Flying as an unaccompanied minor at age 7

[CrispyClo]

I’m posting on behalf of my sister as she is looking for some external views on the matter.

My niece is 7, birthday was in August. She started a new school in September, which closes for Christmas a week earlier than most state schools. There don’t seem to be a lot of options for childcare during that week as not many schools here close that early so there aren’t any holiday camps.
My sister has booked my niece onto a week long camp abroad for the week. The camp is well reviewed and offers a pick up service for children flying as an unaccompanied minor. My sister initially felt this was a good idea, and booked it.
Now she is having some concerns and is unsure it’s the right choice, mainly as she appreciates 7 is quite young and while the flight isn’t particularly long, they don’t actually have someone sat with them, just cabin crew checking in. She has admitted herself she was fine with it until other people seemed to think it was a reckless parenting choice. I think it will be fine, my sister and I flew as unaccompanied minors often as our dad lived abroad, we were a bit older (maybe 10 the first time) but managed it fine.

AIBU to think my niece will be fine? She’s looking forward to the camp and doesn’t seem phased by the thought of it.

I flew as an unaccompanied minor across the Atlantic when I was nine. I thought it was an adventure.

Why is it concerning? I wouldn’t want my ds (5) going into a male toilet now on his own unless I could see who was going in and out of it. I’m sure I’d feel the same at 7. Who knows what kind of opportunists are around.

What were you doing the other end?

Were you going to a camp with no one you knew?

Did you go to a US summer camp where you knew no-one? At least 9 is a little older, but still. A camp abroad on your own could be tough.

And my DD loved it and is going again. Not all DCs are the same.

They run to accommodate children in private schools. Many of them use private school facilities to run from.

I agree. Children in toilets is risky. I stood outside public toilets for a number of years and would call them through the main door to check they were ok, I couldn’t care less what others thought. I wouldn't trust public loos at all. A few year’s ago a woman got assaulted by a man in one of our public women’s toilets.

I've spent a week at a cross country skiing camp in the same age, knowing no-one there (at the beginning). I was fine and it was pre-mobile phones, I think I had a phone card with me.

It was in my country, but I wouldn't see a difference if we stayed on the other side of the border as I knew the language.

I suppose she has flown before and was fine and the unaccompanied minor service sounds thorough enough.

Flying as an unaccompanied minor is the bit that would worry me. Which is not to say I wouldn't let a child do it, but it would depend how much support the airline/airport provide, how mature the child was (particularly their ability to cope when plans change, like a delay/cancellation etc) and whether I believed the airline would actually do what they say they will.

Someone has already mentioned the shit show that is "assistance" for disabled travellers (including children) - which has also been my personal experience - so my thoughts are coloured by this.

If your niece is smart, self sufficient and confident, she will probably be fine. If she can't amuse herself/worries about being left alone/won't speak out if someone is harassing her on the plane (that would be my main worry, as many adult females would have trouble causing a fuss in an enclosed environment)/panics when things don't go to plan/is "too polite" to ask for help or clarify when she doesn't understand something, then I would reconsider allowing it.

Yes, she will be dropped off and picked up at the airport either side, but that is a very small part of travelling. The SwissAir website doesn't actually provide much detail on the unaccompanied minor's service. Once the parent hands her over, what happens? Does someone just take her to the gate and tell her to sit there? Does a staff member keep her company for the 2hrs before boarding? Will they walk with her around the shops/interact with her to keep her amused/take her to the toilet? Will someone keep an eye out and make sure she boards first when the boarding call is announced? No staff member is going to sit next to her on the plane. How often will busy staff "check in", and what does that mean other than a quick, 'all ok, kid?'

Well of course it all has to be based on individual children. Some love it, some hate it.

I genuinely wonder why some people choose to have kids if they are such an inconvenience they would rather send them off abroad than source childcare within their own country, that poor child. The thought of a little girl sat on a plane next to God knows who makes me shiver.

If it was to go into the arms of a family member or close friend at the other end, I wouldn't have much issue.
But some random holiday club you've got zero experience of...? That would be a nope from me.

Where do you live in the UK? I know SuperCamps tends to operate more to the private school schedule, which would perhaps fit with your DD finishing school earlier than most. They are mostly in the south of England though. Heavily concentrated around the home counties, and only a couple north of the M25.

Would they though? This sounds like a 7 year old who’s probably already figured out they’re not mums first priority.

Don't be ridiculous - children don't do this, in the days of unaccompanied minors, the airports and airlines had a system they were funnelled though (and a junior fliers badge we all wore, which I loved).

These days I don't think any UK airlines allow unaccompanied minors (at least not under 14 or so) so you have to arrange someone to fly with them.

Absolutely not. That poor little girl! Just imagining trying to pitch this to my 7 y/o is heartbreaking.

How many times has she already flown? Will she be ok getting herself to the toilet on the plane? Have you booked her an aisle or window seat? If window is she confident enough to ask the stranger next to her to move because she needs the loo? Little things but can be anxious for a young child to negotiate.

Unaccompanied flying doesn't mean the child is literally free to roam around the airport and check themselves in.

Nuts.

But all children are different. Mine wouldn't like it either but I know kids who have been capable and independent like this at 7. OP is right, some kids are at boarding school at this age, some kids are used to travelling at 7, some kids are confident to do this. It's all about what they've grown up with - and in this country it's not the norm. Other countries more so.

It all depends on whether this child wants to do it

At 7, if you'd offered me the chance of going on a plane and to a holiday camp rather than spending it with one of my mum's friends who had children I didn't really like I would have jumped at the chance!

Yes, she'll have internalised a lot.

It is drama.

The child will be well looked after at the airport and on the flight and there's no reason a confident outgoing child wouldn't enjoy that and a well run activity camp with kids of the same age.

This is not to say anyone else has to choose it for their child, or that it isn't reasonable to express surprise and ask questions if it's an unfamiliar concept, but the OMG THAT'S SUCH BAD PARENTING!!! response are ludicrous

Depends on the child.
I used to fly alone starting at 5. Needs must. And that's before all the current safeguards have been put in place with 'unaccompanied minors' services.

As ever, the advice to the OP is don’t contract out your moral compass to strangers on the internet if you aren’t prepared for some of them to tell you you’re wrong. Whether other people find them ‘ludicrous’ or not.

ETA a confident, outgoing child might have requested being sent to camp, rather than being sent off there due to parents’ inability to find an alternative.