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Unaccompanied minors flying: What you need to know

Bill McGee
Special for USA TODAY

There’s been ample coverage of how January’s snowstorms led to widespread disruption of the nation’s commercial aviation system, which airline tracking sites confirmed led to more than 12,000 canceled flights. We’ve seen the requisite video of empty airport terminals, and heard how vacations were disrupted and business trips were scrapped.

But while such disorder can be frustrating and expensive for adult travelers, consider how flight disruptions can affect unaccompanied minors as young as five years old. Allowing your child to fly alone is a choice that ultimately is up to each family, so understanding all the policies, procedures and risks is critical.

What’s more, there have been some changes made to the airlines’ UM programs in recent years, and of course there are new fees — and fee hikes — for those who want their kids to travel alone. In addition to the fare, there’s now a charge of $300 round-trip on the Big Three carriers.

New rules, new costs

Among U.S. scheduled passenger airlines, only Allegiant doesn’t accept unaccompanied minors, and prohibits travelers under 15 from flying alone. As for the 10 largest domestic carriers, there are key differences in ages, fees and other policies, so it’s critical to review the airline’s rules (see below).

Last month, United altered its UM policy, so that it now covers children five to 15 rather than five to 12. United therefore matched American’s and Delta’s age requirements, and the Big Three all charge the same fee of $150 each way.

In researching past policies, I found that about 15 years ago, all U.S. airlines cut off their UM programs for kids who had reached 11, 12 or 14. Cynics might be forgiven for concluding the trend toward expanding the upward age limits to 15 and 17 has coincided with the industry’s ancillary fee revolution. That said, it should be noted there are considerable differences in such fees, ranging from a low of $25 on Alaska to a high of the aforementioned $150 on American, Delta and United.

Consider the following comparison (all fees based on one-way travel, per child):

Alaska: $25; $50 connecting flights
Hawaiian: $35 within Hawaii; $100 to/from North America
Southwest: $50
Virgin America: $75 short-haul; $100 medium-haul/long-haul; $125 Mexico
Frontier: $100
JetBlue: $100
Spirit: $100
American: $150
Delta: $150
United: $150

In addition to differences in fees, there are differences in rules concerning check-in, seating and prohibitions.

The risk factor

Every year there are media reports about UMs who are misplaced in the system; last summer it was an 11-year-old boy lost at Newark Liberty Airport and his family alleged United Airlines failed to provide a required escort. Most of these stories end with a safe return after anxious moments. There have been lawsuits and media accounts documenting alleged molestation incidents on flights, but these are extremely rare statistically.

The concern is that not every airplane always arrives when and where it is scheduled. As someone who worked in airline flight operations, I know the risk of a flight being canceled or diverted is statistically unlikely. Consider the U.S. Department of Transportation’s most recent domestic airline delay statistics, which reflect November: During that month, 16% of domestic flights were delayed, while 1% were canceled and .2% were diverted to other airports.

Thankfully, the odds of a flight not operating to its destination are quite small, but those odds increase exponentially during irregular operations like last week’s snowstorms or during summer thunderstorms. And unfortunately, most kids fly during the summer and winter breaks. What’s more, for a variety of reasons, commercial aircraft are sometimes forced to divert en route, as we saw last week when an American Airlines flight from Miami to Milan encountered severe turbulence and landed in Newfoundland, or this week after an alleged altercation between flight attendants.

The question is, are all parents and caregivers aware of the risks of canceled and diverted flights? Ultimately the decision to allow a child to travel as a UM is a personal one, and can only be made on an individual basis. But considering ALL the risks should be a part of such equations.

Help on deciding

For those who are considering a UM program, here are some key suggestions.

• Fly early in the day. The chances of not reaching a destination generally increase as the day grows longer, so early is best. In addition, some airlines — such as Delta — prohibit UMs on redeye flights between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.

• Be clear about the differences between non-stop, direct and connecting flights, and don’t confuse non-stop and direct (which generally includes stops but no change of aircraft). Always select non-stops if they’re available, even if they’re more expensive, but realize that some itineraries will require connections. Some airlines only allow younger UMs to fly on non-stops, but others permit it, so it could be up to you to choose the best flight options.

• According to the DOT, regional airlines operating on behalf of larger domestic carriers have higher percentages of delayed, canceled and diverted flights.

• An adult is generally allowed to accompany the child to the departure gate. But make sure the flight is airborne and en route before leaving.

• Adults at both the departure and arrival airports should use airline apps to track the flight’s progress in real time.

• Discuss whether the child should carry a cellphone.

• Policies vary, so inquire about the specifics: Who will accompany the child onto and off the aircraft? Where will the child sit? Will other passengers be called upon to assist the child? Upon arrival, should the child remain seated while all other passengers depart?

There is no shortage of online advice for speaking to your child about what to expect, as well as tips for how to dress, what to pack, etc. (With some airlines, snacks are included in the UM fee.) The DOT has created “When Kids Fly Alone,” a lengthy guide to understanding UM policies. AirSafe.com also offers safety tips. And Airlines for America, the industry lobbying group, offers travel tips for UMs as well.

Bill McGee, a contributing editor to Consumer Reports and the former editor of Consumer Reports Travel Letter, is an FAA-licensed aircraft dispatcher who worked in airline operations and management for several years. Tell him what you think of his latest column by sending him an email at travel@usatoday.com. Include your name, hometown and daytime phone number, and he may use your feedback in a future column.

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