Unaccompanied minor- how does flying by yourself work for a 13 year old?

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Eclipsepearl

Here is the policy on U.S. Airways;
http://www.usairways.com/awa/content/traveltools/specialneeds/unaccompaniedminors.aspx

Going as an unaccompanied minor is actually not a big deal. An airline employee escorts them to the flight. The Flight Attendants are aware of them but don't treat them any differently than any other young people onboard. Once on the ground, another airline employee makes sure the UM's get the correct bags and are picked up by the right people.

I worked mainly long-haul international flights so most of the UM's I had on my flights were brought onboard by fellow employees on the ground. For domestic flights, the parents or grandparents would bring them to the plane. Most of them were the children of divorced parents and were very used to flying on their own. We didn't babysit them and didn't treat them any differently than our other young passengers. We simply made sure they left the aircraft with another ground agent on arrival.

Flying this way is not a big deal and works very well.

Hope it works out!

Rainy

a parent or gardian will be allowed a pass to escort them to the gate . . then a parent /gardian will be allowed to go to gate to meet . . the parent/gardian will check in and get the gate pass . . my son did this over the summer . .

BonesofaTeacher

depends on the airline. but basically no, you don't have anything special except your parents can come through security to the gate even though they are not flying. often they won't release you unless the correct people are there with id to pick you up. i have done this several times. no problem. usually the flight attendant is extra nice to you.

You have to let the airline know upfront that the ticket is for a minor traveling alone and they will get a special escort and all sorts of extra care.

fenskebl

On US Airways who ever is buying your ticket will be charged an "unaccompanied minor fee". If you are going round trip I believe it is an extra hundred dollars. You will need to have the name and addreses of the people who are dropping you off and picking you up along with two phone numbers for both. Get to the airport a little earlier then normal cause there will be paper work for the person dropping you off to fill out. Other then that, 1 person can come up to the gate with you and needs to stay until your flight leaves the ground.
You should be good to go.
Safe flying!!!

karamba_power

When I was in grade 6 and my brother in grade 2 and we went to Poland by are self's we got an escort. This laddie told us where to go, what seats to take. Later when we landed in Poland a man was notified about us and waited for us to get off. He made sure that we had all are stuff and, made sure that we identified are family members.

This was an international flight on LOT which is a Polish airline. But I think this is a standard procedure. This was done through a travel agency.

momvader73

go to the check-in counter to register and check in.
you will fill out a form with a lot of information, such as your name, address, and phone number. you also have to have the name address and phone number of the person picking the child up. That person has to be the one to pick the child up.
the adult will get an escort pass to be able to get back to the gates.
once the plane takes off, you cannot leave the gate area for 15 minutes in case the plane is re-directed back to the gate.
picking the child up is the same. you go to the check-in counter to get an escort pass, then go to the gate to get the child.
they will check the child's paperwor against your ID to make sure you are the one who is supposed to be picking the child up.
on the plane, the children are *usually* chaperoned. the unaccompanied minors all sit together.
sometimes it is not so great. my 13 year-old daughter was in a window seat next to a man who was drinking alcohol on her last flight.
If you have any questions, feel free to email me.

alli

i go by myself every year and im 13. depending on the airline they will be an adult. i flew on an airline last summer and i was an "adult" but i still was able to recieve special help. im not sure for us airways. they should let ur 13 year old board first and get off last. its really easy even tho i was nervous. and the flight attendents are really nice. usually -.-

Matt

They will be treated as an adult, kind of. They have a special section towards the back of the plane for minors flying by themselves. So there is always an attendant back there with the minors. If they need anything, the attendant will help them, they come frequently to make sure that everything is ok. AND if there is a seat available in first class, the unaccompanied minors get first dibs. They will automatically move the child there. So your 13 year old would be fine.

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