Need advice about a 13 yr old flying alone

[OhioBlue]

First - disclosure - I have very little airport experience. I've only flown once, and that was more than 20 years ago and it was a direct flight with seasoned travelers.

We have family friends that moved out of state and their daughter would like to come back for a visit. I offered to buy her a ticket at around $200 but now that I am looking into the "unaccompanied minor" program (American Airlines), it looks like it will add $150 each way to the price of the ticket. There are no direct flights, but there are some that connect in Charlotte that is an acceptable airport for the program.

Any advice, tips, experience with the program?

Thanks in advance.

[msongs]

1. you buy the ticket you are responsible for the outcome nt

[applegrove]

2. Definitely do the program. Gavin deBecker describes in his book "Gift of Fear"

intervening in a situation where a young woman travelling alone on a plane was being chatted up by someone using the talking skills of a psychopath. That being said make sure that they monitor shows up. Somewhere recently some kid ended up travelling alone when the airline employee never showed up. The mother was furious as you can imagine. Heard her on the radio I think.

Nice thing you are doing.

[OhioBlue]

4. Thanks. Her mom would stay with her until the flight takes off.

I was hoping I could find a direct flight, but there doesn't seem to be any from Jacksonville to (on edit) Cleveland. I'm nervous about the layover.

[applegrove]

5. Yes. Maybe get her a burner phone? I'm sure they'll be fine.

[Corgigal]

3. Momma here..

Who flew kids around. I always purchased the service to have the child escorted, if they had to change flights. I hope the airlines still offer that, and usually it’s just keeping an eye on them at the airport when the kiddie is sitting near them. Always had plenty of books, or video games and snacks for them.

Good luck. Always a bit worrying, but it always ended ok.

[OhioBlue]

7. thank you. yes, it is still offered. n/t

[NQAS]

6. When my son was 11

He flew internationally unaccompanied. He had a cell phone and we were in constant contact. He was attended to by gate and flight attendants. This was some years ago, but everything was fine. Airlines know how to deal with this.

[OhioBlue]

8. thank you.

[yellowdogintexas]

11. same here. Of course it was 1959. I was chaperoned by a stewardess

when I had to wait out a delay due to fog in London where I would change planes

On my flight to Germany, the senior flight attendant seated me with a very nice lady who was well known to them and she sheparded me through the transfer in London.

Returning home I considered myself a pro and sailed through the plane change without a hitch.

Some days are better than others for unaccompanied kids. I flew to CT from Nashville over Christmas one year and my northbound flight was on CHristmas Day. Plane was nearly empty. There were two groups of kids heading for NYC to spend Christmas with the other parent. It was fun to watch them sailing through the whole trip without a hitch, cool as cucumbers. We stopped in Louisville, INdy, LaGuardia and Providence before landing in Hartford. Fun flight.

[MiniMe]

9. When I was 8 years old, I flew from NY to DC

We had just moved to DC and I had something already arranged in NJ. My grandmother took me to the airport and put me on the plane. Everything was good, except there are 3 different airports in the DC area, and my grandmother hadn't checked on which airport I was going to. I'm not sure why my mother didn't check when she bought the ticket, but she didn't. Meanwhile, the airport workers were on strike. It was 1966 and apparently, all the airlines and airports were having labor problems and there were a lot of strikes. I think I flew into Dulles, and my Mom went to National as it was called then because she knew they would take care of me at Dulles. Mom tried to call, but couldn't get any information about what flight I was on. The flight attendants took me to an office at Dulles, and I was OK, but I had to wait for several hours for my mother to get there. I was upset because I had no idea where my mother was and what was going on.

So my main advice from that is make sure you know what airport she will be traveling to. They took good care of me but the whole thing was a bit upsetting. And make sure she brings a book along if she has to wait. I teased my mother about that incident until she passed away.

[OhioBlue]

10. Oh my, that must have been scary for you and your mom.

Thank you for sharing and for the advice. Luckily, with cell phones, we will be in constant contact with her mom in Florida and her step-dad here as well as her when she is allowed to have her cell phone on.

[MiniMe]

12. Yes, cell phones make a big difference

There was nothing like that back in 1966. I was also younger than the girl you are talking about. A big difference in 13 and 8. I may have been 7, my birthday is in August. But I got my wings. They used to give kids wings when they flew on their own. I do remember the stewardesses checking on my often.

[GPV]

13. I was 14 when I went. I had to find flight attendants myself and owing to a miscommunication

the gentleman helping me almost sent me to Jamestown instead of Johnstown. I know the ticket would have cleared things up at check-in, but being at the wrong terminal and gate could have caused me to miss my flight. Make sure the young lady knows her itinerary inside out and speaks up if an adult makes a mistake!

[Rhiannon12866]

14. My grandmother was in NC and I flew to see her often

They changed the connecting flight airports over the years, but the last was Charlotte and that's one big airport. Even when I was over 30, it was a trip to get to the right gate. It's a good idea if she's got someone to make sure she gets from one gate to the other. Other than that, she'll probably have fun.