Kids flying cross-country alone

goldhammer

 

 

BlackSheepTwoOneFour

 

Viejo

From your description  kids flying alone would be the least  of  your worries .

 

 

 

 

 

I disagree with this statement. No parent should allow any children to fly alone. PERIOD!!! You're putting the kids' lives in danger. Don't you know you have to go through TSA security first? You won't be able to without proof of airline tickets. If a parent doesn't have a ticket, guess what? They won't be allowed to go through TSA security to escort them to the proper gate.

 

 

 

 

 

Where he was going was that the issues on the other end are geater than getting the kids there by themselves.

 

Dirk-  let us know how it all came out, please.

 

That was exactly my point.

BlackSheepTwoOneFour

 

Viejo

From your description  kids flying alone would be the least  of  your worries .

 

 

 

 

 

I disagree with this statement. No parent should allow any children to fly alone. PERIOD!!! You're putting the kids' lives in danger. Don't you know you have to go through TSA security first? You won't be able to without proof of airline tickets. If a parent doesn't have a ticket, guess what? They won't be allowed to go through TSA security to escort them to the proper gate.

 

Where he was going was that the issues on the other end are geater than getting the kids there by themselves.

Dirk-  let us know how it all came out, please.

Viejo

From your description  kids flying alone would be the least  of  your worries .

 

I disagree with this statement. No parent should allow any children to fly alone. PERIOD!!! You're putting the kids' lives in danger. Don't you know you have to go through TSA security first? You won't be able to without proof of airline tickets. If a parent doesn't have a ticket, guess what? They won't be allowed to go through TSA security to escort them to the proper gate.

From your description  kids flying alone would be the least  of  your worries .

jtilley

 

Under my wife's strong urging, the airline agreed to pay for a hotel room and have one of its staff members sleep in it with the kids. And fly them to North Carolina at no charge. But sheesh....

 

Surprisingly, Chico (CIC) is closer to Greenville than Quincy.

Lots of my people in Plumas County, scattered around Meadow Valley and Quincy.

Seems like they all work for the Federal Government.

jtilley

I can offer an anecdote based on personal experience. We live in Greenville, North Carolina. One time a few years ago we took my two stepkids (then aged 11 and 13) to visit their grandmother in Florida, with the understanding that Grandma would make the arrangements to fly them home. (Greenville, NC and Ft. Meyers both have small airports, and American Airlines promised to put them on the plane and take them off.

About an hour before their plane was due to land in Greenville, the phone rang. My wife picked it up. The voice on the other end (which apparently belonged to somebody who hadn't been properly trained for such episodes - or maybe he was just a doof) said, "Mrs. Tilley...uh, this is American Airlines...uh...uh...there's been a problem...uh...uh...[you can imagine what went through my wife's mind at that point]...uh...uh...your kids are ok...but...uh...they're in Greenville South Carolina."

Under my wife's strong urging, the airline agreed to pay for a hotel room and have one of its staff members sleep in it with the kids. And fly them to North Carolina at no charge. But sheesh....

We never did figure out who screwed up. Maybe Grandma (though she vociferously denied it) or maybe American Airlines.

This wasn't the first time this had happened. One time the great Flamenco guitar family, The Romeros, was scheduled to play a concert at East Carolina University (my former employer). The crowd (including me) had already started arriving at the hall when the concert was abruptly cancelled. We found out the next day that The Romeros had gone to South Carolina. (They rescheduled and performed a wonderful concert a few weeks later. As an encore all four of them played a Flamenco improvisation that I'll never forget.)

Things could have been worse. I've been told that virtually every state in the union has a town called Greenville. The kids could have ended up in California.

Dirkpitt, you're doing the right thing.

 

LOL - I grew up about 30 miles from Greenville, CA and I can gaurantee that if AA got in there, they would never get out.....I don't remember any kind of strip there, and I took my lessons in Quincy.  And there wouldn't be a hotel for them to stay in either, at least then.

LOL Jt, we lived in Greenville SC and I'm very familiar with Greenville/Spartanburg (GSP airport).

We had a couple of similar confusions. Both times I had to correct the other person cause they were giving me the NC location.

I can offer an anecdote based on personal experience. We live in Greenville, North Carolina. One time a few years ago we took my two stepkids (then aged 11 and 13) to visit their grandmother in Florida, with the understanding that Grandma would make the arrangements to fly them home. (Greenville, NC and Ft. Meyers both have small airports, and American Airlines promised to put them on the plane and take them off.)

About an hour before their plane was due to land in Greenville, the phone rang. My wife picked it up. The voice on the other end (which apparently belonged to somebody who hadn't been properly trained for such episodes - or maybe he was just a doof) said, "Mrs. Tilley...uh, this is American Airlines...uh...uh...there's been a problem...uh...uh...[you can imagine what went through my wife's mind at that point]...uh...uh...your kids are ok...but...uh...they're in Greenville South Carolina."

Under my wife's strong urging, the airline agreed to pay for a hotel room and have one of its staff members sleep in it with the kids. And fly them to North Carolina at no charge. But sheesh....

We never did figure out who screwed up. Maybe Grandma (though she vociferously denied it) or maybe American Airlines.

This wasn't the first time this had happened. One time the great Flamenco guitar family, The Romeros, was scheduled to play a concert at East Carolina University (my former employer). The crowd (including me) had already started arriving at the hall when the concert was abruptly cancelled. We found out the next day that The Romeros had gone to South Carolina. (They rescheduled and performed a wonderful concert a few weeks later. As an encore all four of them played a Flamenco improvisation that I'll never forget.)

Things could have been worse. I've been told that virtually every state in the union has a town called Greenville. The kids could have ended up in California.

Dirkpitt, you're doing the right thing.

the doog

...and then take her to a medical trauma unit or emergency room on a weekend to see the accident victims coming in all bloodied and dismembered. Might just save her life and more importantly, some innocent victim(s) that she may wind up killing.

Yeah, this. All of those texting and driving %$#*& should be sent there for few days. Nothing works like a good, real life scare.

From my copious experiences in airports all over the world, those kids are too young to fly alone. Just no way.

But honestly, I'd be more worried about sending them with that idiot of a sister who texts and drives. I can't tell you how much that infuriates me. She might as well be driving drunk. DO her a favor---first, insist that she make out a will, and then take her to a medical trauma unit or emergency room on a weekend to see the accident victims coming in all bloodied and dismembered. Might just save her life and more importantly, some innocent victim(s) that she may wind up killing.

dirkpitt77

.......Such is life. They know where I stand.

Back to fondling some plastic. --Chris

Now THAT is perspective .....and way to move on, Chris.

That's a fact, Sheep. I was horsing around.

Greg -

Hawaii cost more to go from east coast Disney in Florida cost less.

Chris, I hope the entire family respects your wishes.  I don't care if they don't LIKE it, but they must respect it.  You're your children's father and your role in life is to keep your young children safe.  You should never have to apologize to anyone or be put on the defensive for that.  If the relatives are mad at you, so be it.  But at least while they're all mad at you, you'll be sleeping easy at night knowing you protected your children and quite possibly saved their lives.  That's no exaggeration either.

Best wishes,

Eric

BlackSheepTwoOneFour

Even better... Or Disneyland.

 

I did that a couple weeks ago, Sheep. I think Hawaii might be cheaper.

Even better... Or Disneyland.

GMorrison

 

 

dirkpitt77

I let my wife know for sure Friday evening. It did not go over well. They think I'm overreacting. Such is life. They know where I stand.

 

 

 

Come up with another $ 200 and send her with them. Seriously, be a great week.

 

 

What a great idea!

dirkpitt77

I let my wife know for sure Friday evening. It did not go over well. They think I'm overreacting. Such is life. They know where I stand.

Then the missus is in the dark or in denial about how much air travel has changed since 9/11.

Hi guys,

  Thanks to everyone who commented. When I posted I was already 99% of my OWN answer. The plane ride would be the least worrisome part of the whole deal. I just wanted to bounce it off other  folks to make sure I was thinking correctly. I do appreciate everyone's input very much, though. Buncha good heads around here. 

I let my wife know for sure Friday evening. It did not go over well. They think I'm overreacting. Such is life. They know where I stand.

Back to fondling some plastic. I've got the old Revell 1/32 AH-64 on a tv table on the couch going together to hang in my son's room. Nothing fancy, but keeps a body occupied.

Thanks again, guys. 

--Chris

Finally I have a chance to chime in here. Trust your gut instinct. As a kid I travelled unaccompanied from CA to Mexico, but my dad worked for the airlines, and aside from customs I had family at both ends to hand off and receive me. But as said above, times have changed bigtime regarding airline travel. But the relatives that want to watch your kids sound way too irresponsable to watch your kids. They are a bad event waiting to happen. It will be bad enough if they wipe themselves out when it happens, but if they take out some innocent passenger or passerby- unforgivable.

My kids are grown now but if I were in your shoes I wouldn't let them go.  Way too many things could go south here. 

Mike

Not at all, Patrick, I'm so glad you did. (I'm sure Chris will be too when he checks in).

I remember vividly the days when the little solo travelers were very special VIP's, and I'm glad you brought that up. Seems like yesterday, doesn't it?

Pardon for going OT, but re your Hawaii trip, the second time my better half went to China and I tracked her flight, I darned near had a heart attack when they departed ORD virtually straight north. Within an hour I'd learned about the polar route to save some Jet A (that route was news to me at the time). I thought of this when you mentioned crossing the Pacific in a twin engine aircraft (which I also did within the past few months but not for as noble a reason as you).

Hi, Greg -

I'm a retired ATP, major carrier but not active, age 60 clipped my wings in 2001. Back then I could have contributed something positive to this, but the airline industry has changed so much now. In the day, 60's and 70's, we were well able to take good care of the youngsters flying alone, giving them the personal attention of counter agents, flight attendants and even we pilots were notified we had little ones on board. BTW, back then we didn't charge for it.

The employees at the destination were notified, (and had to acknowledge receipt of the info,) so that the kids were not on their own for even a second. Once at destination, the kids were only turned over to adults that were named, and they were properly I.D.'d.

The system worked extremely well then, other than some kids that realized, hey, Mom and Dad aren't here, then got a bit scared and weepy. Easily handled by a hug, a few gentle words and some .15 cent plastic pilot wings, soon enough they could settle in and feel OK. Do you think we'd even dare consider giving someones kid a hug today?????

By the time of my retirement so many things had changed, few for the better. Overcrowded terminal space, crimes increasing in the terminals, impersonal service standards, for a while when I would travel after retirement, it seemed to get worse with each year.

It reached the point for me, that I would rather just set aside the time to drive and skip the passes. Then TSA entered the scene. Most certainly not an added convenience for the passengers, although now required in this day and age.

I can visualize the scenario for unescorted children going through the screening process, what would an airline be expected to do, devote an employees time for an hour or more to personally escort the kids through TSA? Not at all likely.

My last flight, (and I hope it was,) last summer was to Honolulu. The trip was to place the ashes of a friend and his wife off Waikiki, from an outrigger, their final request. He was also an airline pilot, they had moved to Hawaii in '79, following his retirement.

The trip both ways was ghastly, a full 737, (two engines, 5:45 over water?) For over twenty years I was used to seeing four engines turning on the wings, twin engine ETOPS are not for me. If one gets shut down, (it does happen,) it's now an ASEL, (Airplane Single Engine Land.) No siree, not for me. 

So, two issues alive here.

First, in todays world I would NEVER allow children to travel alone, by air or other means. Stikpusher is absolutely correct, you don't even want to know what some criminals are capable of. They won't hesitate, not for a second, to do unimaginable harm to others. Some time ago a 28 year old man with Down Syndrome was horribly victimized, it all began in the airport terminal. He was traveling alone.

Second, the air travel industry of today is about getting the tickets sold, load the passengers, get to destination, get the passengers out. Repeat, ASAP.

At a personal level, currently I most certainly would not subject a child to the rigors and potential dangers of solo travel. Not today, not ever. The thought of children traveling unescorted today, brings out the most uncomfortable emotions in me. Guard your loved ones well.

Sorry for the rambling, but the thoughts just kept surfacing. Bet you're sorry you asked now, Greg. (:>)

Patrick

US domestic airlines have procedures (and fees) in place for situations like this.

Various rules and charges but typically $150/child/one way. You are most likely looking at $300 minimum, possibly $600 and also possibly not even available at all if a plane change from one airline to another would be required and/or various other restrictions depending on the carrier.

Some Googling might provide enough financial obstacles alone to nix this thing for you.

As mentioned several times above, kids flying alone is a whole different ballgame than it was decades ago.

Surprised none of our active ATP's have chimed in here.

Not to mention that youngsters would know which gate to go to for the correct flight. I highly doubt they will let kids that young fly unaccompanied especially with such tight security these days. Any child under the age of 12 MUST have proof -i.e.: birth certificate by a parent flying with them.

In reality, I highly doubt they will be allowed to fly without an adult. So much has changed since 9/11.

While I agree with G on the plane trip per se, and I don't know the age limits for unacompanied air travel these days, it is what is on the other end that would scare the bejeebers out of me if I were the parent.

castelnuovo

 and their time away won't be at all relaxing for you knowing to whom you are sending them.