My mother has asked about the possibility of the sprog flying down alone to visit her. He’s five now.
He’d be flying Southwest nonstop where I’d watch him getting on the plane in Baltimore or Philly and his grandparents would watch him getting off the plane in San Antonio. The airline has an unaccompanied-minor policy in place where he’d be among the first on the plane and I’m sure he’d be among the last to get off. I don’t think they assign an employee to him specifically, but the flight attendants are supposed to keep an eye on him.
Maybe I’m just being paranoid, but I’m not so sure this is a good idea. Southwest requires UMs to fly nonstop, so he’s not likely to be wandering in a strange airport alone. On the other hand, four hours is a long time for a five-year-old to keep himself entertained. I don’t expect the flight attendant to keep him busy, but since it’s Southwest, I’m sure they’d do their best. I’m mostly concerned that he’s going to act up because he’s bored or tired and piss off the other passengers.
Does anyone have any direct experiences with kids flying alone? People who were pissed off because of a UM don’t count.
Father of a fairly resilient five year old who digs flying. Leaving him for four hours alone in a strange, noisy, confusing and stressful environment with no egress is not even to be contemplated.
Maybe you should wait? I have a 5 yo boy (almost 6), and he’s really changed quickly this year from a toddler/preschooler to a genuine little boy (I think starting Kindergarten is a factor). When he just turned 5, I wouldn’t have done it, but now, I think it would be possible. Of course, YMMV widely.
One thing to consider is that at that age, most kids just act up when they’re around people they’re comfortable. In a different environment and people he doesn’t know, he might behave like a little angel.
When I was four, I had to fly on my own (due to unforeseen circumstanses). Both my parents sat me down, and asked me if I was okay with this. They explained what was going to happen, and that if I was too scared, they would instead let me stay with my cousin for about three weeks. I opted to fly, and I arrived at my destination safe, and in one piece.
That said, I was absolutely terrified, was sick all over myself, and cried the entire way. I’ve gotten over it, it didn’t change how I felt about flying in genereal, and I have no trauma from it that I know about.
So, based on my (limited) experience: it won’t harm your kid, bot don’t expect him to like it. (your kid is both older, and an entirely different individual from me, so of course YMMV).
As ever with kids it’s not a one size fits all answer. Some 5 year olds can perform bypass surgery on their ailing parent while receiving directions from a 911 operator, some 5 year olds can’t go to sleep in the dark.
The idea that there is some arbitrary age at which no-one would question it shows you how silly the answers are. It’s not the age it’s the child that matters.
And in my experience as both the child and a parent, at least in Australia, the kids do get virtually personal attention. When I did it as a child I got a trip to the cockpit so the crew could show me their equipment…no not like in the movie.
I don’t know how these airports are laid out but if they are like some recent ones I have flown out of, you won’t get near the boarding gate unless you have a ticket for the flight too. In all cases the TSA inspection process is just beyond the airline ticket counters and only ticketed passengers can get through it. It would be the same at the other end of the flight, the waiting grandparents won’t get any closer to the gate than the baggage claim area.
That’s not a problem. An airline employee will personally make sure your kid gets to the plane and from the plane, even if the parents/grandparents have to wait outside the gate area. That’s not the issue here, IMHO, it’s whether the child can handle the 4 or 5 hour flight. Stewardesses will take care of him, and the pilot or copilot might come back and give him some junior wings, etc., but if he wants Mommy and nothing less will satisfy him, that’s where the real problem lies.
No. The TSA has arrangements for people like families of deploying and parents of unaccompanied minors to go to the gate. You just have to do the paperwork ahead of time, that’s all.
I think it totally depends on the kid. Southwest is great in how they handle unaccompanied minors. My daughter lives with me and flys every three weeks with Southwest- to Utah to visit my exwife-but it is only a two hour flight. She is now 12, but she has been doing this since she was 8. At 5, I don’t know, , five does seem pretty young for that long of a flight. I really think my daughter could have handled it at that age, but she is pretty easy going and always up for an adventure. I do think it really depends upon the kid.
But I will tell you that I do appreciate how well Southwest runs their Unaccompanied Minor program. Has made life easy to get my daughter back and forth between my ex wife and I.
I flew by myself when I was 3, turning on 4, back in 1971 in a flight from Atlanta to Daytona Beach (probably about 2-3 hours). I was among the first to board the airplane and a kindly “old” lady kept me amused. It helped that I had a window seat, but your child may feel differently about watching the ground “fall” underneath him. To me, the entire experience was a grand adventure.
They won’t assign an employee to him specifically, but he won’t be able to disembark without somebody accompanying him.
I was all set to come in here and tell how I flew alone and it was awesome, but I was 10. If you are going to do this, I’ll tell you a few things:
I was on British Airways
The stewardesses did indeed keep a constant eye on me
I was a very absent-minded and distracted child, so they had their hands full
I was not a bad child, however
Your heart will suffer the worst.
I ended up missing my connecting flight out of London - I flew to India - and stayed overnight at a hotel. The stewardess took me there, arranged the room, slept in the next (adjoining) room, and took me back. At this end my mom was freaking out because they didn’t tell her where I was, and at that end my aunt was sleeping in the airport an extra night because it cost too much to go back and forth. And I was sleeping peacefully in the hotel.
This was before cellphones were everywhere, of course.
But I got there safe and sound and the stewardess did not let me go until they had ascertained they were turning me over to the right place. It was a scary time for my folks but a fun time for me.
What I’d make sure is that your 5 YO can recite who he is going to see, that he is a “good” kid - meaning mostly inclined to follow instructions, that he has stuff to do (perhaps a little backpack?).
Another thing as I recall was I hated the food on British Airways and basically didn’t eat much for two days. But then I never ate anything as a kid anyway. You may wanna pack your kiddie some treats.
The plane wasn’t full so I was able to stretch out and sleep, and they were very nice.
I think 5 is a little young IMO to fly unaccompanied. Then again, it does depend on how resilient your child is. But I consider it akin to leaving your child alone in your home. Would you feel comfortable doing that with him at age 5? I wouldn’t. But when my son was 7, running next door to the neighbors or plowing in the winter with him inside wasn’t a big deal.
I think I was 8 the first time I flew alone, and from what I remember I had a blast, but I think 5 might be a bit young for a four-hour solo flight. Heck, I’m 31 and I get antsy past the 2-hour mark. But it’d depend on the kid in question.
I have a five year old boy as well as an eight year old boy who, of course, was once five.
I agree with those who’ve said it varies by boy. My oldest boy, Michael, would have done fine on a four hour flight by himself - just pack his Nintendo DS and a couple bags of pretzels and he would have been golden. Adam, my current five year old, wouldn’t be able to handle it. He just isn’t confident or independent enough yet (but I still love you, Adam!).
I’d say the answer is a definite maybe, depending on your kid.
5? Not unless it was really urgent. What if the plane has to make an unplanned detour / early landing or something? Even if the staff are keeping their eyes on him, those are rough situations. Not to mention, the stories one hears (rare though they are) of people trying “funny” stuff with unaccompanied minors.
Heck, my kids are 13 and 10 and I wouldn’t do this - admittedly my kids are not as mature as many age-peers are and both have proven that they are not reliable reporters of events around them.
