Would you let your children fly as UM?

The title says it all. Would you let your children travel as unaccompanied minor on an international flight? The children are 10 and 7, they've travelled internationally fairly frequently, so know the routines and procedures. It's the same route we've flown together as a family. Has anyone done that?

They're two, I think it's totally fine.
It's allowed 4+, right?
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Platinum Member Joined: Nov 04 2008 Posts: 7894

Paging Dolly Welsh.
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Diamond Member Joined: May 10 2010 Posts: 2975

Never ever. I've heard/read way too many horror stories. It doesn't matter how many times they've flown, they still need more help/supervision than they will get. No one cares about your kids the way you do.

Platinum Member Joined: Aug 17 2011 Posts: 5922

I think it depends on the children themselves and how long the flight is. Also, the country would be a big factor.

Obviously I'm referring to UM where airline representatives are supposed to chaperon till they board and escort them through immigration/luggage. It's UK-US, about 7hours direct flight. (No I have not watched the movie of the same title...)

Gold Member Joined: Jul 30 2009 Posts: 1679

Depends on the length of the flight and the temperament of the kid. Also, I'd only allow direct flights - no transferring planes, and preferably stay away from red-eye flights so that the kid is not exhausted.

Shortly after I turned 9, I flew as an unaccompanied minor from Los Angeles to Sacramento to visit my grandparents. The flight is less than an hour and a half, and there's no disorienting time change, so it was probably the optimal experience for flying alone for the first time.
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Gold Member Joined: Oct 19 2004 Posts: 1106

Our son did but not that young. He was fine EY to LAX but missed his 45 min flight from LAX home!

My kids have done it a few times. Short european flights. My 11 year old just did it with a stopover, on the way to camp. (luckily some other campers were on the second leg of the flight)

isramom - they wear a tag saying UM, that is the arilines term for kids who are escorted by stewerds/stewerdesses.

That sounds accompanied to me.

Silver Member Joined: Feb 14 2010 Posts: 557

absolutely! why not? I flew as UM several times as a child, I always loved it. the flight attendant comes all the time and asks if you are fine, if you want to drink/eat/ have a toy/see the cockpit etc. I never flew long distances though.
my school friend's parents got divorced when she was 6 years old. her dad lived in a different country and she flew to him every 2 weeks for a weekend as UM. She always brought the toys/coloured pencils/sweets she got on the flight to school (she obviously had a huge collection of airline merchandise stuff).