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No way! Sorry! I don't care how experienced young travelers are, two connections leaves too many possible problems. Direct is one thing, but when you start connecting you can have delays, diversions, cancellations, etc....
and if the kid is going from NYC to LA, what happens if the plane is diverted to Houston? Is the father just going to "pick" the kid up from the airport?
And the airline is not responsible for a hotel in all circumstances. Even when they are responsible for an incidence requiring a hotel, they might not provide the hotel. And how many 15 year olds are going to know how to take up a fight with an airline?
Sorry, too many chances for something to go wrong. People just need to pay the money for a direct flight or make other travel arrangements. If they cant afford to do so, then keep the kid at home.
There. I said it. No beating around the bush. Anyone who does this and the kid runs into trouble shouldn't be surprised. Tell the poor kid later why you couldn't escort her properly.
I agree with you lady, they shouldn't send the kid on this type of flight.
but, you know, if it's not your kid, you really cant say anything, unless you want to volunteer to fly with her.
I believe anyone can pay to have the unaccompanied minor service. My sister is 30 years old but she's mentally handicapped. There's no way she could do a connection without assistance. She flies sometimes from CT to TN to visit me and pays for the assistance.
Also, my stepkids flew to Montana on their own (2 connections) as soon as one of them was 15, the other was 14. They did very well. If this 15 year old has traveled before and understands how to use the boards listing the gates and delays and all, and if they aren't afraid to ask employees for help, then I think it would be fine.
You are an ignorent agest overly concerned relitive. I myself am 15 and am going from the us to gambia. I will be travlling with cash and happen know alot about flying. I could land a comercial aircraft due to training. I find your lack of fath in teen upsetting and hope that next time you post such an agest remark you dont genrlise the age.
You are an ignorent agest overly concerned relitive. I myself am 15 and am going from the us to gambia. I will be travlling with cash and happen know alot about flying. I could land a comercial aircraft due to training. I find your lack of fath in teen upsetting and hope that next time you post such an agest remark you dont genrlise the age.
Your post would be more credible if more of the words were spelled correctly.
I flew at the age level alone with my younger sister with one connection on an international flight (roundtrip at least twice). The airlines always made sure to look after us because we were minors.
my cousin & i flew at age 15 from mississippi to california (with a change in dallas), then from san fran to seattle. it was our first times flying. we also had debit cards just in case. we did okay, but there were no unexpected problems, & that was 8 yrs ago.
as far as what airlines will do to help someone out if their flight is cancelled...well, i dont know about other airlines, but i was flying home (ms) from oregon about 4 yrs ago & had to make a connection in houston. there was a big storm & we were stuck circling above houston for 2 hrs. i missed my flight (7pm) due to that delay. i hurried to the continental airlines counter & explained what happened & they basically offered me no help. they shrugged & said that the next flight they could get me on to Jackson (my original destination) would probably not be until the next nite, possibly the day after. i asked about hotels & they gave me a coupon for 10% off & said that i could find a taxi pretty easily outside the airport.
i was scared to death since i knew no one in houston, plus there was a raging storm. i started to get frustrated & teary-eyed, & went up to another man at the cont. counter. finally someone w/half a brain decided to help me, & found that there was a flight to new orleans that was delayed but taking off any minute. i literally had to RUN thru the airport to make it, then got stopped & security-searched & questioned (since i was late to board), yet somehow made it on that flight...b/c they were having "mechanical problems" & were delayed fixing it.
it was a horrible experience, & i was 19 yrs old..i would hope that if that happened to a 15 yr old, they would help her out more, but who knows...
maybe if she had a debit card it would be helpful?
point is, she will be fine if nothing unexpected happens. just make sure to prepare her for those unexpected things, like possibly getting stuck in an unfamiliar city overnight.
Depends on the kid. I felt comfortable sending my son to SF from FL at that age with a connection, but did not feel comfortable about my daughter, because I felt she would have had more of a chance of getting lost/confused/then emotional. 2 years later she is driving all over the place, but relies heavily on a GPS.
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