13 Year old flying alone

[restingbitchfarce]

Would you allow your 13 year old plane adoring child fly Gatwick to Edinburgh and back in a day without an adult?

For context he's done this flight accompanied many times and often flys to places and back in the same day accompanied but he's never gone solo, airline happy to take over 12's unaccompanied.

I said no and he's very upset so AIBU?

Also OP, Air Cadets is probably a great option for your son. I apologise if this is something you already do.

What airline is he thinking of using? BA changed their policy in May 2018. Make sure you read up the rules just in case

Yes absolutely, and younger than that long haul.

I think most people here are saying they would allow it (or did it themselves) because they are thinking the child would be an “unaccompanied minor” met at the gate and being looked after by an air steward to their destination and back. Most airlines don’t do that any more but they allow over 12’s to fly alone but no airline staff are looking after them. If that is what OP is talking about, which I think they are, then I personally wouldn’t allow it for an unnecessary flight for someone that age.

Plenty of kids fly intercontinental at that age. Whenever I flew to the west coast USA at holiday times the front of economy (where the bassinet seats are) was full of kids visiting non resident parents for the school hols. Edinburgh is so close

I did that a few times at that age and even younger IIRC visiting grandparents. The flight attendants are very good with unaccompanied minors.

Great idea. Will be good for his independence and a cool experience. And when he has done it it will set him up for life with knowing his way around an airport and being able to manage himself in that kind of environment.

If the airlines still allow this, he knows the ropes, is happy to do so and is sensible then yes.

I used to travel eighty miles to an airport and fly long haul every year alone from the age of eleven and it was fine. I had some snacks, some books and would phone home after each part in my journey. I was always taken excellent care of and loved my adventures.

Whenever I flew to the west coast USA at holiday times the front of economy (where the bassinet seats are) was full of kids visiting non resident parents for the school hols.

That was my holiday commute throughout the 1980s!

Yes, I'd let him.

No. Under these circumstances I wouldn't. You have no responsible adult at the destination. What if there are problems and the flights are cancelled? This happens more frequently than people think.

If he was flying to meet family/friends - I would.

Jumping on a flight then back again as a hobby - I probably wouldn't encourage. If there wasn't a cheap flight back a couple of hours later... He's the other side of the country with a chance of not getting back unless you intervene with your credit card and a hefty bill.

Air cadets is deffo the way forward...

DS flew to NZ a few times at about that age and as an unaccompanied minor was really well looked after through Hong Kong n Kuala Lumpur n Singapore BUT in the US leg each time totally left to his own devices and got lost in LA the first time which was scary - US unaccompanied minor service was useless every time

But Gatwick to Edinburgh no problem!
He’ll have a great time!

I flew to Malta alone when I was four..

Urgh I should read more carefully sorry! I’m a bit sleepy

Visiting friends/family yes.... just by himself... mmmm why not air cadets or one of those flying experience things!

Not at all.

It would be different if there was someone meeting him at the other end, but there are far too many variables at the airport for things to get cancelled or delayed. What if his one flight back was cancelled? He can't stay in a hotel alone, the majority are 16+ with some even older. Does he know anyone in Edinburgh?

That's about the least environmentally friendly hobby I can think of. Flying for it's own sake? No way. Not because he's a teenager unaccompanied but because it's such a waste of money and it's killing the planet.

Environmentally this is awful.

Blimey, my first thought was what an environmental disaster of a hobby. Carbon footprint anyone? Totally unnecessary flight simply because he likes flying.

If he’s being booked as an unaccompanied minor (and will be fully escorted and looked after) then under normal circumstances like visiting a relative then I would let him. My 13YO nephew flew UM long haul including a connection to visit us last week and thought it was the best thing ever! My younger nieces/ nephews are 7-10 and have done it short haul. That said, someone would need to pick him up at the airport and from what you’re saying it sounds like he wants to go and mill around the airport and look at planes? Or am I missing something? I’m not even sure if that would be allowed by the airline to be honest.

I'm usually pretty encouraging of this kind of thing but not in this case.

One thing to get a flight somewhere if you actually need to travel – but not as a hobby, and not when there are plenty of other ways he can interact with the air industry.

I just see Greta Thunberg every time I blink reading this thread...

OP, I think you're perfectly within reason to say no – great creative thinking and love his sense of adventure, but get him to think of another way he can interact with planes other than sitting on one for no reason.

Yes - my Dad lived a flight away and I would fly on my own from the age of 8.

Unaccompnied Minor Service wouldn't work on this situation. An adult needs to be at the airport until the plane has departed - you say he'll need to get a train to the airport and then there would be no adult at the other end to wait for his return flight to depart.
Meet and Assist is usually for elderly or people with learning difficulties. Not sure it would be much use on the event of a return flight being cancelled or delayed which would be my only concern doing this unless you have people on hand the other end yo step on if needed.

I did it as an 8 year old but as PP says I had to be booked in and accompanied by an air hostess.