When Children Fly Alone
http://thekojonnamdishow.org/shows/2012-08-20/when-children-fly-alone
Guest Host:
Rebecca Roberts
United Airlines is taking criticism over its policies for minors who fly unaccompanied by adults. A Bethesda, Md., man took his concerns public this weekend, after he paid a fee to have his daughter escorted in airports on her flight and she was still left alone. We examine the business practices airlines are deploying on this front, and why some airlines have outsourced how they handle minors to separate companies.
Guests
Brett Snyder
Author, The Cranky Flier blog; President and Chief of Cranky Concierge air travel assistance. Contributing writer, CNN and Conde Nast Traveler.
Comments
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Hi there, Julia from Ashburn, VA here. Long time listener, first time commenter. I'm listening online.
I hope that all airlines take this opportunity to review their unaccompanied minor policies and programs.
While in these two cases it sounds like United erred on the side of too little involvement, I recently had a case of what I felt was too much involvement. Earlier this month, Delta insisted on collecting a $200 unaccompanied minor fee round trip ($100 each way) for my 13 year old daughter, despite the fact that (a) her 16 year old brother flew with her, and (b) one parent escorted them to the gate at their departure airport and the other parent picked them up at the gate at their arrival airport. I protested the fee, to no avail.
Thanks!
AS anyone with step-children knows, children flying alone is an unfortunate necessity.
And there are not direct flights from and to every location.
There is no direct flight from my step children's home with their mother to our house and the closest airport with a direct flight is 5+ hours away
When they were smaller one of us would fly to get them and fly them back resulting in the purchasing of 4 roundtrip tickets ( 1 for each child and 2 for the adult) but not everyone can afford that.
In an age where parents have monitors in their kids rooms from birth, schedule their play time, and every move in a kid's life is scrutinized by hovering parents, I'm not surprised that parents are going overboard reacting to things going slightly awry on a flight. Most kids are driven and accompanied from point to point in their everyday lives, never having a chance to develop any coping skills.
Sorry, but I feel many of the suggestions are overkill. I flew solo at eight with my younger brother in tow, and was thrilled to be given a responsibility and the chance to go somewhere without my parents. Preparation is the name of the game: Give the kid a chance to show they can actually be responsible for themselves in an important situation by walking them through what to expect and what to do if that doesn't happen. Life is full of bumps .... we need to develop mechanisms from a young age on how to cope.