sending a nearly seven year old alone on a plane to Germany...

[emkana]

... for a holiday with her grandmother, for five nights?

Dd1 keen to go and not scared. Have never done this before, but as I understand it airline will look after child?

MIL so upset at the thought that she can't even talk about it.

Have to go now, but will check back later.

Fair enough whispywhisp. I didn't much like the tone of your first post on this thread either.

emkana - if you've made your decision why post on here? Do you simply like causing arguments and heated discussions on MN?

But I would find out what would happen in the event of a change of plan etc, have a contact number for communication with the service, stay in the airport until the plane had taken off etc.

There seem to be very very few reported cases of mishap with UMs...but findoing out all the ifs and buts is what a responible parent would do.

tbh I think crashes is a complete red herring for any parent not posessed of super-hero style powers because there's nothing you could do if you were there, in the event of a disaster.

havent read the whole thread but just wanted to say i used to set up unacompanied minors regularly when i sold airline seats.

when i used to do it (this was 10 years ago) the carer would take the child to check-in and get them checked in, wait with them until passport control and then someone from the airport would take over, they would usually preboard early and sit near the back of the plane to be near the air hostesses, then when the plane landed there would be someone to meet them off the aircraft, take them through passport control and collect their luggage and meet them at a designated point in arrivals.

lots of children regularly do this particularly those of expats and although i can see that it may seem not right for some, for lots of people its the only way inlaws/families get to see their grandchildren etc, i would imagine the security would be a lot tighter nowadays since 9/11 but i arranged many of these and have no horror stories to tell.

HTH

12:23? What on earth was wrong with that? Tone? What tone? Oh here we go..knives out for me too! Oh dear, I'm scared......

Once again, because I'm always interested in the opinions I get on MN, as long as they are put forward in a reasonable manner, which they were on here until last night.

And no, I don't think I'm known for causing arguments/lots of heated discussions on MN.

ahem - I don';t think it is Emkana causing the arguing!!!!!

She said she feels fine about it but her MIL is not - as I understand it Emkana is checking out what other pople feel - completely reasonable thing to do.

But you're a MN addict and can't wait to post on here with controversial subjects, even when you have made your mind up...as per your post at 12:31 today.

I think the world has gone completely mad, emkana, and feel like putting my 2 year old on a plane FGS just to support you!!!

Kerrymum you are quite spiteful and I really cannot understand why!

No, I don't think so. Just giving my opinion. Same as everyone else.

Each to their own...and all that!

It is a reasonable and relatively interesting subject for discussion.

Bickering makes any subject tedious, though.

DS1 flew unaccompanied to Copenhagen at around 8 and to Birmingham several times since. He thoroughly enjoyed the attention I think!

Two things - Granny will need her passport or some form of identification when picking him up (and so will you when you pick him up again at the other end - slightly futile when you have an eleven year-old insisting that you are his mum!).

Secondly, if you state that Grandma is picking him up, then it needs to be Grandma, you can't have an aunt or a grandpa instead.

kerry - that is the beauty of having MN - you can give your opinions/thoughts/facts & figures...its just a shame that if you're in the minority you will be slated for it.

I cant understand how this subject has resulted in such bickering, either you agree or dont agree with emkana, no need to start a fight about it

Am i right Kerrymum, the link you gave was from a plane crash in 1974?

kerry a lot of other people have given their view which were opposite to emkana's and no one has batted an eyelid. it is not about giving a different opinion is about giving a different opinion in a nasty way and implying that if you do any different you are a crappy mum putting your child's life at risk deliberatedly!!

I would send my 7 yr old on a flight like this - what a gtreat experince for a child, as long as you think that your child is Ok for it then go ahead.

a great way as well for their personal and social development . They are being trusted to travel alone but all along the way they are being looked after and probaly spolit rotten on the plane, although I doubt nowdays they will get to the cock pit !

if airlines didn;t think that 7 yr olds ( and it all depends on the child ) werenot able to travel on their own then they wouldn't allow it.

Go for it .

oh dear he we go again

Emkana - just come to this thread. Do it. You need a break. She will be fine. And you really need this too!