Flying Solo on the American Airlines’ Unaccompanied Minors Program

Scholastic Kid Reporter Asher Freije with American Airlines employees

Over the Christmas and New Year’s break, an estimated 119 million people traveled by air for the holidays, breaking the previous record set in 2019. Among these travelers, my eleven-year-old sister and I used the American Airlines’ Unaccompanied Minors (UM) program to fly from Indiana to Arkansas. 

Airport Procedures upon Arrival

To ensure the safety of young travelers, most airlines require minors aged 5-14 to use the UM service which comes with a fee in addition to the ticket price. Upon arrival at the American Airlines counter at the airport, we were given a pouch to wear around our necks. This pouch contained flight information and helped airport staff identify our destination and pickup arrangements. Additionally, we were given brightly colored bracelets for our wrists and backpacks that included our flight numbers.

Parents are given a special pass to escort unaccompanied minors from the ticket counter through security and to the gate. My sister and I were the first to board our connecting flight to Dallas, and my mom was required to stay in the boarding area until the flight departed. 

In-Flight Experience

Flight attendants are incredibly helpful throughout the process. When my sister and I boarded our first flight, I was initially a bit nervous, but the flight attendant, Hannah, was friendly and kind.  She gave us snacks and made us feel as comfortable as possible. Throughout the plane rides, we had to ride in the back two seats for extra flight attendant supervision. “As a UM, you will always be placed in the back to be watched over,” our flight attendant, Lisa, stated.

Many UM programs have a protocol in place for connecting flights and layovers. Specifically, American Airlines has kids-only lounges in hub cities. When we landed in Dallas for our two-hour layover we checked into the kids-only lounge. We were asked the same three questions that were asked every time we were with a new escort or employee. The questions were who was picking us up, who dropped us off, and the location of our destination. The lounge consisted of snack boxes, couches and chairs, bathrooms, and vending machines. The room was located behind a clear wall where the UM desk employees were.

UM programs also include early boarding time. We left the lounge 45 minutes before boarding, which gave us plenty of time to make our flight and meet the flight attendants.

Scholastic Kid Reporter and his sister visit the cockpit during their trip

Navigating Landing and Meeting your Pickup Person

Once we landed, we were taken to an escort to where our uncle would be picking us up. “The escort will hand the adult some paperwork to fill, and then you’ll be handed off to enjoy your vacation,” flight attendant, Hannah, stated.

On our return trip home, we connected through Charlotte. Our escort Shelby met us when we got off the plane. “My job is to get you from gate to gate safely,” she said. And when our flight was delayed, she stayed with us the entire time.

All in all, flying was a journey in itself, but with kind and trustworthy escorts and flight attendants, American Airlines made it easy.