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A Child's Solo (unaccompanied) Trip

Thankfully, the policies are fairly straightforward and vary little between most major carriers. First of all, the airlines usually use the term "unaccompanied minors" to describe children--between the ages of five and 11--who fly without an adult companion.

Children under five must always be accompanied by an adult.

When planning your child's trip, keep the following ground rules in mind:

Carrier will not accept for passage any child under five (5) years of age unless accompanied by a passenger twelve (12) years of age or over.
Unaccompanied children between the ages of five (5) and (7) will be accepted for travel on-line and on through flights without a change of aircraft.
Children eight (8) to eleven (11) years of age will be accepted on direct or connecting flights. The child will not be accepted if the flight on which the child holds a reservation is anticipated to terminate short of, or bypass, the child's destination.
Youngsters 12 through 17 may also request assistance in advance but are not required to do so.
To avoid missed connections, no child will be allowed to fly if their itinerary includes the last flight of the day.

Most major airlines will charge you an additional service fee for each leg of the flight to cover the cost of handling the child.

Before leaving home, talk to your child about what to expect. Explain common sense rules about not talking to strangers and seeking help only from uniformed personnel. Pack a sack lunch for them and send them off with headphones, games, coloring books, and other items to keep them entertained and comforted. In addition, load up a small carry-on with a change of clothes, emergency cash, and a list of phone numbers.

The parent or responsible adult who brings an unaccompanied child to the airport of departure will be required to remain with the child until departure. To make the check-in process go smoothly, it's wise to arrive at the airport one hour before your child's flight is set to depart. The parent or responsible adult must furnish Carrier in writing (duplicate of which must be in the child's possession) evidence that the child will be met by another parent or responsible adult upon deplaning at his/her destination. You will be asked to fill out some important documents and supply the representative with your child's name and age, your address and telephone number, and the same information for the person(s) who will be meeting him at his final destination. The person meeting the child at his/her destination will be required to present positive identification and sign a release on a form designated by Carrier.

After completing the necessary paperwork, you'll probably have to say goodbye to your child in the terminal area, as most aircraft are restricted to ticketed passengers only. (But it's a good idea to remain at the airport until the plane has taken off!) An airline representative will escort your child aboard the plane and introduce him to the flight attendants and to the cockpit crew, time permitting. The agent will then take the child to his seat, store any carry-on luggage the child may have, and show him the locations of the lavatories.

It's important that your child knows to stay on board the plane until he is taken by a flight attendant to the customer-service representative. This person will, in turn, see to it that the child is released only to the authorized person you indicated in your form. Be sure to let the pick-up person know that he/she must present a photo ID to airport personnel before leaving with the child.

Many parents fear that their child will somehow become stranded en route to his final destination. It's true that unexpected weather conditions, missed connections, and air-traffic congestion may disrupt flight schedules. Fortunately this doesn't happen often, but it can. Should such an incident occur, an airline representative will be responsible for taking care of your child. Airline policies vary wildly: Some carriers insist that an airline representative stay with the child at all times. Others put children up in hotel rooms and have an airline employee stay in an adjoining room. Still, others send the child to a local police station or child welfare agency if airline personnel can't reach the parents. Do your homework and decide what policy works for you and your child before making a reservation. Note that carriers will assume no responsibility for unaccompanied children beyond those applicable to an adult passenger.

Parents will be pleased to know that for layovers of an hour or longer at major airports, many airlines escort their youngest passengers to a “Young Traveler's Club”, stocked with munchies, beverages, and toys.

Some more tips
Traveling with children or sending children to visit relatives requires proper planning and safety practices.

Dress your children in brightly colored clothes so they are easy to spot.
Pinning a whistle to their clothes helps if they get separated from you.
Avoid connection flights and the last flights of the day.
If your child has never flown before, take them to the airport prior to the flight; explain to them the roles of the various aviation staff so the child will know what to expect or where to ask for help.
Make sure your child can recite their name, address and phone number. Pin this same information INSIDE their clothes for safety reasons.
A brand new book, game, etc. that has not been seen or played with by the child can insure a quieter flight for all.
If your child is traveling alone, make sure they have emergency money to make a phone call if needed.
Unaccompanied children should know exactly who is picking them up on the other end of the flight, as well as a back-up adult in case of a change.
Children will be children - be sure they know the appropriate behavior while traveling in a public airplane BEFORE getting on the plane - not (loudly) afterward!
Children either over-dressed or under-dressed for a flight are guaranteed to be cranky, hot children or cold children that are uncomfortable. Layered clothing is best.
Pack a "ready for anything" bag that is not too heavy, nor unprepared for the flight!
If you're dropping your unaccompanied minor off, wait until the plane departs in the event of mechanical delays, etc.
If you're picking up an unaccompanied minor, make sure to bring your ID with you to the airport.
Business travelers are bringing their children along more and more - stay at a "child-friendly" hotel.
Children can deal better with travel if they are mentally prepared on what to expect - there are books in stores that will help you in this.

Keep these tips in mind and we're sure your little one will have a successful solo flight.

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