Children Traveling Alone

Hello from a sympathetic soul! :) During my divorce, my ex moved across the country. It was awhile before he asked to have the kids fly out to see him but I knew it was inevitable. Not only were they taking their first flight--they were doing it without me. I was nervous! At the time of travel, they were "just turned 11" and "almost 8" years old. When my ex booked their tickets, he identified them both as Unaccompanied Minors. It costs extra to do so but it meant that they would be escorted at all times and right to the plane by an airline employee (since I wasn't allowed past a certain point at the airport... and believe me, I tried! LOL). They were identified to the flight attendants as unaccompanied, they were served "kid food" (which, in truth, they didn't like as much LOL They would have preferred the normal food service) and they were escorted off the plane at their destination. They were given a packet of papers and I had to sign that I was the one that put them ON the plane and my ex had to sign that he was the one to get them OFF the plane at the other end. When they came home, same thing. They also received ball caps with a nondescript "UA" on them and they had to wear ID tags around their necks when they went anywhere with airline staff. When I met them the night they arrived home, they were with a gentleman from the airline who asked me to identify myself with photo ID (even though the kids were jumping up and down calling Mommy! Mommy! before I even got up to them LOL) If your child is not nervous about flying, that's a great start. Letting him feel confident and independent (in spite of all the security and steps being taken "behind the scenes") will help him have a good trip. Make sure he has a backpack with some things to do during the flight (in case there is no movie, for example, to keep him amused). If you do good prep work in booking his flights, the airlines are excellent help... they really are :) Good luck to you all and I wish your son a safe, happy trip!

southwest airlines thats the parnet ake the kids start to the plane by theam slefs the only time a agent wachts a kid is when the plane lands at the airport

I know when you book a ticket you could phone the airlines that your booking for uncompanied minors. I know they have this thing also with senior citizens etc, physically challenged.

Parents worry though their children be of adult age. However, 10 yrs old ,in 2007 is big enough age. Children are becoming wiser and wiser.They get many chances in school as well in home, where they have to exhibit greater maturity and they try to do it neatly.But to make yourself a little assured,if you can arrange a co passenger who is a little elder and can be entrusted to keep monitoring the kid during flight.