16 year old solo to USA (indirect)
Back to Forum- This topic has 17 replies, 12 voices, and was last updated 2 Jul 2013
at 16:03 by MartynSinclair.
-
- Author
- Posts
- Skip to last reply Create Topic
-
MartynSinclairParticipantAlthough Junior Sinclair has flown to the States many times solo, this summer will be the first time he is going solo & non direct (mainly due to the horrendous prices VS / BA are charging) to Orlando.
At 16, he is too old to be considered an unaccompanied minor.
The best choices appear to be Air Canada (via Toronto) or Aer Lingus (via Dublin). Obviously want to keep him well clear of large hubs and any airport needing a terminal change in transit.
Are there any issues with unaccompanied 16 year olds entering USA (without airline help) and does anyone have an opinion regarding the best airport for a 16 year first time solo (in transit) flyer to use.
Many thanks
28 Jun 2013
at 08:28
FirstClassWannabeParticipantI would book him on EI as no terminal change and DUB is a really easy airport to navigate and it should be a quicker journey for him. I can´t see him having a problem entering US apart from waiting time in the queue!
28 Jun 2013
at 08:47
peterhouseParticipantIsn’t the worry of him changing planes worth avoiding for a little extra?
What prices are you seeing for direct flights? Don’t forget charters to places like Sanford are often direct and can be good value.
28 Jun 2013
at 10:40
DutchinSwitzerlandParticipantI don’t know about Toronto but it seems a sensible thing if they have pre-clearance for travel to the US. Personally I always like Detroit since it’s such an easy airport to navigate although I don’t know whether you have any flights to there. Since your kid has already flown so extensively I’m sure he will be fine flying, I certainly wouldn’t have been ready for it at that age as I only picked up on flying when i was 24 but certainly made up for the missed years 🙂
28 Jun 2013
at 11:14
VectorOneParticipantIf you have doubts, you might wish to consider contacting airportgenie.com which is a service that is provided for passenger accompanying at Dublin airport. They may be be able to assist you sone for a fee.
Having said that, if he is a confident young man, he should have no problem with transfer at Dub. The transfer desk is well signposted and all in the one terminal (T2). He’ll be able to pre-clear US immigration as well.
28 Jun 2013
at 16:58
handbagParticipantJust for reference. As looks like you will not be using BA , but 5 -12 must use Skyflyer Solo and 12 – 18 yrs can. It is not unusual to see a 6ft 15/16 yr old using the service. Costs roughly $75 US each way.
It may well be worth looking on the sites for the airline you are think of using to see what service they have.
Good luck
28 Jun 2013
at 17:20
JohnHarperParticipantMartyn, the transfer at DUB is very easy, I can’t comment on Toronto but I would have no concerns about using DUB.
28 Jun 2013
at 19:52
MartynSinclairParticipantMany thanks – Dublin (Aer Lingus) was going the winner – however, I listened peterhouse’s comment and made another call to VS and BA and AA in the off chance of a direct flight with airmiles/avios.
Hey Presto, VS came up trumps – in the height of summer! So a direct flight has now been booked from Gatwick to Orlando.
2 Jul 2013
at 06:55
TominScotlandParticipantSounds a good call, Martyn. Mind you, isn’t “the height of summer” in Florida ‘Mad Dogs and Englishman” time, so maybe not surprising that prices are reasonable……..?
2 Jul 2013
at 07:54
canuckladParticipantBoo Martyn…..
When I was your laddies age and younger , I was transferring through AMS by myself, sometimes with my younger sister in tow…
You’ve denied the lad a big adventure ….he was maybe looking forward to being self reliant and experiancing YYZ or DUB for himself…..
He probably would have been straight on the internet researching how to do it himself……My advice would have been to make sure there was not enough time between flights for him to be tempted into exploring airside! ! ……LOL …….. Anyway Booo again ! : ))
2 Jul 2013
at 09:11
TominScotlandParticipantWhy, canucklad, what happens airside in AMS? – if its there, I have never found it!! Do you mean landside?
2 Jul 2013
at 09:15
travelworldParticipantGlad to see that there’s a parent who is happy to let his 16 year old son fly alone. It should be a great adventure for him and nothing to worry about it at all. I have a goddaughter who at 18 couldn’t buy a train ticket without parental help…
2 Jul 2013
at 09:54
jetplaneParticipantAs a 14 year old I began the solo commute between beloved Eastern Africa and LHR, missing flights and generally having a rather good time, with the exception of KLM (“boy I will beat you with my belt, said arparthied old git”, f*** off I said) with whom I wont fly again ever, teaches a young chap about chivalry, general chin up and a healthy disregard for the nanying sorts – go forbid I was an escorted type – boring. Wandering around as a kid in airports and aircraft was how life is meant to be lived and my best memory is in a descent into LHR in the cockpit until, the doors opened. Gosh those were the days… and not so long ago either… 1980s remember them?
2 Jul 2013
at 10:26
canuckladParticipantTom….Of course you’re right …….
My parents would have been horrified if they knew what I got up to….
If the transfer time was tight when heading to Scotland I would try and convince the KLM lass to book me onto the next available flight…as I was flying stand by, this sometimes aided the airline…
I used to use my boyish charms to convince them that I would spend my time exploring the airport and would produce my airplane spotter’s book as evidence of my geekynish….with a promise to return to the KLM desk at the requested time…I left the shackles of my airline guardians
Also tried to get Gulf Air to feel sorry for me and hop on their AMS – LHR leg, all so I could fly a L1011 !!
I also remembered once being diverted to Dusseldorf due to fog and also my first real life lesson as a 15 year old…..How to escape the advances of a predatory fat slob of a Dutchman who tried to take responsibility of me overnight!!
Thankfully CP looked after me, including putting me up in a hotel, dinner and breakfast…..and then delivered me into BCal’s hands….Cheers CP for remembering I was part of the family!
2 Jul 2013
at 10:51 -
AuthorPosts
