16 yr old travelling without parents

[NorthernLurker]

Dd1 (19) and dd2 (16) have booked a short break in Pisa post GCSEs. Dd1 is home from uni and it's lovely that they are so close that they want to go away like this. They are very sensible and get on well so should have a great time. I just wanted to check dd2 won't have any problems at the airports. I cou,d send her with a letter giving her permission to go but that seems a bit ridiculous for somebody who is an adult in airline terms.

How lovely! I hope my 2 get on that well at your dc's age.
I remember flying out to Germany at 16 to visit my sister alone and not having any problems. This was a few years ago but I wouldn't have thought it would be a problem.

What a lovely thing to do.

Unfortunately, I did not have this type of relationship with my sister. We were like chalk and cheese.

Should be fine. My 16yo is flying to china in august and I'm not planning on giving her a permission letter.

My daughters flew at age 16 without problems.

My 20 year old was stopped by airport staff in Berlin asking where her parents were as they thought she looked about 14 - she was furious.

There is a new european rule that came in this year which says all minors need to have a signed form to leave the country without their parents. I think it is designed to stop youngsters heading off to fight in Syria.

I don't know if they are enforcing it in the UK but they definitely are in France and Germany and if they are in Italy she might get there but not be able to leave.

The UK government site says
A letter from the person with parental responsibility for the child is usually enough to show you’ve got permission to take them abroad.

You might be asked for the letter at a UK or foreign border, or if there’s a dispute about taking a child abroad. The letter should include the other person’s contact details and details about the trip.

It also helps if you’ve:

<span class="italic">evidence of your relationship with the child, eg a birth or adoption certificate</span>
<span class="italic">a divorce or marriage certificate, if you are a single parent but your family name is different from the child’s</span>

I would think the sensible option is to write a letter.

Oh crikey, glad I asked. Ok, letter and copy of birth certificate it is!

One of mine went at 16 to Paris with a group of schoolfriends - on their own. Mine was the youngest, as the others were 17 by then (in same school year). There was no problem at all, though they travelled by Eurostar. Maybe that makes the difference.

However, the previous year she went on holiday with a schoolfriend and her parents to Turkey, and the airport phoned us to check we knew she was on her way to Turkey. We had provided a letter, but they still wanted to check.