Can I leave my 11 year old alone in airport for an hour?

[Lifoo]

Interested in what the other parents might think about this.

I live in a different country to my kids and regularly fly to Ireland to collect them and then bring them back to UK with me.

On the last trip it was just my 11 year old son travelling and as my plane had been delayed (communicated this with ex) she left my son in the airport by himself, siting that she had to attend a client meeting.

He ended up waiting by himself near security departure gates for an hour.

Thoughts?

I would however feel sad that his mother didn't want to wait with him and spend that time with him

Didn't want to? She had to work, which she had planned knowing that child will be with other parent (who was delayed). Work is the thing people do to be able to feed their children.

Oh I seeee, thanks for clarifying!

He seems to have behaved very sensibly, but it also doesn't seem ideal
For the future, contact the airline, see if they have an Unaccompanied Minor program
Failing that, phone the airport customer services and see if they have a family waiting room

That what else did you want or think would happen having an airport as a meeting place?

Only you know your son and whether it’s ok or too young. 13 definitely ok. 10 probably too young, but for an 11 it’s on the cusp and how mature he is, where he was (through security or the Ireland side still?). But if you are uncomfirtable with the arrangement then you need to make the change & pick him up somewhere else.

Oh, get a grip.

Asking if he can sit with security is probably the worst thing to do - they will not be allowed to take responsibility for a minor, so they can only say no.

For those saying they used to fly alone, the whole picture has changed, and it's to do with regulations being different, not children. Whilst it used to be possible to hand an 8 year old over at check-in, airlines will not do that any more, as they would need someone fully DBS-checked taking responsibility for the child at every point. Most airlines say 16+ (as I discovered when trying to make arrangements for DD two weeks before she turned 16 - LoganAir turned out to be an exception). There are some unaccompanied minor services, but for short-haul it's cheaper to fly there and back with the child.

I wouldn't have done it and would have postponed / cancelled my work meeting, tbh probably they should have taken flexi/leave to ensure there is buffer for any airport drop off.
Other than that do unaccompanied minor on flights, if that's still a thing.
Most 11 year olds can be left alone for an hour but I personally wouldn't have done it at an airport. But I guess if it's a very familiar small airport they travel through regularly then it may be different.
How did your DC feel about it?

Sounds like you’re looking to start an argument with your ex TBH.

Did she leave him or did you - you were the one who was late. Why didn’t you get an earlier flight to avoid this?

At 11 he’d have been fine, which is presumably why your ex did this. Much better to leave a sensible 11 year old alone for an hour than risk losing her job.

Why didn’t you get an earlier flight - probably at work yourself, eh? Cuts both ways. Stop trying to blame everyone else for your lateness.

No need to be cheeky. My kids have flown alone for years as soon as they were able or were unaccompanied minors. They've managed to work out being denied boarding age 12 alone in another country. Theyve crossed Schipol Airport alone and in a rush. I don't need to "get a grip". I just say what I personally think about the situation if it were my own kids.

How did your son feel about it? I'd ask him in the first instance. Ultimately no I wouldn't do this. My eldest would likely find it stressful and end up in tears and ds would likely get up to mischief. I appreciate the delay couldn't have been expected but the other parent needs to be prepared that it can happen and if timings were so tight with her meeting then that should have been communicated to you before the flights were booked. What I'm getting at is no I don't think it is acceptable and that you both need to communicate better.

Whilst it used to be possible to hand an 8 year old over at check-in, airlines will not do that any more

what do you mean? Just checked a few major european airlines (Lufthansa, KLM, SAS) and they all offer UM service, usually from age 5.

In the cafe at cork airport with a phone and a soft drink? I would allow this.

in the departures hall at Gatwick/Heathrow nope not a chance.

context is everything.

KLM are terrible for that btw. We've had two bad experiences.

I was referring to you being sad that the mother didn’t WANT to stay with her child-when she may have wanted to very much but was constrained by work commitments. And the “when they are little”- talking about an 11 year old. So yes- I stand by “get a grip”.

Which airline between Ireland and the UK allows an 11 year old to fly unaccompanied?

Agreed. Neither of us knows what the mother wanted to do or didn't. She's not the OP. We can but speak for ourselves.

And as I said, my kids have always flown alone when they were little. But an 11 year old can still feel the emotions of a child.

My kids were getting public transport across london at that age, as were all their friends. They would have been fine sitting in an airport for an hour. Seems a very safe place to me.

KLM do if they fly that route?

I'm unclear about why some people think the ex should have cancelled or postponed her work meeting.

My options in this scenario would have been:

• Leave child at airport if I felt they were mature enough.
• Take child home or to work meeting (to sit in work canteen etc) if I didn't feel they were old enough and the OP would have to come and collect them.

It's unfortunate but I wouldn't have missed the work meeting. If I'm the main parent looking after my DC, there's no way I'd put my job at risk for someone else's flight delay.

I would however feel sad that his mother didn't want to wait with him and spend that time with him
Wtf!!!! She has to work.
Theres not many jobs where it doesn't matter if you stand a client up.
It sounds like a calculated risk had to be made and it was only one hour. If the Op's flight had been cancelled then it would have been a different scenario but one hours wait isn't great but not the end of the wotkd if the child is sensible.

They don’t fly it directly. We used to do this route regularly and generally it’s either easyJet who are no UM under 16 or aer Lingus who are no UM under 13…

One of the safer places, kids fly alone at that age

At 11 I think it’s fine. Presumably he was ok with it and had phone, drink, told not to wander off, pointed out staff to ask if needed help eg go to lady at desk.
Children that age get buses and trains to school across cities daily and will wait if service is cancelled. An airport is more secure than bus station in city centre.
What was alternative, her take him to work and leave him sat in office reception while dealt with client then other parent have to come from airport to collect perhaps missing return flight.
If you’ve done this arrangement and first time a delay I’d think self lucky and agree plan for future delays.
Alternatively fly in day before so no risk of missing pick up time. But that seems unnecessary expense.

An hour, in a place that he's been to a lot. I'd be ok with that, assuming he was happy with it himself.