But some children just aren't ready to fly alone, cautions Ellen Little, a Charlotte mom who spent 14 years as a flight attendant. Many of us are mothers, too. Shopping around When buying a ticket, make sure the travel agent or airline knows it's for an unaccompanied child. It will mean a little more paperwork and a lot more security. Airlines identify such children with tags or buttons and won't let them leave with anyone other than the designated person.
Direct flights tend to be less stressful than changing planes at a large airport.
Not only will the staff make sure kids get to the right gate, they'll look after them if there's a delay, a diversion, or even an unscheduled overnight layover. Several parents said their kids had a blast sipping soft drinks and playing games with the staff while a plane was grounded. Make sure children understand they must stick with airline staff. Sometimes young children get off with a well-meaning family who has offered to walk them to their gate. Or veteran preteen fliers decide to test their independence by pulling off their tags and wandering over to a gift shop.