<p>PA has a list of providers should your child need to be escorted, but it’s rather pricey. They do run shuttles on the high volume days to and from the airport. That has worked well for us.</p>
<p>the school sends a shuttle throughout the day on vacation breaks and there is an additional staff person who met my daughter at the gate before she was 15. His name/copy of license (which school gave us) was given to the airline counter when D checked in–and then he met her at the gate for pickup. This was all driven by the airline requirements At 15, she now gets on and off herself and meets the shuttle curbside.</p>
<p>So the airlines give TSA gate passes (they’ve got to go through security to get to the gates) to people you designate to pick up a minor. Interesting.</p>
<p>Goaliegirl’s school has never done gate service. Not that they have a lot of kids flying in, but you’d think that they would handle this. I guess it is better that we passed through this phase already. Goaliegirl is done flying into the northeast. She gets to fly to MSP for the next 4 years, when we aren’t schleping her stuff back and forth.</p>
<p>I think of all the “protection” my daughter didn’t grow up with. Cribs, walkers, high chairs, and car seats that wouldn’t pass muster today. Booster seats in the car? That lasted until she hit 40 lbs (about age 4). And now she missed the “unaccompanied minor” status that requires extra hand holding. It’s amazing how she managed to make it. [/sarchasm off]</p>
<p>IMHO, if a child is not ready to navigate an airport without assistance, they probably aren’t ready for boarding school.</p>
<p>Goaliedad, </p>
<p>I second the comment about the airport and bs. </p>
<p>The 4 days and 3 flights we took for revisits, I allowed my d to take the lead and do everything in line, handle her ticket, id, shoes off, computer out, etc…and she did better than I.</p>
<p>I feel with all the airport security nowadays, the areas are safer than ever.</p>
<p>If she can’t handle that you are right, why am I allowing her to go to bs.</p>
<p>Plus she has the Iphone, cash and debit card, plus the advantage of being a teen, no fear…go figure.</p>
<p>We sometimes want to worry about something. On that first trip back to school from thanksgiving break, she will have to call me 5 times, but that is to re-assure me. </p>
<p>They will be fine :-).</p>
<p>Alexz825Mom- I’m with you, I have him call me when he is on the plane, when the plane lands, when he is in the taxi, and finally just for good measure when he gets to school! He thinks I am crazy but he does it.</p>
<p>We flew to Pittsburgh this Christmas, and had the good fortune (!) to fly home the day after that January airport incident (why can’t I even remember what it was anymore?!). At any rate, the security lines were backed into the parking lot. My son saw a teeny little sign for an alternate checkpoint, went off to find it while the rest of us stayed like sheep in the long line, then came back ten minutes later and led us all through the airport to the speediest checkpoint I’ve ever been through. I think he’ll do fine on his own… but he’s still calling me at least three times. :)</p>
<p>The iphone is pretty amazing Alexz825 - there is an iphone app for EVERYTHING. I am a naughty mom who installed loopt on my D’s phone. It uses her GPS to tell me where she is at any moment. Shh - don’t tell her. . . </p>
<p>This thread makes me reminisce about airport time during BS. We all had to much fun hanging out as a group in the airport coffee shop waiting for each others planes to board. Rest assured your children will not be spending much time alone on those commutes. I still keep in touch with a guy I used to routinely fly with who went to Middlesex. We met b/c we were constantly on the same planes inn & out of Midway (chicago) for every break.</p>
<p>If you have an “escorted” child. You usually hand them off just before security to a person from the airline (sometimes they will give you a gate pass, but per my airport friends, this is usually for a very young child) and then the escort will give them back to whom you designate on arrival just outside the security exit.</p>
<p>If you don’t have them escorted, then usually they “find” the bus.</p>
<p>Note, most US airlines are not doing escorts if there is a connection and most do not do preteens either</p>
<p>I think that’s an important point to make - a lot of students traveling and access to technology like email and cell phones makes it easier to communicate. Even so, I was traveling in and out of Boston’s Logan airport at 14 just fine with no escort. </p>
<p>These days, out of fear or whatever, we give students much less independence. The media makes us more aware of “dangers” that lurk behind every corner. And I’ll admit - my daughter travels just fine without me but the “mom in me” still wants to track her movements.</p>
<p>If your kid is mature enough to go to boarding school AND has flown before (with or without adults) they should be able to navigate just fine. When I flew into Boston we knew to go to Eastern Airlines terminal to meet the school’s shuttle buses. I normally ran into other classmates on the way - or coordinated in advance for us to meet up and be on the same bus. It was not that disimilar to getting on the Hogwart’s express in terms of renewing old friendships and catching up. The school had us fill out forms so they knew travel plans for each student and could notify parents if something was amiss or someone was missing. Same thing happened when I sent my daughter to summer school. They wanted to know who, what and where.</p>
<p>I suspect the schools have been doing this for hundreds of years and haven’t lost a student yet - even after 9/11 restrictions.</p>
<p>This will be a bigger test for parents than for students. But the ideas on this thread are fabulous (getting a state ID. Having the kid text or call upon landing, etc.). If you’re really worried, have them have someone take a cell phone photo of them at the shuttle and at the school. That will put your mind at ease.</p>
<p>And in todays news…</p>
<p>[Delta</a> apologizes for sending separate kids to the wrong cities ? USATODAY.com](<a href=“USA TODAY - Breaking News and Latest News Today”>USA TODAY - Breaking News and Latest News Today)</p>
<p>And what pray tell are we paying the airlines to do with these kids?</p>
<p>Thanks for the info, all!! I was hesitant about Southwest and now see it’s the best way to go AND they allow two free bags!!!</p>
<p>Hi guys, I’m 13 currently in a week 14. I’m going to be applying for BS next school year. I’m trying to figure it all out so I can be “responsible” and convince my parents;). Anyways I’d be 15 when I went but I’d buy my ticket when I was 14. will that be a problem? Also my mom is well aware of how easy it is to have someone take you in an airport so what convinced you moms to let them go alone? I don’t know anyone applying to the schools I am so that kinda eliminates the group thing…</p>
<p>oh also whats the cheapest airline? and is it hard to fly BS kids back home during breaks?</p>
<p>What makes you think its easy to “have someone take you” in an airport? Maybe there are some statistics I am not aware of, but these days there is a ton of security as well as camera’s located thoughout all US airports. I would think it would be one of the hardest places to abduct anyone. Your mom may be a little weary since you are new to travelling alone, but she can escort you to the gate and wait for your plane to take off, so that may calm her nerves. </p>
<p>Also - the airlines are concerned about your age at the time of travel, not time of purchase.</p>
<p>My daughter has made “airport friends.” Other kids she has met at the airport from her school. None of them take her connecting flight to where we live but she has several that she flies with on the initial leg and they hang out together at the airport, I don’t think they’ve ever sat together on a flight but I’m sure they could request that if they wanted to. The scariest trip for your mom will be the first one, but after that she’ll realize that nothing bad is going to happen to you - and if you have a cell phone that’s even better.</p>
<p>Good luck with your applications!</p>
<p>Do you think if you have financial aid, the school will help with the travel arrangements?</p>
<p>I’ve been fine with United… I don’t know what their policy is, but at 13 I was able to make an international flight from Edmonton, Alberta to New Orleans [through Denver] without a hitch. I was 14 all year without a problem, besides the odd customs official that seemed a bit perplexed at why I was traveling alone and going off to school at 14… but I always have papers with me [copies of my birth certificate, my parents’ work visas/drivers’ licenses, etc.], so issues were always resolved quickly.</p>
<p>^on second thought, that’s a good idea. Especially if your minor is international, send them with copies of your drivers’ licenses, their birth certificate, and a letter describing why they are traveling, where to and from, the address they will be staying out, your phone number, and sign it. Include any other important documents [student visa, etc.] That’s what my parents did [well, minus the student visa- we’re american citizens so we included my parents’ work visas], and it really helped at customs and such. At the very least, a letter is handy.</p>
<p>It is my understanding that at least some schools do help with travel expenses if you are on full financial aid. I expect it would be spelled out in any financial aid award that you receive.</p>
<p>lol i need carpool for andover. pm me if you are going there and live in nj.</p>