Christy Putnam

Seth is going to NBTSC this year (in Oregon) and we are discovering that for
a minor under 15 to travel alone (unaccompanied minor) the airlines require
an additional fee of $100 both ways and will escort the kids from gate to
gate and basically babysit them. All that would be great if Seth weren't a
pretty independent and competent kid who will be 14 at the time of travel
and would find having a babysitter appalling. My first inclination is to
just say he is 15 and hope for the best but I worry that they will ask for
birth certificate for proof. I am wondering if anyone here has experience
with this or knows someone who does?


With Utmost Gratitude,
Christy Putnam
Funschooling Mom to Seth (13) , Aden (3) & Baby Putnam (arriving 8/08)
Funloving Wife to Chet (7/4/04)
My New Blogspot <http://abundantcuriosity.blogspot.com/>
Funschooling <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FYI-OKC/> Young Individuals:
FYI-OKC
OKC Metro Teen Group - OAHAT <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OAHAT/>

"I am of a "free-lance educator" variety. My children and I work together to
create avenues for learning that are mutually satisfying." ~ Hygeia
Halfmoon, PhD
Family Affirmation: We will close and be moved into our own home by June 30,
2008.

<http://pregnancy.baby-gaga.com/> pregnancy calendar


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Mara

My stepson travelled to meet us from Boston to Germany by himself when he was around 14 as well. He did have someone who set next to him and was there to help out if needed, but he said he could still do what he wanted and was basically left alone. I would not call it babysitting, he would have hated that too. I don't think there was an additional fee as I can remember. If it is standard airline protocol I would not lie about the age, especially if he does not look a lot older than his age and might be asked who he is traveling with. Probably also for security reasons to make sure he is not running away or something.
Mara


----- Original Message ----
From: Christy Putnam <personal_balance@...>
To: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
Cc: [email protected]; [email protected]
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 11:01:27 AM
Subject: [unschoolingbasics] Travel Experience anyone? (xposted)


Seth is going to NBTSC this year (in Oregon) and we are discovering that for
a minor under 15 to travel alone (unaccompanied minor) the airlines require
an additional fee of $100 both ways and will escort the kids from gate to
gate and basically babysit them. All that would be great if Seth weren't a
pretty independent and competent kid who will be 14 at the time of travel
and would find having a babysitter appalling. My first inclination is to
just say he is 15 and hope for the best but I worry that they will ask for
birth certificate for proof. I am wondering if anyone here has experience
with this or knows someone who does?


With Utmost Gratitude,
Christy Putnam
Funschooling Mom to Seth (13) , Aden (3) & Baby Putnam (arriving 8/08)
Funloving Wife to Chet (7/4/04)
My New Blogspot <http://abundantcuri osity.blogspot. com/>
Funschooling <http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/FYI- OKC/> Young Individuals:
FYI-OKC
OKC Metro Teen Group - OAHAT <http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/OAHAT/>

"I am of a "free-lance educator" variety. My children and I work together to
create avenues for learning that are mutually satisfying." ~ Hygeia
Halfmoon, PhD
Family Affirmation: We will close and be moved into our own home by June 30,
2008.

<http://pregnancy. baby-gaga. com/> pregnancy calendar

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Kim Zerbe

My 13-yr old neice just flew with her ski team from MN to OR
(coincidentally) for a 1-wk ski camp at Mt Hood. (We live in Oregon and met
her at the airport and drove her and 2 friends up to the mtn, which got
fresh snow this week! About 150 inch base and the whole mtn is open, usually
it's only the top during the summer.)

Anyway, while we were having lunch on the way we found out that the airline
required an additional fee for kids under 15 so her dad just said she was
15. Another girl we were driving said her dad did the same thing and she is
14 (the third girl at lunch was actually 15). My neice is tall and quite
mature and could pass for 15, but I don't know if that helped or they just
believed her dad. She was not totally alone. She was travelling with many
other kids who actually are 15 or older, so maybe they didn't question it. I
don't know the whole deal, but they didn't require any sort of proof
(because there wouldn't be any!) other than the parent's affirmation! I'll
try to find out if he signed anything. I think it would just be your
conscience!

Kim in Oregon

_____

From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Christy Putnam
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 8:01 AM
To: [email protected]; [email protected];
[email protected]; [email protected];
[email protected]
Cc: [email protected]; [email protected]
Subject: [unschoolingbasics] Travel Experience anyone? (xposted)



Seth is going to NBTSC this year (in Oregon) and we are discovering that for
a minor under 15 to travel alone (unaccompanied minor) the airlines require
an additional fee of $100 both ways and will escort the kids from gate to
gate and basically babysit them. All that would be great if Seth weren't a
pretty independent and competent kid who will be 14 at the time of travel
and would find having a babysitter appalling. My first inclination is to
just say he is 15 and hope for the best but I worry that they will ask for
birth certificate for proof. I am wondering if anyone here has experience
with this or knows someone who does?


With Utmost Gratitude,
Christy Putnam
Funschooling Mom to Seth (13) , Aden (3) & Baby Putnam (arriving 8/08)
Funloving Wife to Chet (7/4/04)
My New Blogspot <http://abundantcuri
<http://abundantcuriosity.blogspot.com/> osity.blogspot.com/>
Funschooling <http://groups. <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FYI-OKC/>
yahoo.com/group/FYI-OKC/> Young Individuals:
FYI-OKC
OKC Metro Teen Group - OAHAT <http://groups.
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OAHAT/> yahoo.com/group/OAHAT/>

"I am of a "free-lance educator" variety. My children and I work together to
create avenues for learning that are mutually satisfying." ~ Hygeia
Halfmoon, PhD
Family Affirmation: We will close and be moved into our own home by June 30,
2008.

<http://pregnancy. <http://pregnancy.baby-gaga.com/> baby-gaga.com/>
pregnancy calendar

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Faith Void

Check out different airlines. Some don't even charge, southwest I
think. Some charge less, my 11 y/o just flew airtran their rules are
under 12 and they charge 39 bucks.
Faith

On Wed, Jun 11, 2008 at 11:01 AM, Christy Putnam
<personal_balance@...> wrote:
> Seth is going to NBTSC this year (in Oregon) and we are discovering that for
> a minor under 15 to travel alone (unaccompanied minor) the airlines require
> an additional fee of $100 both ways and will escort the kids from gate to
> gate and basically babysit them. All that would be great if Seth weren't a
> pretty independent and competent kid who will be 14 at the time of travel
> and would find having a babysitter appalling. My first inclination is to
> just say he is 15 and hope for the best but I worry that they will ask for
> birth certificate for proof. I am wondering if anyone here has experience
> with this or knows someone who does?
>
>
> With Utmost Gratitude,
> Christy Putnam
> Funschooling Mom to Seth (13) , Aden (3) & Baby Putnam (arriving 8/08)
> Funloving Wife to Chet (7/4/04)
> My New Blogspot <http://abundantcuriosity.blogspot.com/>
> Funschooling <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FYI-OKC/> Young Individuals:
> FYI-OKC
> OKC Metro Teen Group - OAHAT <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OAHAT/>
>
> "I am of a "free-lance educator" variety. My children and I work together to
> create avenues for learning that are mutually satisfying." ~ Hygeia
> Halfmoon, PhD
> Family Affirmation: We will close and be moved into our own home by June 30,
> 2008.
>
> <http://pregnancy.baby-gaga.com/> pregnancy calendar
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>



--
www.bearthmama.com

Debra Rossing

I wouldn't fudge the age thing in this day and age of uber-security -
he'll need to show some sort of ID when he checks in anyhow (passport,
birth certificate, whatever) and that has to match what the airline has
on file for that passenger or they can really put a knot in plans

Deb


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Ren Allen

~~
I wouldn't fudge the age thing in this day and age of uber-security -
he'll need to show some sort of ID when he checks in anyhow (passport,
birth certificate, whatever)~~

That isn't necessarily true. Minors don't usually need an ID, though
perhaps for alone travel it wouldn't be a bad idea. Our friend had her
14 y.o. travel up here under the "escort" option through the airlines
and he never had to show ID....that was last year. None of my children
have ever been asked for ID when I travel with them and we've flown
several times with the new security (the most recent being to
Albuquerque with Trevor in '06).

I'd call the airline to ask what they require.

Ren
learninginfreedom.com

Debra Rossing

We flew from CT to St. Croix (US VI) last fall and they wanted ID (we
had passports) for ALL of us, even though DS was traveling accompanied
by BOTH parents. They wanted birth certificate, passport, or other ID
for kids, driver's license or passport or other 'government issued photo
ID' for adults. I suppose it depends, too, on where you're heading -
even though we were staying in the US, technically, it's a territory not
a state. They wanted ID to match it up with the names on the boarding
passes.

Deb


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