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Original poster

Unaccompanied Minor Help!

88 replies

Notsurehow · 21/12/2013 15:32

My daughter aged 8,has been invited to Australia to spend time with some people who have been/are very special in our lives,There is no way I can afford to travel with her. I totally and utterly trust the people she will be staying with (including her old nanny who has been part of our lives since she was born,and regularly stays with us).
My concern (and only concern) is the flight.
Does anyone have any experience of sending a child as an an uncompanied minor?
Any airlines better than others?
Any tips?
Any warnings?

OP posts:
wonkylegs · 31/12/2013 16:42

I know this is the DMail but there is a good article (positive) about various UM services
here
Some other experiences here

paperlantern · 31/12/2013 16:45

if are set on it look at the legalities of consent re medical procedures abroad. She is not going to a parent who can authorise medical treatment you do not want to find you are in an emergency procedure situation and they have to wait for your signature.

also travel insurance. you will need to declare her situation and, if you can even get insurance i would seriously recommend authorising a representative out there to be able to act on your behalf

DoesntLeftoverTurkeySoupDragOn · 31/12/2013 16:46

Right up to the minute my DD gets on the plane,she will be able to refuse

That isn't the issue though is it? What happens 10 minutes later when the reality hits and the excitement has gone?

paperlantern · 31/12/2013 16:54

she isn't going to refuse even if it turns out she hates it because you have told her how awesome it will be when you haven't a clue

SoldeInvierno · 31/12/2013 17:11

According to the BA site, they cannot
accept children on a flight with a night stop or stopover more than six hours, unless prior arrangements have been made by us on a BA connecting flight during the day time. So make sure you speak to them on the phone before building up the hopes. My son often flies as UM with BA, but only shorthaul. I would not feel comfortable sending him on a 24 hour journey. He has done India with me and was fine, but doing double the time, alone, would be too much for the moment

MABS · 31/12/2013 17:29

I don't exactly know, but would guess 9 or 10ish

notthefirstagainstthewall · 31/12/2013 17:32

My comment about school coach trips was about risk in reply to yours:
That's leaving aside the disaster scenarios of the plane being hijacked, (something so that happened to friend of mine on gap year at 19), or the plane going down.
"I can't believe I have to point out" how much more dangerous a school coach trip is compared to flying.

If airlines thought it too much risk they wouldn't offer the service (Easyjet and Ryanair don't because they are not up to it).

Why the assumption the Op has talked this up to her DD? If I offered my DS the chance as a UM to see his grandparents he'd say no. End off. He'd hate travelling alone but it wouldn't bother him leaving me. Sounds like her DD is not bothered by leaving her mother or the idea of a lone flight. otherwise I'm sure the Op wouldn't be risking it at all?

MillyMollyMama · 31/12/2013 18:57

Some rather negative stories here! However, I have used BA (UM) and found them to be excellent. Mine were 12 when they first travelled alone, not 8. I would pay whatever their charge is (I recall about £70 but I am way out of date) but it is definitely not the amount of another flight! BA have reserved seats near the flight attendant stations for the unaccompanied minors and the people in the nearby seats are 'vetted' as being suitable. The next seat may be left vacant. I would ring them up and talk through what flight is best, if 8 is OK for the programme, how they manage children on a very long flight, seating arrangements, and what happens if they have to leave the aircraft etc. I would expect that a BA member of staff would collect them in an emergency. They have dedicated staff for their UM programme. My DDs were treated like royalty by BA and I had every confidence in them. We used them long haul, just not as far as Australia. If your DD is very confident, then she could well be fine. Some of us are just more adventurous than others and do not see letting children out of our sight as high risk.

Floggingmolly · 31/12/2013 20:10

the people in nearby seats are 'vetted' as being suitable. How????
The next seat may be left vacant. In the unlikely event of the plane being underbooked, they may well arrange for this to happen; but they most certainly will not undersell seats to ensure it...

DoesntLeftoverTurkeySoupDragOn · 31/12/2013 21:45

Some of us are just more adventurous than others and do not see letting children out of our sight as high risk

Hmm and you can't tell the difference between letting a child out of your sight and putting them on a flight to Australia?

notthefirstagainstthewall · 01/01/2014 11:59

But airlines offer a service to escort children as young as 6 across the world. This means that they judge it safe enough because they wouldn't do it otherwise.
Some airlines only class you as a UM till you are 14 and then you are able to cope alone (including finding gates, presenting documents etc) like all the other passengers.

ChristmasSocks · 01/01/2014 12:09

The negative publicity for the airline if any harm comes to a unaccompanied child in their care would be so damaging that I would think they would take very, very good care of the child indeed.

SoupDragon · 01/01/2014 13:16

But airlines offer a service to escort children as young as 6 across the world. This means that they judge it safe enough because they wouldn't do it otherwise.

And it probably is absolutely fine for a child who has flown unaccompanied before and/or flown that distance before.

MillyMollyMama · 01/01/2014 17:40

To those who have queried what I posted: an earlier poster said their 8 year old would not be let out of their sight. I think some children are more capable than others. Those sitting next to an unaccompanied minor are not men on their own. This is what I meant by vetted. I think so many people posting here are extremely risk averse and would think of every negative aspect of a minor travelling alone. Children travel all over the world to school as UM's. I still think it is best to talk to BA about if there are better flights than others re time of day refuelling takes place and the arrangements made at the touchdown airport to collect the UMs and take them back to the plane. Heathrow, for example, has a UM suite. Flight staff are aware when UMs are on board but obviously they do their normal job. My only reservation would be the extreme length and boredom. Shutting any child in a room to replicate the flight seems a very nasty suggestion to me. Some people seem to be posting without ever using a UM service and are therefore just guessing at the arrangements made.

Parietal · 01/01/2014 17:58

why so negative everyone? I started flying as a UM when I was 9 years old (USA to UK) and did 3 return trips every year until I was 18 (to get to boarding school). many other kids at my school did the UK - Hong Kong route as UMs every term, and BA would often have an extra person to look after the UMs at the start and end of terms on those flights.

So for a child who is a confident flier, it is fine. Even when things go wrong - we had emergency landings, cancelled flights etc, and we still were looked after by the stewardesses and arrived at the other end (tired & bored, but we got there).

paperlantern · 01/01/2014 18:14

us to UK isn't a patch on uk to Australia

SoupDragon · 01/01/2014 18:19

Had you made the trip before flying unaccompanied?

NotCitrus · 01/01/2014 18:52

Likewise I flew UM in Europe from age 10, sometimes with some younger children, and the staff were always great - they had other duties on the flights but UMs were always top priority. Even the time it took 3 days to get home because of the weather, it was fine because staff were always with us telling us as much as they knew, made makeshift beds in the crew quarters, played endless card games with us.

If the girl knows the family she's staying with well and wants to go, why not - dealing with a bored/tired/scared/poorly child will be a much easier job for the staff than a drunk adult on the plane, for example. They know how.to handle it and how to be reassuring, do first aid, deal with worries and all. Yes it's 24 hours away from people she knows, but kids go on activity holidays from age 6 and love them.

Original poster
Notsurehow · 02/01/2014 09:48

Thank you for all the positive and helpful posts,I really appreciate it. I have taken all the useful advice and cautions on board and am choosing to ignore the ones I find scaremongering/insulting.

OP posts:
Floggingmolly · 02/01/2014 10:50

Now there's a surprise...

colditz · 02/01/2014 11:01

I went to Canada unaccompanied at 16. It was a third of the length flit you're expecting from your daughter, and I was twice the age.

I was terrified. I ended up being cuddled by an unknown Indian woman who, although very very kind, couldn't speak English. Anyone could have done anything with me, I was so frightened I clung to the nearest adult.

This is what your daughter will do, because trust me, the staff are there to meet the fliers basic needs and they don't have the time to do anything else. They are busy.

Your daughter needs to know how to be alone in a strange situation for 24 hours. She needs to know how to draw attention to her needs, and how to make sure she is drawing attention from the right people, and not, say, the paedophile three seats away who so kindly offered to share his lap top with her to cheer her up while she was crying.

This isn't scare mongering. This is what happens. The unaccompanied minor is pretty much left to the whims of the other passengers, so you need to be damned sure she knows what to do if someone says "will you come and help me get this thing out of my briefcase? Come to the bathroom because I need the loo."

MillyMollyMama · 02/01/2014 11:50

I am sorry, Colditz, but this is absolute rubbish! Why were you so scared as a 16 year old? It is irrational and not remotely helpful. OP, you are doing the right thing by ignoring such ridiculous posts and no nasty person will be anywhere near your DD! Can you imagine the public outcry if UMs were not looked after?

I think there are plenty of sensible people posting who actually have experience of how children are looked after on these flights and pay for a decent service. We are not talking Ryanair here are we?! Just do your homework and go for it!

Original poster
Notsurehow · 02/01/2014 11:59

In fairness,I am not totally ignoring the negatives,far from it,I am using the most realistic scenarios and experiences to ensure my (nearly 9yr old),very sensible,well travelled daughter will have a positive experience.
She enjoys flying (and he has flown within Europe as an UM). Should she happen to be seated on a plane full of paedophiles,she is very well aware of what she can/can't do with strangers whom she has not been told she can trust...ie...anyone other than a stewardess.
I am amazed at the scaremongering on this thread.....I am not a feckless parent,I did not even instigate the trip. I simply cannot afford to travel with her as I would need to take my foster child as well and also have commitments at home which prevent it.
Thanks to all the good advice and "nightmare scenarios" posted,it has enabled me to plan in the best possible way for my DD.

OP posts:
Original poster
Notsurehow · 02/01/2014 12:05

Thank you MMM Smile

OP posts:
wonkylegs · 02/01/2014 12:54

MMM that sounds unfortunate but I think it sounds like you had an issue as an individual.
I travelled a lot alone by plane (nationally and internationally), coach, train at 16 and I was never terrified.
I may have been slightly nervous at times but never terrified. I wasn't looked after as an UM using the facilities available as I just travelled on an adult ticket.
I was sensible and cautious but dealt with minor delays probably better than I do as an adult (I didn't worry about the added costs involved Hmm ) and I think it helped with confidence enormously.

Many many children travel around the world as UM. My aunt worked for the UN for many many years and all of the friends we made through her an very well versed in regular international travel and most of their kids had to travel as UM at one time or another. For school, visiting relatives or to meet up with parents posted to different places.

As long as you assess the risks for your child, their temperament, the services available and prepare them adequately there is no reason why the right child couldn't do a trip like this and why it couldn't be a fantastic positive experience.