To let Dd fly by herself?

You just need to double check airlines rules, and both countries entering and exiting. Airline may have a waiver form to sign and UK rules to enter country alone under 18 require written parental permission. Yes plenty of 16 year olds will walk through with no issues but I've been at border control when it's been an issue for an unaccompanied under 18 year old. You also have to be aware that if things do not go to plan (delay, gate change, plane re routing mid flight - rare but all things which happen) the only help is provided on a good will basis, traveling as an 'adult' does not include assistance because they are 'only 16'.

Of course. It's perfectly normal at that age.

Has she been on many flights before? I was 14 when I travelled to my grandparents abroad alone, but was very used to the process having done it many times with my family.

I was kept a very sheltered teen.

At 16 I got on a plane for the first time in my life, alone, and flew to Australia.

We were supposed to stop in the middle east, but there was a sandstorm so they diverted us to an airstrip in the desert, where we sat on the tarmac for 6 hours.

That meant we were delayed getting in to Singapore, where they re routed a flight bound for Melbourne to Perth.

I was met by my aunt and cousins at the airport. This was the 1980s so no mobile phones or any way to contact my parents or anyone else.

If I could do that then, well a 16 year old going on a short familiar flight shouldn't be a problem.

Sure - 16 is plenty old enough. I flew by myself transatlantic at 14 and had to find my own way to wherever it was I was staying - it involved a train and taxi (it was an English speaking country which made it easier).

Flights are a lot safer than the bus or train. I let DS take a flight at age 15, but would not let him take the train the same distance. I had to sign a parental consent form I think and I dropped him off at security and he was met straight off the flight, kept in touch constantly and always give them money, an extra phone charge and a plan B.

Have a chat about generally being safe, when to queue for the flight etc.

In Scotland at 16 they are classed as an adult. They marry without parental consent, they have no obligation to stay in education, they can get married, move out. Also some 16 year olds can drive if disabled.

I flew unaccompanied at 11…

Are you honestly ok? This is nonsense. If your 16 year old can't manage this you absolutely haven't failed as a parent. There are grown adults who can struggle with airports & documentation etc. Many, many young people in this country won't have ever been on a plane & if anyone reading this thread thinks they've 'failed as a parent' because their child can't manage this- it's nonsense. And it's privileged nonsense at that. I'll decide the measure of my parenting on if my child turns out to a be a successful, decent adult thanks. Not if they're lucky enough to be a seasoned traveller who can navigate an airport alone at 16.

Yes sent mine to Malta met by family friend.

My DS did this at 15 to the USA. Just make sure you have someone to pick them up.

Of course. I thought you were going to say she was 12 or something like that.

Genuinely, I'm curious as to why she needs a letter from you with permission, etc. She's 16. That's old enough to marry, have kids, and fight/die for your country. Is there a reason you're particularly concerned?
I flew myself a few times at 15 (parents were in the Netherlands for a year, and I went back and forward. Often took my younger brother of 13.) No problems at all.

If you’re dropping her at the airport and she’s being met at the other end, then unless there are unusual factors you haven’t mentioned, it would unreasonable to object.

Yes I would

Obviously they need to fly on a decent airline I wouldn't be sending them alone on an EasyJet or Ryan air flight

I say say obviously what I mean is that I wouldn't

When I flew age 8 alone those cheap airlines didn't exist

We flew BA or Lufthansa who had their own lounges etc

we used to get out on a plane by our mum ant one end and picked up by relatives at the other when I was 9 and my brother 5. There were always loads of kids waiting for flights some very long distance without parents. 16 is more than capable, especially when supervised both ends.

Yes my daughter has been flying since 17 with no issues. My younger will likely be independent enough to fly sooner if it was needed, they both have had alot of experience with airports so its absolutely no stress.

Dh used to catch a train to Charing Cross, then make his way by tube to wherever the coaches to Heathrow went, then get on a plane to Brussels, and then a bus from Brussels airport to his home. Every holiday from the age of 11 (he was at boarding school in the UK), parents lived in Brussels.

No mobiles, no way of getting hold of anyone if things went wrong.

He lived to tell the tale.

I would let my 16 year old dd do this. Short flight, someone dropping her off and someone meeting her, it sounds fine to me.

RyanAir also don't allow under 16s on their flight without being with an over 16 year old, and they don't offer assistance/escorts either.

This is a lot more complex than people are making out on here, it's also worth noting that depending on where you are resident alters what documents you need to enter the country. My dd got out of the Uk just fine, but was questioned on the way back from Spain as unaccompanied under 18's need a document obtained from a police station to travel with parents permission, in the end she was allowed through as she was UK resident and not Spanish.

I think some people on this thread may not be aware that the rules have changed for many airlines, such as EasyJet who don't take any unaccompanied minors under 16, and they don't provide a host/hostess companion either. So, no 14 or 15 year old can travel alone on their planes full stop.

The rules are a combination of what the airline permits and what the government allows. In some countries, they set the age of travel as 18 and anything under that requires permission. This isn't the case in the UK which allows travel independently from 16 and under that with permission/accompaniment.

I'm pretty sure those going very young in the past were accompanied at every step of the way, as that was a service offered, they weren't getting on and off by themselves. Those a bit older might have been but many airlines have clamped down on this now.

You need to check the .gov pages for the list of European countries and their requirements, and then your carrier requirements, it doesn't matter what people were doing 20 years ago.

Eh? There's nothing wrong with a teen going to ab airport. I just replied to someone who said 16 year olds are adults when they're not.

Sounds fine to me, I'm not sure what's causing the doubt. I would expect most 16 year olds would be fine, wouldn't they?

Omg! 16 of course she should! I flew on my own to Switzerland when I was 14. Didn't think anything of it. This is how young people learn independence. If mummy is always 3 steps behind they'll never cut the apron strings!