Children Traveling Alone: What Every Parent Should Know.
The Unaccompanied Minor
Children traveling alone—What every parent should know
This year almost 6 million children will travel by themselves on US airlines. That is almost 19,000 children per day. Statistically that means one child per flight is flying as an unaccompanied minor. The airlines have been flying children as unaccompanied minors for many years now, but since 9/11 many things have changed in the airline industry, and the airlines unaccompanied minor program is also going through many changes.
Many airlines have recently instituted new policies with regards to their own unaccompanied minor programs. These new policies are either directly related to financial burdens on the airlines, new Transportation and Safety Administration instituted rules or Liability burdens that the airlines do not want to assume. Each year since 9/11 there have been many reported instances of airlines and airline employees making mistakes with children in their unaccompanied minor care. These mistakes are as simple as not calling parents to inform them of delays to abuse and neglect by airline staff and airline passengers. Though most children in the airlines Unaccompanied minor program breeze through the experience, there are certain things parents should know and certain expectations that parents should have with the airlines before putting their children on a plane alone.
The Airlines Unaccompanied Minor Program
No Airline will accept a minor under the age of five in their unaccompanied minor program. From there every airline has a different policy concerning their own unaccompanied minor program. These programs can be individually viewed at www.unaccompaniedminor.net.
Advice for parents considering the airlines unaccompanied minor program.
- Call the airline directly and inquire about their policies. A knowledgable agent should have this information available to you. If you know what airline you want your child to fly you can access the airlines website or click on the name of the airline at www.unaccompaniedminor.net and it will take you directly to the Unaccompanied minor page for that specific airline.
- If you do decide to purchase an unaccompanied minor ticket you must purchase the ticket directly over the phone or through a travel agent. At this time no airline allows you to purchase tickets through their respective websites.
- There is usually a fee associated with being an unaccompanied minor with some exceptions these fees range from $25.00 to $99.00 one way.
- Unaccompanied Minor tickets are adult tickets; You will generally not be eligible for child fares when using the airlines unaccompanied minor program.
- Many airlines do now allow for connectons for their younger passengers, and they may not allow children to travel on the last flight out, so be sure to inquire.
- Make sure your child is mature enough to travel by his/herself. Just because the minimum age for travel in the airlines Unaccompanied minor program is 5 it doesn’t mean that every five year old should be traveling alone. Remember: Your child will be sitting alone on a plane next to a complete stranger. The flight attendants will be checking on the child, but they also have a job to do. This can be a very frightening experience for any child so know your childs maturity level before putting them on a plane alone.
I have purchased an unaccompanied Minor ticket for my child now what?
- Make sure the ticket is an eligible unaccompanied minor ticket with a paid unaccompanied minor fee. The airlines have no way of knowing whether you child is 2 or 62 so if you show up at the airport without this designation you could delay getting your child on the flight.
- On the day of the flight make sure you call the airlines at least 4 hours before scheduled departure to confirm the flight. If there are sever weather delays or an elevation in the TSA security level the airlines may opt to cancel the transportation of unaccompanied minors. For some parents who don’t call in to check the status of the flight they find out at the airport that the airline will not honor the unaccompanied minor ticket.
- Prepare your child for what to expect on the flight, especially if this may be their first time in the air. Have a question and answer session with your child and go over all possible scenarios with that child, who they should and should not talk to, airplane etiquette, bumps and noises while in the aircraft, etc.
- Put together a fun kit for your child to give them something to do. Puzzles, something to read, games to play etc. The longer the flight the more you should put in the fun kit. Kids get bored and restless very easily especially on airplanes. (Remember not to put any liquids like juice or water in the fun kit, as it will probably be confiscated by TSA.
- Make sure that a responsible adult will be on the other end picking up your child, and don’t be late. Ask that the responsible adult request a gate pass to enter the airport. (this policy is at the total discretion of the airline.
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