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Unaccompanied Minors - Our Most Vulnerable Passengers
When it's vacation or summertime, the living should be easy, but instead it's time to start fretting about transporting the kids. They're off, on their own, to see the Wizard, to visit grandma, or to spend quality time with a divorced parent who's moved to a Caribbean isle to find himself...
How many children fly solo? According to their press people, 200,000 a year on American Airlines, 100,000 a year on US Airways and over 400,000 on Southwest. Even in a post-terrorism world, where air travel conditions have changed, the airlines have continued to transport solo kindergartners around the United States.
Novice or Un-Frequent Flyers
First time solo travelers have the most fears. Child psychologists offer several tips to prepare children for the anxieties of air travel: Pack their bags with food, drinks purchased from a secure area after the screening gate, and plenty of play essentials. Train the child to recite her own name, address and phone number (but be sure that she's not wearing anything on her outer clothing that mentions her name).
Give her 'emergency' spending money and contact information for responsible adults. Confirm which adults will meet her upon arrival and call them once the plane is off the ground to give them an estimated arrival time. Take novice flyers on a tour of the airport so they'll know what to expect from security checks, gate attendants, baggage claim, etc. Make them aware that with advanced security procedures in place, if they accidentally set off an alarm (perhaps by carrying a metal toy through the security gate), they may be asked to see a uniformed agent for further action, possibly having a wand waved at them or having their clothes and pockets felt by the agent. Prepare them and rehearse their 'grown-up' trip in the days preceding departure.
Air travel is more stressful, slower and less fun in the post 9-11 world, largely due to the ever-changing security regulations (visit the Dept of Homeland Security site for current information.) As your child's best advocate, it's important to prepare and empower them with confidence before a flight.
Make sure you have all the forms and documents you need to give to your child, with multiple copies of each. Medical permission letters, documents granting permission for minors to travel with only one birth parent or guarrdian, and other forms for traveling with minors can be found on FamilyTravelForum.com.
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