovering parent here? Anyone ever let a kid fly solo?
Click to expand...
I was 14, living in Europe and taking trains from Brussels to Waterloo, taking buses, going everywhere.

I was also 13 in Argentina going around the city on my own.

So, in my view, you are hovering. But, that is not fair to say because airports can be a mess, they can be very confusing if you never navigated one and they can be specially confusing to kids that are not used to be on their own and finding their way.

So, I think her dad is a f*cking moron and being a cheap a**hole.

I would offer to pay the difference and get her on a direct flight. Be the bigger man. That is why his wife left him.

Maybe even fly back with her, even if it costs you more, and take the opportunity to teach her how to navigate airports. Once you navigate one airport, you can pretty much navigate all airports.
 
No. Layovers are a shitshow. I used to fly around alot in the 2000s in my 30s and I had a 50% success rate getting on the connecting flight. Either got there late and missed it or the connecting flight was cancelled. slept in the airport more than once.

The whole process is a fiasco. Would not send my kid on a multi hop.

Back in the late 80s my wife, 12 and her 9 yr old sister would fly to germany on direct flights. But now isn't then.
 
SKumar said:
You might have had good experience in the past, but it's 2020. We live in crazy times. What if your kid were to run into a sticky situation? Would you chance that with a kid that's not good about things on her own? You're not being a hovering parent. It's a sick world out there and it's better safe than sorry.
Click to expand...
Removing all the sick stuff. A few years back airlones had realistic layovers. Today, its more and more land and take off 5minutes later. It is stupid.

It could make sense if people with a layover were allowed to leave first, but thats not the case. And the aurplane taking off is almost never the next gate over.

I have been on flights from Latin America, that landed in Atlanta with only a 50min or less layover. If anyone has ever gone through immigration, TSA again and finding your gate in Atlanta, you know you better be in damn good shape and the plane better arrive early or you are not making it. No way I would put a kid in that situation.

Going south is the same, I was flying to SC for business, every lay over was like 40min. Of course, my airplane arrived 35min late and I watched the ither airplane take off. I was stuck in Washington DC for 4hrs. Arrived to SC almost at 1am.
 
This brings up bad memories when Massachusetts courts ordered me to let my girls fly unattended to see their mother. The policy was that the parent couldn't leave the airport before wheels up. They flew down no problem but on the way back I was picking them up at tf green. My ex put them on the plane and left the Baltimore airport. This was pre 911 and not everyone had cell phones. I am waiting at the airport when I get paged. My gf(now wife) received a call from someone on the plane telling her that the flight was canceled because of mechanical problems. I drove to Baltimore to pick them up and next time I was in court I told the judge that I would go to jail before I let them fly to visit my ex.
I hope you have better luck.
 
When is was 13 (mid 90s) I flew solo BOS SFO SNA. Return flight was nonstop from LAX.

Don’t recall having any issue finding my gate in SFO, thought I’m sure I asked an airport worker for directions.
 
Each kid is different. What’s the timeframe? sorry if I missed that. but maybe find some super cheap flights to random places for you and her. Make/let her lead the way. you are along for the ride. use the Socratic method. don’t give her the answers but make her think for herself. It could make you both feel better. I flew from Bos to CO by myself when I was 12-13. spent 3 months in a summer camp away from family.
 
vicorjh said:
Haven't done kids but have done elderly. Airlines generally will have someone waiting for them and will escort them including the gate changes. You've probably seen the uniformed attendant with wheelchairs waiting near the gates.
Click to expand...
OP could probably get 98% of the babysit service from the airline
by claiming that his daughter sprained her ankle, and needs a wheelchair
for the transfer.

Or not.

Just a comment from the Skinflint-American community.
 
I grew up overseas. I routinely flew from Europe to the US from the ages of 8-16 w my sister who was 2 years older than me.

While growing up in a major EU city I took public transportation to/from school from the age of 11-16.

This was before the age of the internet and cel phone. I’d have zero issue w a 14 year old flying domestic w one connection traveling w a cel phone
 
I’ve done both kids and elderly. I’ve always booked direct flights, no matter what it cost, even if I had to fly them first class. For kids, if I can’t fly them direct, I either accompany them myself or pay for a trusted friend or other family member to accompany them. I’ve flown enough to know that things can happen to cause you to miss your connecting flight and sometimes the next one out isn’t until the next day. You know your daughter, but I wouldn't want a 14 year old who isn’t a really experienced traveler overnighting in a hotel by herself in some strange city.
 
Picton said:
I flew from LA to SpaceCamp in Alabama by myself in the 8th grade. I think I was 13? Late 12?

I was skittish about the layover in Nashville, but I sucked it up and did it. Got there just fine, met my ground transpo, the works. I had a detailed set of instructions from my parents, and this was WAY pre-internet and pre-cellphone. It was fine. I'm sure my parents were completely nervous, but they never showed it; it gave me confidence that they didn't seem to worry.

She can do it, most likely. People rise to the occasion, most of the time. But with that said, you know her and I don't. Your call. Part of this isn't just about her safety; it's also about your peace of mind.
Click to expand...
yup, in general...inside airports are safe these days
 

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