unaccompanied travel

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ian
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unaccompanied travel

Post by ian »

I am concerned about the safety of sending two 9 year old boys to Huntsville on a plane unaccompanied. I would like to hear from any parents (or prior campers) who have done this. Thanks.
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Post by Boomerang »

Well the biggest thing now is to check with the airlines regarding unacompanied minor rules if you haven't done so already. If you have done that. I can say the airlines seem good about taking care of kids who fly alone. I flew unacompanied minor my second trip to camp granted thats been a while now. I a,m also disabled and use airline help getting through airports at times and have seen unacompanied minors flying and being well take care of they usualy get more help than i do infact.

If you are worried about the camp arival itself. the camp has counselors who go through special training to do airport duty. Tjhey will meet your child in huntsville i bvelieve it is still at the gate since they have security clrearance throughout the airport. They will meet them get their luggage or in the event of loss of luggage make sure to take care of any arrangements that need to be made and the camp can help them out with stuff till their luggage arrives. Parents are always called if an expected camper has not arrived on the scheduled flight and counselors do keep track of delays and stay in contact with the airline. In my experience the only time parents were called because someone didnt arrive was because they had rescheduled their camp session and the info didnt get to the apropriate office in time.

Campers always are told to call home upom arriving at the camp. And please please please emphasize for them to do so because some still do not and the camp gets worried parent calls alot. If you havent heard from them you can call camper services to make sutre they arrived and send a message for them to call home as soon as possible, Be aware if they didnt call upon arrival it may be later in the night before they can get the chance to call again. But they have the chance to do so sadly not every camper listens when told to do so. However if their a camper has not arrived the camp will contact the parents. So if they have not called home upon arrival they may just not have listened. Don't panic the camp would let you know if they were not there. And please allow travel time from the airport to camp which can sometimes take a while because ,multiple campers are often being picked up often from diffrent flights so they may not leave the airport immediately.

Last summer i was the counselor who answered 95% of the worried parent calls that came into camper services. and 100% of the time it was just because a child had not called when they got there and a parent was worried. Which is undewrstandable. Just remember the camp and the airline has alot of experioence dealing with children traveling alone and both do their best to make the trip as easy and painless as possible. If you have any specific questions please ask.
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Post by Mercergl »

I have flow unaccompanied before (don't now, but I did for my first time to camp) and it is very well handled and very safe. The airlines will almost always allow a parent to go with the child right up to the gate, where a flight attendent will meet them to put them on the plane.

Actually, two kids going together would probably be even better; less chance of one getting lost that way, I would expect. Once the plane arrives, a flight attendent leads them off of the plane, and a camp offical meets them at the gate. Changing planes would be handled the same way, though I have alwas flown from Reagn National in DC for a direct flight.

The camp handles everything from there, and takes them to get bags, etc. Basically everything Boomerang said. And also, if they have a cell phone (really up to the parent, I guess) they can call the parent as soon as they arrive, and I'm sure the counselor wouldn't object (they were always fine with me calling once I landed.) Everything is handled well, theres not much to worry about.
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Post by andystroik »

Ditto

I am 21 years old and disabled. The airlines ptovided the same services to me as a UM.
I've gone 5 times both on direct flights and flights with a layover.

I have had no problems in the least.
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Post by SpaceCanada »

As a minor, I travelled alone a few times as well. The airlines do a good job of keeping kids busy during flights but make sure you send some books and activities for your kids to do, especially if it is a long flight with stop-overs and such. Snacks are good too since most (American) airlines don't even serve those anymore.

And I will pretty much second all that has been said already. Even when I wasn't a registered unaccompanied minor (I was 15, going to Space Camp) the airline personnel still made sure I got to where I was going, walked me to my gate, had the gate person watch out for me, etc.

Oh, and make sure your kids know which luggage is theirs! Put a big smiley face on it with reflective tape or other clear identifying marks that the kids will recognise right away. Counsellors are good at picking out luggage but if your kids know which bag is theirs it makes things go a bit smoother.

One last thing... I do not know if this is in the unaccompanied minor package or not, but make sure BOTH PARENTS are at the airport to bid farewell. I don't know if this is only for international travel, but the airport needs both parents to sign a release saying the kids are allowed to fly and that they are not being kidnapped or whatever. All too often I hear horror stories of parents getting held up in the airport because the other parent is on military duty or a business trip and cannot be reached to verify this. If both parents cannot be there (for whatever reason, even separation or divorce) make sure you get a signed letter from the other parent stating their permission for the kids to fly to Huntsville for a week and then fly home. Annoying, I know, but it could save you lots of hassle at the airport. (I speak from experience... thankfully my dad could be reached by phone half a country away on business.)
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Post by street »

All of the above information is quite accurate. As Boomerang said, be sure to check with the airline about unaccompanied minors. I know this summer at least one airline quit accepting UMs if they needed to change planes. :roll: The fees for UM have also gone up considerably this year, so double check those. You will need to make arrangements to pay the UM fees at the originating airport for not only the outgoing but also in return flight.

The airlines that accept UMs do an excellent job of tending to the child and settling their nerves. They will take your child from you at the airport and an airline attendant will remain with your child through layovers and flight changes until they turn your child over to a Space Camp representative in Huntsville. The Space Camp staff at the airport are specially trained for that job and have a security pass that allows them access to all gates. They will meet your child's flight (assuming you have informed Space Camp in advance of your child's transportation information), escort them to baggage claim and put them on the bus/van (also manned by Space Camp personnel) for the 15 minute ride to the camp. Your child will then be walked to the registration point and from there their program begins. Your child's paperwork for their return trip is collected by the Space Camp transportation folks who hold it for them through the week so it doesn't get lost. If your child has a passport for travel, the passport is locked in a safe for the duration of the camp. For your child's return trip, Space Camp personnel will make sure your child departs the camp for the airport at the right time. The airport Space Camp person will meet the bus from the camp, help your child check in and check their baggage and get through security. They will stay with your child until he/she is collected by the airline personnel for the return trip home. At no time is a child not in the care of either a Space Camp representative or an airline representative. On summer weekends Space Camp practically owns the Huntsville Airport! :D
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Post by gt0163c »

SpaceCanada wrote:One last thing... I do not know if this is in the unaccompanied minor package or not, but make sure BOTH PARENTS are at the airport to bid farewell. I don't know if this is only for international travel, but the airport needs both parents to sign a release saying the kids are allowed to fly and that they are not being kidnapped or whatever.
I am 99% certain this is only for international travel. I've done mission trips with my church where people have had to deal with this and it is a requirement that either both parents are present or some paperwork is filled out if one or both parents are not present. I believe there is a way around this in the case of one parent not being available (abandonment was the case we ran into), although I'm not certain exactly how that works.

For travel within the US, I've never had trouble with flying with minors who are not accompanied by both parents (or even just one parent). Again, this has been church mission trips, so we've been flying with a group, but I know there hasn't been any extra paperwork just for the flights.
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Post by street »

I do want to emphasize to parents to be sure Space Camp has your child's flight information well before the child's scheduled arrival (there is a form to complete available at spacecamp.com). It is shocking the number of people who arrive at the airport (not just children and not just the Huntsville airport!!! 8O ) and call the camp looking for a ride to the camp.

If the transportation form has been completed and submitted someone will be at the airport to collect the trainee. Unless special arrangements have been made in advance (usually for group arrivals), transportation is only available from the Huntsville airport or the private terminal.
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