sambapink

I've just booked for my 2 youngest to travel to England in the summer. They are travelling to Heathrow with family members, but on their flight back to LAX they will be 'accompanied' by Air New Zealand. I just had a thought - are they ok to travel alone on their L2 visa's?

(And can anyone put my mind at rest about my little babies being ok all on their own..... )

Englishmum

They should be fine with the Air New Zealand hosties (cabin crew). Obviously the airline will be getting you to complete the UM (unaccompanied minor) forms as to whom will be responsible for them at each end of the flight, contact nos. etc. When they leave from LHR your rellies must agree to stay at the terminal until the flight has departed (in case it is cancelled and the airline is left with 2 children on its hands!).

Is ANZ charging you for them to go as UM's? How old are the children?

I suggest that you get their dad's business card and attach it with a paperclip to their visas in their passports. I was always being asked at US Immigration what job my husband was doing in the US (I was on an L2 visa).

Also perhaps you might include a letter to "whom it may concern" to say that they have been to visit relatives in the UK and were now returning to their parents in the US and you and your husband sign and date it....it solves any concerns that they had been out of the country without permission with parents having a marital dispute. You could perhaps even get it notarised....the librarian does this free of charge at my local library as long as we show ID (driving licence or passport) to prove who we are, and I believe that most AAA offices have notaries too.

Your kids will probably enjoy being UM's and will feel really important!

(When my son was nearly 13 he flew back on his own to see his friends in Singapore for a couple of weeks, using up the last of his dad's airmiles on Singapore Airlines. He was escorted to the plane and as he stepped onboard to go to his seat in economy, the steward told him that as they had to look after him all the way to Singapore (from Newark to Singapore with a refuelling stop in Amsterdam), they could take better care of him 'at the front of the plane'. The lucky blighter was in First Class on the 747 all the way through (and was given a fab toiletry bag and Givenchy pyjamas to keep!). On the journey back to the States, First was full so he was upgraded to Raffles (biz) class all the way through. Now this is an airline which virtually never upgrades even their most frequent flyers LOL!)

Jerseygirl

My daughter travelled to the UK unaccompanied with BA when she was 12 on a L2.

She flew with BA overnight. She was accompanied from the time she left my husband at the airport until I met her in the UK. She was seated in an empty row. A man moved into one of the empty seats and he was immediately told to move.

SecretGarden

http://www.airnz.co.nz/children_special_needs.htm

This will give you more information.....

~SecretGarden

sambapink

Wow! Thanks for your reply. There is no extra charge with ANZ.. and I have to say so far i'm really impressed with them. My 'babies' are 12 & 13

Thanks for all the helpful tips and hints... I'll be sure to do the things you suggest... I'd rather be 'over' prepared than forget something important. I know that they will be just fine - but ya know whats its like being a mum!!

sambapink

Thanks JG - I'm sure that they will be more looked after than if I were with them!!! They have already said they are going to put their 'cute' little faces on in the hopes of sitting 'upfront'

sambapink

Thanks SG - I hadn't read that - only spoken on the phone to them, so good to read.

lisa67

My kids have travelled to the UK on their own a couple of times (they're 11 and 13 now) They loved it because all the crew made such a fuss of them. My son even got upgraded to business class on his first trip..he was 11 at the time and couldn't wait to tell me all about the curry he got to eat !
I must admit that I'm always nervous when they fly...just a "mum" thing I guess !
I hope they have a great time.

Xebedee

My USC Daughter travelled alone when she was 15 to England.
She came back too.

With one suitcase full of books.
Like you can't get books in America.

And 10 rolls of film to be developed.
Like we were made of money. :curse:

sambapink

Thank you both for telling me your experiances - I know it'll be ok but your right Lisa it's a mum thing..

And thank god for Digital Cameras eh Xebedee!!!

Ray

Plane will probably get hijacked... and they will be sold into slavery
and end up living in a cesspit like Newcastle

sambapink

With any luck anyway Ray!!

lisa67

You're getting more and more attractive by the day Ray....what will you look like by Friday ? Brad Pitt ??

Ray

Might be in my female mode by then ...who knows ...

lisa67

Oo - er...whatever takes yer fancy !