airline flights from Greater Pitt -- ugh (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: home, college)

[Hopes]

He's 20. He is intelligent, independent, and has good common sense. He lived out of state by himself last winter---completely supported himself (aside from our helping him get there). But that was within driving distance. Now he's heading to Seattle until probably December. After that, he will likely be heading to Colorado, but he could end up anywhere. The deal is we pay to transport him around the country (or world), help with security deposits, but he supports himself overall. I know this all sounds strange but he is pursuing an unconventional career.

Great to know that Philly and Denver are nice for tranfers. And the information about the different DC and Baltimore airports is good to know too.

[gg]

*** This response is left for search reasons only. The child is 20, so it doesn't provide the information needed.


Here is my advice. Drive to DC and get there early. Go to the check in counter and get permission to escort your child to the gate. We have done this all the time. Then you can see your child get on the plane. If you want, book your child's flight as an unaccompanied minor. They will do that for a fee. The escort will make sure your child meets the person picking him/her up.

If you want to fly out of Pittsburgh: Book your child as an unaccompanied minor and make the flight the shortest route. I don't feel it will matter if you fly your child to Philly or Chicago because they will be in the care of an experienced flight attendant that will breeze through either airport and not deal with lines or waiting about. Shorter the route the better. Remember, you can still go to the gate to see your child off, so you will want to do that at the checkin area.

[cheezit34141988]

My experience -

Philly has that phantom terminal that if you have a connection in it you have to take a shuttle just to get to it - I've missed flights becuase the shuttle bus is too packed/late/etc.

O'hare, albeit crazy busy is super easily laid out, and very quick typically. I'd recommend O'hare. If you're flying US Air or Southwest you're probably going to find a connection out of Midway though. Which is also a very easy airport.

[eschaton]

Unless they changed things in Philly recently, they have separate security checkpoints at each terminal. This can be a PITA if you have a connecting flight at another terminal (which can happen), particularly if there's a short time between flights or if your first flight suffers a delay.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by UKyank

Unless the person is very young I never found transferring flights to be much of a problem as long as you have adequate time between flights. Chicago is laid out easily enough & is at least getting you going the right direction.

I'm probably being overprotective because it was different when we were young adultsr---family walked you to the gate. He hasn't been in an airport for quite a few years. I can't remember if he's afraid of flying or not. He's independent but he does get stressed out in unfamiliar sitatuions. He handles it well though and pushes through. I guess the solution to this whole problem is to take him on vacation as a family before he leaves. That way he will become familiar with airports and flying. I was planning to take him with us to Europe before the Seattle opportunity came up.

[gg]

Originally Posted by Hopes

He's 20. He is intelligent, independent, and has good common sense. He lived out of state by himself last winter---completely supported himself (aside from our helping him get there). But that was within driving distance. Now he's heading to Seattle until probably December. After that, he will likely be heading to Colorado, but he could end up anywhere. The deal is we pay to transport him around the country (or world), help with security deposits, but he supports himself overall. I know this all sounds strange but he is pursuing an unconventional career.

Great to know that Philly and Denver are nice for tranfers. And the information about the different DC and Baltimore airports is good to know too.

Oops, I left my other post up incase someone is looking for proper advice and does a search for a child flying, but I see here your child is 20.

1. Book the flight as though you were booking it for yourself and don't worry about something as silly as Chicago or Philly. They are both busy airports and it won't make that big of a difference. Directions in an airport of those sizes will be similar enough. Goodness Hopes, your child is 20. Just book the best flight and let him go. I would rather go in and out of Chicago myself. It is a more interesting experience than Philly. The airports are in different directions, so I certainly would pick the more logical choice. I always hate flying backwards to go forward! Pick the flight that has the best travel time.

[gg]

Originally Posted by Hopes

I'm probably being overprotective because it was different when we were young adultsr---family walked you to the gate. He hasn't been in an airport for quite a few years. I can't remember if he's afraid of flying or not. He's independent but he does get stressed out in unfamiliar sitatuions. He handles it well though and pushes through. I guess the solution to this whole problem is to take him on vacation as a family before he leaves. That way he will become familiar with airports and flying. I was planning to take him with us to Europe before the Seattle opportunity came up.

Why don't you just ask him what he wants to do? He is 20. Just show him the flights and let him pick.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by dtrtrggr13

Philly has that phantom terminal that if you have a connection in it you have to take a shuttle just to get to it - I've missed flights becuase the shuttle bus is too packed/late/etc. .

Originally Posted by eschaton

Unless they changed things in Philly recently, they have separate security checkpoints at each terminal. This can be a PITA if you have a connecting flight at another terminal (which can happen), particularly if there's a short time between flights or if your first flight suffers a delay.

Thanks! I'm trying to avoid the possibility of separate terminals for these first flights. My girlfriend's husband missed a flight in Europe as a teenager because of connecting terminals. He had to sleep outside on the sidewalk all night because the airports closed down.

[UKyank]

Originally Posted by Hopes

I guess the solution to this whole problem is to take him on vacation as a family before he leaves. That way he will become familiar with airports and flying. I was planning to take him with us to Europe before the Seattle opportunity came up.

If you do, make sure to book a connecting flight through LHR, then every connection he has to make at any airport anywhere will seem like a breeze

[gg]

Originally Posted by Hopes

He's not a minor though. He's a young adult.

Yes, I left that post up if someone does a search. My family had to deal with a minor flying alone abroad every year, so I wanted to show the ropes.

I posted a different reply. Seems neither of us read all the posts first.