To say no to 16year olds flying alone

@Dreamholidaynot they're old enough to father their own kids! Of course they can fly alone!

I flew on my own at 16 to the south of france having to change planes in Paris.

It will be fun for them!

I honestly cannot see the issue?

I did an indirect flight solo at 15. To a much more difficult country to get into than the USA!

There's two of them too. They'll be absolutely fine. I expect they have mobile phones. So if you're that worried you can communicate with them until they're on the plane. The other end you can't really get lost.

USA immigration officals can be a bit awkward. So make sure they have details of their return journey and know their plans for their return (what school they go to and stuff) as they can ask the weirdest things to check you're not planning to stay.

If their dad lives in the USA and is american. I expect this will happen more and more. Is getting them a USA passport a possibility?

I’d much rather my 16 year olds did this rather than the drug/booze fuelled festivals they all seem to head towards after gcse results!

I don't think you are being unreasonable, I wouldn't like it personally but I am a very protective mum. Only you can decide really. Go with your gut.

@Dreamholidaynot make sure you read the entry requirements.

"Children and young people
Anyone aged 17 and under must:

• have a valid visa or ESTA visa waiver on arrival
• be able to provide evidence about the purpose, location and length of their visit if asked by immigration officials
• have written consent from one or both parents if travelling alone, with only one parent, or with someone who is not a parent or legal guardian

from https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/usa/entry-requirements.

I would get their Dad to write them a letter inviting them and including his name and address that they can carry.

And it looks like they may need a letter from you to get through immigration. I suggest you include their return date on it too

Let them go.

At 16 they're more than capable. You don't even need to help them pack, bar handing them their passports at the airport.

It will be character building and they get to enjoy their dad's birthday with him.

I flew to the US on my own at 16 and this was years ago. It is much easier now let them go

I don’t really think you have a choice OP but I know I’d feel exactly the same. It’s really tough letting them do things. They’re together at least, just make sure they’re as informed as possible and know who to contact for assistance.

Let them go. They have each other, they’ve flown before to the USA, they’ll be fine!

Another one saying to let them go. They are 16, they are together and have flown before. Take them to the airport and stay with them until they go through security - and Dad will pick them up at the other end. It shouldn't be any problem at all

I'd let them go.

And the flight time is 8 hours not 13.

Id over think it too

ok if the flight is delayed or cancelled that’s fine they come home or get bored - that’s easy at either end

on the flight they will love it - film, food and feeling so grown up

you might need a letter or something for them to go through passport control as under 17s can get checked , so organise that

if you still hate the idea can you go and then head off somewhere else for your own holiday?

I think how they feel about it is more important than how you feel about it. If they feel confident that they can do it why would you doubt them? At 16 they know their own minds. You are obviously projecting your anxieties onto them, but you sound like you realise this now. So tell them they can go and they'll no doubt have an absolutely fantastic time, even if it gives you a few sleepless nights.

My ex did. He spent several years in the US while they were growing up. He did keep in regular contact and took them for a holiday there but I couldn’t imagine being so far from them while being young, I just couldn’t compute it.

OK that's good. Some schools don't allow access to their systems from abroad without being advised in advance. It might be worth the twins checking that when they get to the US and if it doesn't work then either contact the school or you may have to access it with their permission.

Assuming you let them go, then as a PP said, make sure they have all the contact details for their father (address, phone number etc). This is needed on entry to the country - without a full address for accommodation immigration may not let them through. A phone number is not enough. I would make sure they have some US dollars cash on arrival (in case their cards don't work abroad).

I would also be reiterating the message "do not bring anything at all that anyone gives you to take on the flight back to the UK" to make sure they understand the importance of this.

My biggest question would be making sure that they are covered under travel insurance that would pay to repatriate them to the UK if they needed it. If you already have this, does is cover the US? And is it valid if you are not with them? US medical care is expensive (even a simple trip to A&E is not free) and you need to make sure they are entitled to treatment and, at worst, repatriation to UK if needed. If the ex has arranged travel insurance (which seems unlikely) then you need a copy of it.

Another thing you can do if you are really anxious is stay at the UK airport until the flight takes off and you know they are on the plane.

We had to do this when dropping an unaccompanied minor at Heathrow last year.

The fact your son is annoyed with you should be a sign they feel ready to embark on this without you there. I too would be nervous about it but under these particular circumstances I would let them go.

Make sure you have all their flight details and you can always check the flight tracker if you need reassurance their journey is going/has gone ok. I used this for my sons first trip away without me and felt huge relief to see on the tracker it had landed. Get your ex or kids to text you when he’s met up with them as well.

I would absolutely let them go, as others said they're 16, legally they can get married, have sex etc so a flight to the US should be no problem.

On a side note I find it sad that a father would move all the way across the pond away from his 10yo kids, and resign himself to rarely seeing them. Divorce or no divorce your kids are your immediate family and surely you want to be around them as much as possible?

My 16 year old flew on his own to meet us, admittedly in Europe.

There are two of them. They’ve done it before too. It will be fine.

Given they've done it with you/ex before and therefore know the ropes I'd let them go.

You go with them to security and wait at the airport until they're safely airside. Presumably ex will be there at US end if there are any wrinkles to sort.

One question: You say London to JFK is 13hrs which is far longer then it was when I did it, more like 7. Does that mean they're changing at somewhere like Dublin?

They should be able to cope with that but there are plenty of direct flights from London to JFK (or Newark) if you want to remove a complication.

I flew on my own from around the age of 9 and navigated airports by 12. Dropped off at one airport by one parent and met at the other end by the other.

They will be fine and they are together.

I went on a two week holiday with my friends at 17 - it was fine. I think they should go if they confident to do so

As PP says: Airports are the most controlled and secure environments most civilians will ever encounter, and there are two of them!

You deliver them to security, their dad picks them up the other side. They will have fully charged mobile phones. The terminal will be full of uniformed staff. They will have each other.

I remember dropping my DS aged 15 at the airport for a short unaccompanied trip to stay with a friend in France and being a bit anxious, but he texted me at every stage of the journey.

I promise you it will be absolutely fine.

And NYC is only a 7 hour flight, are you getting confused by the time difference?

@Dreamholidaynot
My DDs (3 years age difference) both travelled with a friend to South Africa at 13 for a school exchange. It lasted for a term. Just looking at BA, they wouldn’t allow that now! An adult must go. However at 16 they are fine to travel together. It looks like they have flown so know how it works.

I would always use an airline that’s decent. BA was always first choice for us, DD went to Hong Kong to see a friend at 15 and they upper her to business on the way home, DD2 went several times to Ibiza and France to stay with school friends. So look at what they say about young people travelling but they are adults in terms of travel at 16. They will have a great time. There are phones and flight checkers!