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.

Nope, sorry.

It's a 'don't give a damn about my child' thing.

Not everyone who uses it will be seven. Would she be escorted by crew to the baggage claim to meet the camp staffer?

Every kid is different. I was homesick the first time I went vamp and I was much older. My friend loved it, but she was around 11 when she started.

Poor kid. Sounds like a transaction rather than a human being with feelings.

So what if the flight is delayed? Or worse diverted to another airport? What if the flight is cancelled? What if she is ill on the plane? What if someone tries to take advantage of her? Does she just wonder around the airport (and yes I know how unaccompanied minors work but what if it gets busy and she gets away)? Most people would leave a 7 year old home alone due to not having the mental ability deal with an emergency.

What of the camp picking her up are delayed?

This is reckless to the extreme and I’m pretty chilled about these things who flys regularly and lives abroad. The naivety is astounding.

Yeah we went to local camps where parents dropped us off and picked us (two nights at Brownies, aged 10), but there is no way in hell I would let a 7 year old (7?!) do this. It just doesn't make sense and that little child will be so anxious. It is just wrong

Yeah I went to summer camp for weeks every summer so I know more about this than most. But my parents drove me there and there were visiting days and I was at least 10. Your naivety is still astounding.

I’d have thought that whatever prevents your sister and her OH from taking care of the child pales in significance compared to the plan to put a young child in such a precarious position.

I think children are much younger than they used to be (IYSWIM) despite the adult things they now consume 24/7.
At seven I used to take a short, direct Tube ride to school in Ealing, but only because that was the Olden Days and stranger danger was a zillion times less of a concern. But it was still pretty rum.
A flipping plane journey all alone, and then a foreign camp for a week though?😿 Poor little scrap.

Mine are 8 and 6 and I would NEVER. I can't even imagine it. No way.

Id imagine it’s only wealthy parents who don’t give a fuck about their children and want them shipped off ASAP who use this service.

Even the camp would be a HUGE no.

Yes, she will be escorted to the baggage claim, and through any security checks and border control and handed over to the camp staff who will have to provide ID that matches the details provided by the parent to the airline.

For all the pearl clutchers….

If your definition of pearl clutching is showing concern for a 7 year old being sent as an unaccompanied minor to a camp in a foreign country with no one she knows .. then I think you need to take a good hard look at yourself. If you think this is ok and anyone who disagrees is a "pearl clutcher" then I really hope you are not rearing a 7 year old.

Great stuff; I totally agree.

Yeah but the parents are normally nearby? Not in an entirely.different country!

Unaccompanied minor programs have protocols for dealing with logistical issues, the question would be more about what the camp will do if she doesn't get off the plane as anticipated - will they be able to make sure someone will go get her when she does get off? They do not let the minors wander around the airport, they are accompanied by program staff at all times in the airport.

Airline staff are trained to deal with emergencies, it's the point of them being on the plane. They aren't wait staff, they are vital safety personnel. They aren't going to go to pieces in an emergency and ignore her.

I'm not saying nothing ever goes wrong, but things go wrong when children are accompanied by their parents too, unaccompanied minor programs have good safety records.

My son regularly flew unaccompanied to Switzerland from when he was about 5. Swissair were brilliant and kids go to boarding schools at this age. It’s one week! She’ll probably have a great time.

Is the child happy doing this?
Because if they’re not then this is absolutely wild.
If they are, and you trust all the service providers, then go for it. Only you know how grown up this one is at 7.

Surprised (even though I shouldn’t be) that people aren’t reading the posts about what happens…

The parent handing the child over stays at the airport until flight is in the air so there is never an issue if the flight is delayed, diverted or cancelled. The child is NEVER left unattended - and I would presume (certainly hope!) that if someone had a child who’s likely to ‘get away’ then they would not use the Unaccompanied Minor service. Unless things have changed since our day, staff looking after the children at the airports are not multi-tasking - it is their sole responsibility (although once on the plane, that’s not the case). As long as child is independent and confident, and relaxed about amusing themselves for a couple of hours with minimal attention they will be fine. Ours used to read, draw and play with Lego - it was before screens were commonplace for kids.

Likewise, if the collecting party is delayed arriving at the airport, the child remains in care of airport staff. Repeat never unattended.

The travelling part is really not an issue - depending on the nature of the child, which the mother knows best.

Terrible idea.
Not necessarily the flight itself.
But the camp setup and the handover process is open to all sorts of issues. This child would be spending a whole week with complete strangers of all ages being told what to do and expected to fit in. What if she has an issue with a strange11 years old boy? What if she becomes ill? What if there's an accident on site? Anything can happen. There's nobody who can go and get her at short notice.
Not to mention it's most likely she would feel very lonely once the excitement of the trip wears off.
She's only 7!
There are a million other safer alternatives to cover childcare for that week.
People are more considerate about holiday care for their dogs, and for good reason.
No parent should ship off their young child like this to spend time with complete strangers.

Yes they can. Does this 7 year old go to boarding school?

I think the flight is fine - I'm not from the UK and used to fly 4 or 5 hours unaccompanied minor to visit family from age 7. I remember them taking good care of the UM kids. I was picked up by family the other end though.

And I used to go on residential holiday camps, so am not against them in principle either. But I am not sure I went from as young as 7, and not in another country. Now I have kids this age I feel it is too young.

Some 7yos might be ok with it, and you and your sister know your niece best. Does she want to go? Has she done something similar before? And does she really - I was a people pleasing kid and would have absolutely told my parents I was ready and excited for something like this when I could sense they wanted me to go, even if I was actually terrified

This is ludicrous.

Many people may go to camps, and my older children do. But age 7, on their own, international flight?! That is next level. I'm sorry, there are so many things that could go wrong.

Age 11+ with friends, in the same country, absolutely.

I do not know a single person who would consider this for a 7 year old.

Agree with everything @notahistorytutor said. It's fine until it isn't and then what.

If the flight is short and direct it shouldn't be a problem. At 7 they aren't really afraid of flying as to young to think of the what ifs. The camp in another country would be a no go for me though. But I don't know much about overseas camps anyway. Really depends on the child I suppose.

Personally I think 7 is too young. I’d be alright with this from 9 or 10 onwards as the couple of years difference means children are much more mature then.