AIBU to be surprised no one checked my 17yo had permission when travelling abroad without a parent?

[TeenageTravels]

We are British. My 17yo recently travelled abroad to an EU country for a holiday with another family (who live in the UK but are originally from the country they were travelling to). I sent her with a permission letter and provided my and DH's contact details and passport details and a copy of her birth certificate. She wasn't asked for any of this either in the UK or the other country, or any information about who she was travelling with or why. AIBU to be surprised by this? Obviously my daughter was completely safe but is this not a concern for trafficking or other reasons?

I, too, want to know more about LHP118's terrorist children.

British children...let's not get me started on Keighley and Rotherham. Our systems let our children down, too often.

Both parties would need to be Scottish before they could get married at 16 or 17 in Scotland for the marriage to be recognised anywhere other than Scotland even once they turn 18

Really? So if you were born in England, moved to Scotland as a toddler then get married at 17 your marriage would never be recognized? Id love to see the laws on that

If you were living in Scotland it would be fine. You couldn’t just travel up from England to Scotland for the wedding. Scottish is perhaps the wrong word. Both parties have to be a resident in Scotland for the marriage to be recognised outside of Scotland so I’d imagine if you lived there, were registered with a GP, enrolled in a Scottish school that sort of thing.

My 15 year old wasn’t checked even once in England or Italy, she was flying alone. She flew with British Airways. I too was surprised.

My daughter is travelling to France with her 18 year old boyfriend. Hotel wants a letter from us parents giving permission for her to stay with him…….

Each country has its own rules.
in the UK, a 16 year old can legally move out of their parent’s home and travel abroad independently. This is why airlines say that over 16 year olds can travel alone.

in Italy, and many other countries, children are still children legally until they are 18. Hence why immigration may (very much may) ask questions about unaccompanied minors entering the country - although in practice, am unaccompanied 17 year old with a passport from a country from which they don’t have major immigration concerns will probably not raise questions. Eg european 17 year olds interailing over thr summer.

where it gets tricky in the UK is different companies’ application of rules to 16-17-18 year olds. So for example a 17 year old not being able to book, and stay in, a hotel room independently. That is very inconsistent.

Do you all remember the story of Shemima Begum and her friends? She went overseas with her two friends at the age of 15. Clearly no one at passport control or the airline checked if a 15 year old should be able to leave the country without a parent. She left via Gatwick airport.

Apparently Shamima Begum used her older sister's passport which is why she wasn't questioned.