I didn’t need to see this news story
Posted on 06/17/2009 08:29 am by kagranju
J will be making her first solo plane trip this week – cross country to California for a visit with her Allison kin, whom she’s never really met. She’s flying Southwest, and she will have to make a plane-change-with-layover on both ends of the trip. Needless to say, she’s nervous about this, and I am too. I am busy getting all the “unaccompanied minor” logistics in place with the airline, but I’ll still fret a bit til she arrives safely and returns safely. Which is why I totally did not need to see this story today.
06/17/2009 at 8:57 am
That is mind-boggling! But J. is old enough to DEMAND she be put on the right plane.
06/17/2009 at 9:05 am
I flew as an unaccompanied minor for years. They used to make you wear your ticket in a clear holder around your neck. It screamed, “kidnap me!”. I think all that experience made me the top notch traveler I am today.
06/17/2009 at 10:17 am
Good news is that if this were to happen you will get a $75 refund. Yikes. J will be fine… I flew to camp with layovers lots when I was younger. Just tell her to check the screens often. If I made it all those times, J certainly can!
06/17/2009 at 12:14 pm
J is plenty old enough to say, “This is the plane to XXXX, right?” as she boards.
06/17/2009 at 1:29 pm
Our 10-yr-old flies alone to France twice a year to spend time with his mother. Of course from Knoxville there has to be a layover (tho connecting flights are not allowed on int’l flights before age 8). Each time he flies, he is the last person to de-board. He is escorted and tended to by an assigned flight attendant whose job is to watch him and be with him every second (that he is not seated on the plane) from the time he leaves one parent’s sight until he is delivered safely to the next parent, who has to show ID and sign a release form. Thousands of youngsters go through this process every day. How this happened, I dunno, but it’s so remote a possibility I wouldn’t worry about it. (I am really surprised that the kids in these cases apparently didn’t know what cities they were going to, or didn’t mention it. That’s the first thing staff want to talk about with our kid, after they find out what his name is.)
06/17/2009 at 1:42 pm
Oh and fwiw I think Continental’s negligence is inexcusable, and I cannot figure out how the heck the destinations got screwed up like that. There are so many checks and re-checks that are supposed to be going on.
06/17/2009 at 2:00 pm
how scary! i agree with what every one said, j is older and well, your kid. so she will speak up…hell, c would say something…
if she is gunna layover in Portland OR,(unlikely i know) i would be happy to meet her.