If my daughter is issued with her settlement visa next week what is the best airline she can fly alone with (if any) she is 8 years old. we was thinking off her flying to london direct and going picking her up (we are in manchester) if she is too young to fly i will have to go pick her up. i heard thai airways will chaparone a child but i dont what the age limit is

Many thanks

Call the airlines, as it may vary from one another.

Thai: (5-11 y) http://www.thaiair.com/faqs/en/before-you-fly-faqs.htm#faq4

I tried, and they did not lost our kids :-)

thanks for that...i just checked the linkd

Most good airlines have a scheme for unaccompanied miors. Normally a member of staff will take them from checkin point and make sure they get on the plane ok. There will also be someone at the other end to make sure they get to whoever is waiting for them. I think the normal minimum age is about 5 years old so your daughter should be ok. You will probably have to contact the airline directly about the ticket/service and they will probably charge you for the service, but the peace of mind it provides is probably priceless to you as a parent. Be aware that the person taking them to the airport will have to provide details of the child/person meeting the child at the destination at check-in. They may also have to stay at the airport until the plane has taken off, just in case the flight is cancelled at the last moment for some reason. When you collect the child at the other end, make sure you have photo ID to prove you are who you say you are!


Forgot to say, best also provide your daughter with a piece of paper with your name/address/contact numbers and any necessary medical info on it. Let them know at checkin that the child has this info on them in case of emergency.

This post has been edited by CharlieB: 2009-07-01 23:52:27

There is no way I would do this to an 8 year old child.

8 year old child just love it, especially if they previously had the chance to do other things (family/school trip, stay over, ...), without their parents.

However, they may not be entirely satisfied with Thai Airways services, if they flew with other airlines before.

Im flying into Manchester in the next few weeks maybe i could help you out

Its all up in the air at the moment it all depends how the decision goes (i think we will know by next week),,so fingers crossed...

i have had reservations about it but my wife wants her over asap and money is a issue seeing has we have just returned from thailand...but everybody i have spoke to about it says it fine and they are well looked after....our girl is very robust and i think she will be fine

Good answer.........Flew my 12yo stepson to Oz on his own a couple of years ago with Thai..........followed the procedures as Charlie has stated....No problems...it was an adventure for him.

Would you have done it as an 8 yo ??

I've seen unaccompanied kids travel on Thai - and they seemed to have a great time - constant attention and toys from the hostesses and placed in seats near where the hostesses gather.

Far less traumatic than sending them to school.

If the kids had previously flight Singapore Airlines or any other airlines with a decent In-flight entertainment system, they will ask you, where is the screen on the seat? That was my point.

I don't doubt they are well taking care of by the hostesses, but the planes really need an upgrade.

I am not sure, but is 8 year old able to make that decision? There is no way I would do it with my own kids, maybe I am over protective but I care about my kids.

An 8 year old should be able to express him/her self, and tell his parents if he/she feels ready for a short trip (12+ hours) outside the supervision of someone he/she knows.

UM are well taking care of, and their safety is not an issue.

So, if the kids are ready for it, what would they need to be protected from? a memorable adventure?

BTW, everyone care for their kids.

My parents are divorced, and I was flying by myself as "Unaccompanied Minor" to visit my father for summer / Christmas holidays etc. from the time I was six years old. I never had a problem with it - remember with fondness how well the flight attendants would fawn all over me!

So do all the other parents who have flew their kids unaccompanied by a parent......they are well looked after....so unless the plane falls out of the sky ....there is little to be concerned about.

Difficult call this but I think I'm on the side of not forcing a young child to fly alone. There are caveats of course, the largest after age being previous flight experience.

I would not force a change of planes but you have Eva and BA/Qantas on the direct routing.

I think the reason is extremely important as well. If a kid was staying in Thailand, say spending summer with the grandparents for instance and had to fly back ASAP due to a family issue, then you could argue to send them unaccompanied for expediency but I don't think that £400, the cost of a return fare is sufficient reason.

I'm finding it quite difficult to come up with a good reason for taking that risk.

I dont think it is a matter of force......if the child had real problems with it, then any parent would find an alternative solution. The OP has stated that he would go and pick her up if it was necessary

This post has been edited by gburns57au: 2009-07-05 07:17:05

I rather think the demographic of the forum is neatly reflected by some of the posts in this thread which would probably amuse others occupying the higher end of society less concerned by ill informed neuroses.

In the UK and elsewhere there are many boarding schools which educate 7 year olds whose parents work overseas where education locally is simply not an option. Travel outside term time is a mundane routine affair and embarked upon by the students without fuss and any drama, a process which the airlines manage without mishap. The appointed guardian delivers the child to check in whereupon a nanny/auntie takes charge and boards them with their accompanying documentation which discloses the details and relationship of the person awaiting arrival at the destination. Upon arrival the child is escorted from the aircraft through immigration and customs and then handed into the care of the person identified in the travel documents.

Simple really.

Quite so, old bean. Aren't they an absolute shower?

My three sons were flying on their own from six years of age and enjoyed every flight. Have used many airlines and all take great care of them. Should be no problem

That comment is so insulting and condersending....i really am refraining myself from telling what to do with yourself for the sake of the forum...but you should be ashamed...and by the way she is lookikng forward to flying and been telling all her friends in the village (boasting) and shopping for the trip....she arrives on wenesday (we cant wait)

I would like to thank the ones with posative and contructive comments (cheers) and for the ones like the one quoted above (grow up and get in the real world)