To say no to 16year olds flying alone

They will never forgive you if you put your foot down, do you really want to die on this hill?

If they are sensible kids that have travelled before, they wil be fine.

It’s a 7.5hr flight and the airlines will look after them.
you can book an unaccompanied ticket. They’ll be fine.

Some one I went to school with moved from the UK to the USA.
She used to send her kids back to the UK to visit grandparents most school holiday.
They were flying back and forth alone quite regularly from about about ages of 10 / 11.
If a 10 year old can do it two 16 year old should be fine.

It's a fabulous organization and really brought out the bestin DD2

My 18 year old relative travelled to the USA on his own. I know that is two years older, but this is someone who was not streetwise, suffered from anxiety and used to get me to do the talking in shops. He breezed through it. A relative met him at the airport at the other end.

There are two in this case hoping to go. If you say no, they will resent you for it even in your old age.

Hey OP it is very normal to feel the way you do, but pleased to see you've considered the replies and are allowing your twins to go.

My 2 children have flown 7 hours regularly to see their Dad where we would pay for the airline accompanied service. I loved that I dropped them off with the service and they had an adult to see them through security etc both ends, but the airline we used removed this service when my children were 14 & 15.

My children still wanted to visit their Dad so it was either I flew with them or, as they'd flown regularly, trust they could figure out getting through security, checking the board for the gate, get to the gate.
I went with the latter though I did ask them to send me a photo to prove they were at the correct gate Lol as we lived 3 hours from the airport!

You can follow the live flight tracker, but their Dad would text to let me know he'd got them too.

The other bonus my children had a few times as unaccompanied minors, they got bumped up to Business Class, jammy things!

Won’t let me edit, wanted to clear my post as I realised this has already been addressed, my mistake!

London to JFK is 8 hours there, 7 hours back. Is you have got a time of 13 hours, that must be with a change of plane somewhere. Get them a direct flight so it is easier and you don’t have to worry so much

Are you aware of the Air Cadets @coxesorangepippin ?

Inclusive organisation for 12-16 year olds - and they do a lot of 'heavy lifting' volunteering in our area. And teach them lots of proper grown up skills.

Hardly lol. She belonged to the ATC and they provided the lessons etc. Not something I'd be able to afford a a single parent with a low income

@Dreamholidaynot If you don't allow this they'll leave home at the earliest opportunity.

I'd let them go. You can take them to the airport as far as checking in. You'll be there while the airline checks the ESTA etc. Then I assume you are confident that their father will meet them at the other end. There really isn't much that can go wrong inbetween. If it does, there are staff available to help. And it makes a difference that they have flown before and they are together.

I'm not sure harking back to the days when we sent children down the pits and up chimneys etc is really the way to go.

Our grandparents had jobs at 15...some down the pit! For goodness sake get a grip no wonder we have generations of wet wipes!

No. There isn’t.

We did use another airline back in the day and it was awful. I think safeguarding means they have tightened up on ages. AA also mention One World Partners too and therefore their service could be restricted on UK flights. In this case there are no issues as DC are 16. Flying at 5 in snd out of uk is difficult I would suggest, partly because of child trafficking.

If it’s any consolation I’ve not come across this gate pass idea before either…it sounds like a US idea…

Unless things have changed in the last few years there’s not a cat in hells chance, certainly in the UK and I suspect mainland Europe, of a non passenger being able to accompany their nearest and dearest airside….

I meant 14, not 24. AA don't on codeshare flights. AA also say you take your child to the gate! How in the UK? This is written for USA travellers.

Actually my DD was piloting a plane at 16
^

If that's not peak MN I don't know what is

Good result op

They want to go… let them…. They’ll only learn by doing it

Other airlines are available. AA, for example, will take UMs from the age of 5.

@LostittoBostik That is not true. Dc must be 24 to be unaccompanied on BA these days. Not 8. Under 14, they must be with someone aged 16 or over.

It's really not much different than letting them get a train. If anything it's safer. You can help them check in their luggage and walk them to the queue for security. After that they just have to look at a board with their flight gate, if it isn't already given. Airports are well sign posted so they can't miss their gate. They are getting picked up once they get there so, can't get lost there. They will probably just watch TV or go on their phone for 7ish hours like they might do at home anyway. They'll be fine. If it helps you could always get them a prepaid SIM that works in America if you want them to have internet (Airport WiFi isn't always reliable) to communicate with you and whoever is picking them up once they land.

In case it helps (and no doubt someone has already said this) - they are likely to have internet access on the plane now so should be able to WhatsApp you en route. This makes me and my anxious child much happier when DH is travelling on long journeys. Hope it goes really well.

My 15 year old daughter flew back from Portugal on her own and was fine, I was very nervous too and it's shorter but they also have each other.