Child safety on flight - unaccompanied minors

[CommanderDaisy]

We live a fair distance away from both sets of grandparents.
As a result, my two DS have been travelling as unaccompanied minors on a globally recognised airline for a number of years.

This time DS 11 , decided he wanted go see his grandparents on his own. He's done one flight like this previously with no problems. He is a polite, well mannered kid who doesn't like making a fuss and doesn't make things up - it is what it is with him. So I believe him when he told me what happened.

The same airline limits the numbers of unaccompanied minors and charges a pretty solid extra on top of the ticket price for this service.

Anyway, on the trip down DS was sitting by the window. During the flight , some random bloke wandered down to the back (where the children always sit) and plonked himself next to my son, saying there was always more room at the back. He then proceed to try to engage DS in a variety of conversations making DS really uncomfortable, leaning across him to adjust the blind on the window several times - generally sounding thoroughly creepy.
At no point did a staff member intervene, check on DS or ask this guy to shuffle off.
When I called the airline to ask what the hell they were doing, allowing this to happen - I first got told that passengers during flights are allowed to sit wherever they like, then by a more senior person that the onus was on my son to complain - this while still sitting next to the man he wanted to complain about.

AIBU to completely have the shits with this and complain my ass off, and to view it as a child safety issue ?

This is awful but unfortunately, as you can't expect your child to have someone with them at all times during an unaccompanied flight, it's a sad risk that you're facing in allowing a child to fly alone.

You need to email the CEO, I worked for the CEO of the UK's favourite retailer. It's gets results contacting directly!

[email protected]

I fly quiet regularly, not with virgin but other airlines. Last two times I seen unaccompanied minors they are usually plopped beside another mum who then of course, due to us being generally fantastic have to look after own children plus UM.

That's super judgy and unhelpful, ajaslipstick.

Virgin both assign specific staff to supervise unaccompanied children and generally sit them all together near the rear, so they are close to the staff.
Part of the deal with paying the steep additional charges is that they are assuming responsibility for the safety of a child from handover to handover. They even have a secret password to use. They know they have a duty of care.
I do not expect supervision for every second of the flight, but I do expect an eyeball to be cast over the child more than occasionally, and for random creepy men not to be allowed to park themselves next to a solitary child , when there were other options ( like their own seat) for the entire flight and not be moved on. Nor do I expect to be told it's essentially my childs fault for not complaining.
ajaslipstick

I do expect an eyeball to be cast over the child more than occasionally

But what's occassionaly? If I was a flight attendant, doing my job...and they have a lot to do...I would of course look at any child who was alone whenever I was in the vicinity....but if I'm not looking at the EXACT moment some creepy man is leaning over them...or when the child is looking visibly upset...then how am I meant to help?? I wouldn't know!

It's not your child's fault at all. It's ultimately the fault of the weird man...I am NOT victim blaming here but without a dedicated companion...ALL small children are vulnerable alone.

Sad but true...there are predators about,

ajas jog on. If the crew can't handle an UM they shouldn't accept the passenger. The airline accepted the booking and should have managed the crew accordingly.

Supermum jog on where? What does that even mean?

The airline accepted the booking and the OP accepted the risk. At no point was she told her child would be accompanied at all times or watched at all times.

It's obvious! If you put your child alone on a flight, they are vulnerable. I am not diminishing OP's distress but I don't really see what the company are meant to do?

They can't...as I said, watch a child 100% of the time. They can't.

No they can't watch a child 100%. And that is not my expectation. I'd expect an "Up the aisle - look at the the kids, down the aisle - look at the kids" type thing.

But you'd think you'd notice where your minors were sitting, and who suddenly appeared next to them. This went on for most of the flight by the way. It wasn't a couple of minutes that could've been missed.

They should ensure a stranger can't sit next to the UM. I flew UM a lot as a child. Other passengers were not allowed to talk to us let alone sit next to us. They would put us together and fill a row. If an odd number on a full flight they would put a granny there or a frequent flyer known to the airline.

Where does a six year old need to go as an unaccompanied minor?!

Not a chance would I put my six year old on a flight alone. Too young to speak up for themselves.

Eleven year old, fair enough.

Exactly they can't watch a child 100%, but this is a clear lapse in supervision. OP has paid a significant amount of money for supervision. If they can't supervise, they should not be offering the service. Jetstar does not offer um tickets because their staffing levels are lower and they can't supervise them appropriately.

OP if that happened for almost the entire flight I'd definitely be tweeting. If they didn't respond to that (which I'm sure they will) then DM. Even though I hate it. This is totally unacceptable.

I'd also - not because I don't believe you, more because it's something that you can be denied or told is exaggerated - check how DS knew it was almost the entire flight. Like, it was after I ate X and then watched a movie. After he left I watched another movie then we landed, type of thing (if he wasn't wearing a watch).

She said "This time DS 11 , decided he wanted go see his grandparents on his own" so I just wanted to be sure it was on his own as an unaccompanied minor without his sibling, and not on his own as a standard passenger.

I was also confused by it.

I flew with Virgin Australia last week. Plenty of seats up the back of the plane were empty. DP asked if we could spread out once the plane was in the air and were told absolutely not, as the plane is weighted depending on where passengers were sitting and luggage has been placed in the haul.

For Virgin Australia to tell you that they have no control over where passengers sit is utter, utter rubbish.
I'm not normally one to jump on a bandwagon with my pitchfork, but I'd be creating merry hell if this had happened to my DC and I was getting the responses you've got.

They can't...as I said, watch a child 100% of the time. They can't

No, but they can make sure someone doesn’t deliberately decide to change seats to go and sit next to an UM.

And it's a flight about an hour and a quarter in duration not long haul. Sorry if that is dripfeeding. So even weirder to seek more space next to a kid,and easy for DS to specify how long the guy hung around.

I have, as suggested emailed the CEO- thanks for the contact. I think I'll get him home first then Daily Mail it.

I'm shocked by this. I think the airline has failed in their duty of care. I'd ask to see their safeguarding policy. If they have insufficient staff to monitor unaccompanied minors at the most basic level they shouldn't offer this service.

Virgin Australia is a completely different operation to Virgin. It’s a low cost airline, and that people have had a good experience with something on virgin long haul (and VS are largely a good airline) sadly doesn’t rad across just because the branding is similar.

It does seem like basic stuff...to keep adults away from unaccompanied minors. And I would completely focus on that aspect of it OP when you have further communication with them.

It definitely sounds as though they failed in their duty of care. I’d want a refund at the very least. Not that this solves the issue. Do you have the name of the person assigned to your ds?

If the airline doesn't have the staff capacity to supervise UMs then they shouldn't be offering the service (which as the OP and others have clearly stated costs extra).

Out of curiosity, what was the actual cost on top of the ticket? Following on from Angrykittys comment.

My DCs have flown as unaccompanied minors several times.

I found the airlines were great at looking after the children before and after the flights.

But during the actual flights, they were sometimes seated next to a random male passenger and no checks were made.

Or if checks were made, the checks didn't involve asking my DCs 'Are you're ok?'.

These were overnight flights where the cabin would be dimmed and people would be under blankets.

The airlines need to get real. Please make a fuss. Good luck.

I think it's around an extra $100 for the return.

I still have heard nothing back, and the Twitter response ( hopefully attached) is the same bollocks I'm getting on Facebook. No person has made any effort to email or call.