holly_1948

Whether you are allowed to be airside or not varies from airport to airport and airline to airline.
If it is a deal killer for you then you need to make enquiries in advance.

But generally airline staff take very good care of UM on international flights. And any airline worker who sits at a computer can tell you in a jiffy whether any particular flight is in the air or on the ground.

Having said all that I would be a bit more concerned about unaccompanied minors on domestic USA flights, the standards are not so high. I heard a horror story of a friend's young teenage daughter who was left unsupervised for several hours in an airport after a flight to New Jersey was diverted due to bad weather. The girl came to no harm but leaving her unsupervised fell way below reasonable standards in my view.

tonrob

If you want the up-to-date scoop on how BA (or any airline) would handle this then I'd ask a question on FlyerTalk's forums. Someone on there is bound to know (they seem to know the airlines and their procedures better than the airline's own staff in many cases).

In the absence of gate passes there is always the possibility of buying a fully flexible and refundable ticket in order to get airside and then canceling it immediately afterwards - if you're comfortable with that kind of thing and ask the right questions before buying.

Jerseygirl

You would have to check in first...to obtain a boarding pass for security. Can you cancel a refundable ticket once you have checked in?

ian-mstm

Sheila and I were allowed a gate pass (and had to go through security) to pick up my nephew at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky (CVG) airport. He was 12 and was an UM. This was with Delta, but they were terrific... an attendent escorted him at all times and we had to show her our ID before she would release him to us.

Ian

tonrob

I can't say in every instance (hence the need to ask "hypothetical" questions of the airline) but I do know that many have done this with BA at a number of airports (Flyertalk discussions) as well as with other airlines.

helpmeplease123

I flew with BA that exact trip as an UM age 9 and it worked out well from my end, they were all very nice... do you really think a 13 year old needs that though? I took my first solo flight then and I think if he's being dropped off/collected and has travelled several times before, there's no reason he needs to be herded in with all the little kids. He might even appreciate your confidence and rise to the "challenge" because of it.

Brit3964

True. My step-mom used to do UMs when she was working for BA "back in the day". She liked it because she'd get to fly for free all over the world. It got her out of the office which was especially handy when she was working for a boss she didn't like!

cpe111

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11061577

holly_1948

I think 13 is kind of marginal.

It largely depends on whether the child is a seasoned international traveller.
I would, with some mixed feelings, go for UM the first time, but probably not the following year. Even for UM, please give the child clear instructions not to accept instructions from anyone who claims to work for the airline unless they are in uniform. "No, if you really work for the airline (police, airport, customs, whatever) please go and fetch someone in uniform".

BA used to have a service for teenagers that was intermediate between UM and totally unsupported. Unfortunately it ended some years ago (vaguely around 2005?) and now it is UM or nothing.

Uncle_Bob

I know someone whos put a UM on the PHX to LHR with no problems. The kid had fun, was seated next to another UM. It costs an extra $150 round trip.

Given the prices of flights these days I expect this is becoming a more popular option for sending kids back home to see grandparents etc.

I know in a few years I'm going to be sending my boys on the PHX to LHR flight to see their grandparents. I'm sure they will have fun and I get out of having to stay with my mother-in-law

ian-mstm

I can see it becoming very popular for spouses also... then both people get a nice holiday.

Ian

lansbury

So they still don't let male passengers traveling on their own sit next to kids, they just changed the way in which they achieve it.

Muswell Hill

Thanks everyone for the great insight and comments. I think it will be UM this summer, then if he feels up to it on his own, but I will let him make that decision after the UM flight.

Cheers for all the insight!

MH