Travel
Got a kid flying alone? Here's the ultimate checklist for unaccompanied minors
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Planning for a trip can be taxing, but planning a trip for an unaccompanied minor can be downright stressful. While minimum ages for children flying alone can vary depending on the airline, most children are able to fly without a parent or guardian from age 5 as an unaccompanied minor.
While it can feel like you’re sending your child off and hoping for the best as they lift off into the friendly skies, there are tips and tools for making a trip to visit friends or family members safer, as well as more comfortable for kids traveling alone. We spoke with some seasoned flight attendants—each of them parents—to get some of their best ideas for children traveling alone.
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Read the fine print
Caroline Mills has been a flight attendant for six years and is a mom of two. Mills says her first rule of thumb is to tell parents to always read the fine print, research the rules and regulations and what fee applies to the services of each airline before booking your child’s ticket. This will also help you figure out which airline is the best for your child flying alone.
“Airline policies can vary slightly and are always updating. Read [those policies] before buying a ticket,” she says. “If you feel prepared going in it’ll help make a calmer experience for your child,” she says.
Make sure they’re ready
Your child may be technically old enough to travel unaccompanied, but there are a few things to take into account before you determine if they are ready to fly alone. Keep in mind that flights can be unpredictable with delays, diversions and cancellations, making travel particularly tough for some kids.
All the flight attendants we spoke to agreed that it’s most important that you check that your child is emotionally ready to fly alone before you put them on a plane without a trusted adult.
Is your kid prone to stress? Are they still quite clingy? Do they require predictability? These may be signs to wait a bit more before you send them off on their own.
“You can prepare them by taking them through each scenario, what to expect and what to do, but it really depends on your child, if they are ready to fly alone or not,” says Mills.
Prep them for the flight
“Kids love predictability so it’s always a good idea to prep them for what’s to come,” says Rebecca Jane, a flight attendant with over nine years of experience flying with a major US airline.
She recommends walking kids through what the entire experience will look like, from gate to landing. Let them know that the adults who will help them will be in uniform, and show them pictures of what the uniforms will look like.
“Let them know they will be walked to their seat with a flight attendant and there will be a call button, should there be anything they need,” she says.
Teach them to ask for help
There’s always the worry that your child may end up needing to change their seat or sitting next to someone that makes them nervous.
“If they are afraid of something or are sitting next to someone who makes them anxious, some kids get scared to ask for help, so let them know how they can ask for assistance,” says Jane.
Both she and Mills say to role-play a bit before the flight and instruct children that, if they ever feel they are in danger, to go to the bathroom and wait there until a flight attendant is nearby whom they can ask for help.
“It’s a good idea to empower kids before the flight,” says Mills. “Let them know that we do this with adults all the time and are happy to do this for children.”
She adds that the bathroom strategy helps timid children avoid feeling like they are pointing fingers.
“There is almost always a flight attendant right by the bathroom in the rear of the plane,” says Mills. “We are there to help them and to keep them safe, so be sure to let them know that’s a safe place to go for help.”
Everything your kid needs to bring
These smart products will help your kid be comfortable and prepared for a long flight.
1. Make contact info easy to find
Mills recommends a child always has easy-to-find contact info on them. This includes a contact number, any food allergies and medications, and the child’s departure and destination cities. If a flight is delayed or a connecting flight has been canceled, it helps the attendants to be able to immediately contact whoever is scheduled to meet the child at their destination.
“Having all of that information handy allows flight attendants to comfort the kid without needing to get a nervous child to remember and recite important information,” says Mills.
A clever thing she’s seen parents do is write all pertaining information on jelly bracelets with a Sharpie.
“Kids like wearing them and it’s a smart way to make sure we have all the information we need,” says Mills.
2. ID everything
If all else fails, having a name and a phone number on all of the child’s personal belongings is at least a good starting point. Not only does it give flight attendants numerous opportunities to find out how to contact a parent, if a confused child leaves something behind, you’ll be glad you slapped a sticker on their belongings.
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3. Send them with lots of snacks
Most fees for unaccompanied minors include a free airline meal but Jane says that is rarely enough food to get a child through a long day of travel, and there are lots of other things to consider with that free meal.
Preferential seating for kids typically means children are in the back of the airplane, in order to keep them close to the flight attendants and other families. That means that unaccompanied minors are one of the last people to get served food and drinks on the plane. If you take into account how long it takes for a flight to actually get into the air, a child flying alone will be looking at a minimum of two hours without food on most flights—sometimes longer.
Jane and Mills say that they love seeing kids with bento-style lunch boxes filled with lots of options for healthy treats.
We like bento box-style kids’ lunch boxes with attached lids—to prevent the inevitable dropped lid on a dirty airplane floor—and we recommend boxes that have lots of small compartments for variety.
4. Pack an insulated water bottle
Just like with food, it’s likely children will have a bit of a wait to hydrate. Both Jane and Mills recommend that you send your unaccompanied minor with a refillable water bottle.
You’ll be able to walk your child through check-in and there are lots of filling stations along the way to their gate, so they can board the plane with a full bottle to get them through. We recommend an insulated water bottle with a tightly closing lid, to prevent spills.
Get the Simple Modern 14-ounce Kids’ Water Bottle at Amazon for $16.99
5. Dress them in layers
Travel can mean going from a hot tarmac to a chilly cabin. Mills and Jane recommend dressing kids in layers to make sure they are comfortable. Like adults, loose-fitting clothes with lots of pockets are key for comfort and for quick access to key essentials. Compression socks are good for circulation and a good zip-up hoodie will help keep them cozy. For smaller travelers, we like the Cubcoats convertible hoodies that go from cuddly plush to a wearable layer with just a few zips.
6. Pack a tablet
“If there was ever a time for screen time, it’s on an airplane,” says Jane, and we agree. Arming a child with a kid-friendly tablet is a no-brainer, but Jane has tips for maximizing your child’s tablet and for minimizing frustration when there isn’t a parent available to help.
Even if an airline offers free wifi, it’s not always reliable. To save your kid from disappointment and frustration, Jane recommends you clear out all of the junk on your child’s tablet prior to a flight to make sure it runs smoothly and doesn’t drain the battery. Then preload games, movies, books, music and TV shows so they have plenty of access to wireless entertainment for the duration of their travel.
7. Get a set of volume-control headphones
Kids’ headphones are a must. A set with preset volume control will help protect your child’s ears when you aren’t there to help them. Jane recommends pre-connecting wireless headphones to their devices, to keep any extra entanglement and frustrations at bay.
Our testers highly recommend the Puro Soundlabs as the best headphones for kids. Both versions of the Soundlabs can be wireless or wired and both come with excellent sound quality, noise-canceling features and volume control that you can preset.
8. Try a screen-free audio player
Depending on the duration of the flight, your kid may want to tap into some screen-free entertainment. We are impressed with the Yoto Mini as a pocket-sized audio player that kids can take with them anywhere they go. It’s also frustration-free should kids run into any difficulties with technology during their travels.
The Yoto Mini functions just like the regular Yoto, but can literally fit in a pocket. Simply slip in one of their pre-loaded story cards (or record your own) and they are ready to go.
They’ll be so happy to have this player to get them through a long flight and, since it also functions as a Bluetooth speaker and a travel clock, they’ll be just as glad to have it with them once they land.
9. Pack some extra chargers
Kids aren’t very good at keeping an eye on battery life, so make sure your kids have all of their chargers handy. Jane advises you give your kids a little primer not only on which chargers go with which device, but also ensuring that they know how to use them.
We recommend storing all of their chargers in a handy little zip-up case to keep cords neat and tangle-free.
10. Get a slim-profile backpack
Keep in mind that you are going to check any bag your child has, so make sure they have a small, easy-to-manage carry-on that can fit under their seat and that they can easily access from that awkward angle while they are seatbelted in.
“You need something that’s easy to navigate for a kid that’s strapped in their seat,” says Jane.
We recommend a kid’s backpack with lots of pockets for essentials and a grab handle that allows for easy lifting from the seat in front of them, so they can access their snacks and activities while still remaining buckled in.
We like the Youth Recon backpack by North Face for its slimmer profile, which makes it easy for kids to carry down long airplane aisles, and ensures the backpack not only fits under airline seats, but can slide out easily without snagging on its way up.
Get the North Face Recon Youth Backpack at Amazon starting at $49.95
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Travel
Razzies royally torch 'Diana' musical and 'Space Jam 2,' show love to Oscar favorite Will Smith
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In its proclamation of the worst films of 2021, the Razzies lambasted a critically reviled Princess Diana musical and LeBron James’ “Space Jam” sequel, but spread love instead of hate for Will Smith.
The Golden Raspberry Awards, annually announced the day before the Academy Awards, bestowed five dishonors on Netflix’s “Diana: The Musical,” a filmed production of the recent Broadway show that closed after 33 performances. “Diana” beat out “Infinite,” “Karen,” “Space Jam: A New Legacy” and “The Woman in the Window” for worst picture, plus picked up worst screenplay and worst actress for star Jeanna de Waal.
“New Legacy,” the live-action/animated hybrid basketball comedy featuring James hooping it up with Bugs Bunny and Co., earned three Razzie awards. James was named worst actor and also was saddled with worst screen couple – which went to James and “Any Warner Cartoon Character (or WarnerMedia Product) He Dribbles On” – while the movie snagged worst sequel.
How to watch the 2022 Oscars:Everything you should know about Sunday’s Academy Awards
“House of Gucci” star Jared Leto lost his Screen Actors Guild race for best supporting actor but nabbed the Razzie for worst. And Bruce Willis does so many VOD movies now that he received his own special category (worst performance by Bruce Willis in a 2021 movie) that, to no one’s surprise, he won – for “Cosmic Sin.”
Smith, who’s expected to win the best actor Oscar Sunday for “King Richard,” received this year’s Razzie Redeemer Award for previous Razzie honorees who’ve come back with quality efforts. Recent winners include Ben Affleck, Sylvester Stallone, Melissa McCarthy and Eddie Murphy.
The full list of this year’s Razzie “winners”:
Worst picture: “Diana: The Musical”
Worst actor: LeBron James, “Space Jam: A New Legacy”
Worst actress: Jeanna de Waal, “Diana: The Musical”
Worst supporting actress: Judy Kaye, “Diana: The Musical”
Worst supporting actor: Jared Leto, “House of Gucci”
Worst performance by Bruce Willis in a 2021 movie: Bruce Willis, “Cosmic Sin”
Worst screen couple: LeBron James and Any Warner Cartoon Character
(or WarnerMedia Product) He Dribbles On, “Space Jam: A New Legacy”
Worst remake, rip-off or sequel: “Space Jam: A New Legacy”
Worst director: Christopher Ashley, “Diana: The Musical”
Worst screenplay: “Diana: The Musical”
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Business
As more marijuana dispensaries get targeted by robbers, SAFE Banking Act lingers in Congress
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CHICAGO — In a ridiculous coincidence, the Saint Peter’s Peacocks wrote NCAA Tournament history on National Peacock Day with a thrilling upset of Purdue.
The mid-major became the first-ever No. 15 seed to reach the Elite Eight, outdoing previous No. 15 seeds Oral Roberts (2021) and Florida Gulf Coast (2013). Exactly 0.8% of people picked the Peacocks to get this far, with the school from Jersey City, New Jersey, defying all odds. Is Saint Peter’s the best Cinderella of all time?
Meanwhile, the ACC is sitting pretty with three teams – Duke and now North Carolina and Miami (Fla.) – in the Elite Eight on the same day the Big Ten saw its last team go down.
A look at three key takeaways from Friday:
Saint Peter’s writes NCAA history
Coach Shaheen Holloway has this team playing inspired basketball, and now the Peacocks (22-11) are just one win from the Final Four. The best Cinderellas of the last two decades to reach Final Fours – George Mason in 2006, VCU in 2011, Loyola-Chicago (2018) all were double-digit seeded mid-majors. But none was as highly seeded as this Saint Peter’s team that’s now beaten No. 2 seed Kentucky, No. 7 Murray State and No. 3 Purdue.
WINNERS, LOSERS:Poised Saint Peter’s keeps the dream alive; bye-bye, Big Ten; hello, ACC
OPINION:Saint Peter’s embodies wackiness and uncertainty of this NCAA Tournament
ANALYSIS:Purdue’s loss leaves Big Ten shut out of Elite Eight. We could see this coming.
MORE:Legendary Arkansas coach Nolan Richardson: Coach K’s farewell tour ends Saturday
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While other bracket-busting NCAA Tournament darlings of yesteryear have had flair (FGCU’s “Dunk City”) or a lovable fan (Loyola’s Sister Jean), this team from the MAAC is doing it with defense, namely with nine steals. In spite of being undersized against the Boilermakers, the Peacocks used aggressiveness and hustle to outduel their seemingly superior opponent behind 6-8 freshman Clarence Rubert and 6-7 junior Hassan Drame. Daryl Banks III (14 points) is the go-to scorer for Saint Peter’s, but Mr. Clutch has been guard Doug Edert (10 points) off the bench. One stat to note: a 19-for-21 clip from the free-throw line. What’s been most impressive is the Peacocks’ ability to stay hungry and poised under pressure, winning close games in all three NCAA Tournament matchups.
Blue-bloods show title potential
Duke and Villanova advanced on Thursday, and fellow blue-bloods Kansas and North Carolina will now join them in the Elite Eight. And yes, if both the Blue Devils and Tar Heels win Sunday, we could see them meet in the Final Four.
Ever since North Carolina embarrassed Duke in coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final home game at Cameron Indoor Stadium, the Heels have been red-hot – knocking out No. 1 Baylor in the previous game in overtime. That continued against a UCLA team that reached the Final Four last year and seemed destined to get back. Caleb Love was brilliant again, finishing with 30 points off six three-pointers. Armando Bacot’s tip-in with 22 seconds left sealed the win in another impressive outing for coach Hubert Davis’ resilient team.
The last remaining No. 1 in the NCAA Tournament, Kansas stayed alive, escaping Providence by five points. It’s coach Bill Self’s ninth trip to the Elite Eight with Kansas and 11th of his career, as the Jayhawks (31-6) are one win from the Final Four. They’ve now won eight in a row and are looking like a title contender after entering the NCAA Tourney having won the Big 12 tournament.
The secret weapon for Kansas has been guard Remy Martin. For the third consecutive tournament game, Kansas got a jolt off the bench from the fiery Martin (23 points), the Arizona State transfer who has erupted in these NCAAs after playing a reserve role throughout 2021-22.
ACC > Big Ten
Despite garnering nine NCAA Tournament bids on Selection Sunday – the most of any conference – the Big Ten is out following Purdue’s stunning exit vs. Saint Peter’s. The league tanked in the first two rounds, with No. 5 Iowa – the conference tourney champ – getting upset by Richmond in the first round. No. 3 Wisconsin, No. 4 Illinois, No. 7 Michigan State and No. 7 Ohio State all lost in the second round. And now, with Michigan’s loss to Villanova, the overall underachievement is on full display. That’s a 9-9 finish in the tournament.
No Big Ten team has cut down the nets since 2000 (the Spartans), and it’s a depressing outlook for the league that posted the second-best NET score in 2021-22 and showcased several teams with Final Four potential.
The ACC, which finished with the sixth-worst NET score as a league, has Duke, North Carolina and Miami all in the Elite Eight. That’s after the Tar Heels, Hurricanes and Notre Dame were all bubble teams in early March. The NCAA Tournament is about matchups and pathways. No matter how well the Big Ten did in the regular season, much like the Pac-12’s surprising finish last year, the ACC is well-positioned with three teams still alive and two of them title contenders.
Follow college basketball reporter Scott Gleeson on Twitter @ScottMGleeson.
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