5 year old flying alone? (minors, legally, parents, son)

[cjmeck]

I was wondering if I'm alone in thinking that it is completely insane to put a 5 year old on a flight alone... Not my child, its my niece. Its a 3 hour direct flight, she has never flown before, and at the other end of the trip are grandparents who she doesn't even know. So, would you put a 5 year old on plane by herself?

[Joe the Photog]

Oh, hell, no! I don't even know if they can do that legally. And it's a recipe for disaster! Almost begging someone to kidnap the child! And why are the parent(s) not going?

[cjmeck]

Yes, apparently, its legal... The airlines charge an "unaccompanied minor" fee and the flight attendant is responsible for the child once the parents hand her off at the gate. Why aren't the parents going? They have the time and the money but also have their own personal agenda and being parents is low on the list. Better I vent it here than in real life

[nurider2002]

Very Poor Judgement. Parents are no naive these days.

[flyonpa]

So what age Greater then the airlines Minimum age,

Would you do a unaccompanied minor?

[cjmeck]

I think it depends on the child, their emotional maturity, and their past traveling experiences. My son, I would have been okay with it around age 10. My daughter is 6; outgoing, confident, has flown several times, and I wouldn't even consider it. I am not at all generalizing and realize that each child is unique. I too am interested in what age others might deem this acceptable.

[BirdieBelle]

They've been doing this for decades. 5 is the minimum age for most airlines' unaccompanied minor policies.

A flight attendant escorts the child everywhere. It's not like they will set her off alone in the terminal.

[Meyerland]

I have never heard of an issue from the airlines doing this, but I wouldn't do it with my own child.

[cislga]

I flew by myself for the first time at 4. But, up until that point my Granny flew with me, my uncle worked for Delta and it was back when airplanes were not so crowded, so she escorted me for free most of the time.

They usually would put me in FC so that they could keep an eye on me, this was back when airlines had china for FC passengers. If I had connecting flight they let me hang out with the flight attendants and pilots in their lounge. I even cleared customs by myself when my dad moved to Canada.

The first time I flew by myself, my parents lied and said I was 5, not 4. When they told me I was going to have to fly alone, I cried and said "I don't want to fly by alone, I want to fly Delta." LOL

Now, it's so different w/unaccompied minors fees and planes being so packed.

I believe it all depends on the emotional maturity of the child.

I also got stuck in Houston at airport when a hurricane had flooded the roads and my mom was not able to pick me up. I told the story to my son and he asked was it like that movie "Unaccompied Minors?" I said nothing like it! They kept us all in one room and some of the kids were really upset and throwing up and crying.

[Mattie]

The idea of a 5 yr old flying alone as an unaccompanied minor doesn't bother me as much as the idea of sending her off to visit grandparents she doesn't know.