<p>When we dropped DD off at MDW for her trek back to campus my DH was not able to go with her to the gate and confirm she would be able to get on the plane. The only way to escort someone to the gate is if they are a minor, they do not speak English, or if they need medical assistance. A very helpful TSA guard told us the following trick that will work if you fly SWA.</p>
<p>Book a flight to “any” destination with a departure time at or near the time your student is flying. You can then go through security because you hold a valid boarding pass. When you get through the security line - Call and cancel your SWA flight. There is no penalty for cancelling and you can use the flight credit when you book your next “real” flight to go vist your student.</p>
<p>Useful information…but if you’re doing all of this for your English-speaking, fully-functioning 19-yr old, just so you can see them off at the gate…I suggest booking a helicopter trip instead of a SWA flight!
But seriously, you can ring up and cancel a flight after you’ve already checked in on that flight and received a boarding pass? I did not know that. That probably would have come in handy over this past weekend for some people…</p>
<p>Aeromom, pretty sure KatVicMom was mentioning this for extreme times like this week when planes are in chaos. I know KatVicMom, she is far from a helicopter mom.</p>
<p>I asked permission to go through security with my bipolar 18-year-old son last week, because he was carrying very expensive medicine (like, you could buy a new car with the amount this stuff cost). He had never gone through security with it before, and I wanted to make sure he didn’t have any trouble. The airline rep said, “Sure!” with a smile. The TSA employee was really nasty, though. She glared at me, then glared at him, “YOU’RE 18!” I explained again why I wanted to accompany him, at which point she started frowning andshaking her head no, no, no, no, no… the entire time she was processing my pass and his boarding pass. I felt like blowing up, but I just said, “Have a nice day!” without a hint of sarcasm. I went home and filed a complaint with the TSA. I said just because a person looks healthy doesn’t mean he or she doesn’t need assistance. Probably nothing will happen, but it made me feel better.</p>
<p>Since the airline issued you a gate pass, the TSA should have let you through security as long as you satisfactory completed the security screening process. Gate passes are occasionally issued for other purposes, such as visiting the airline lounge for a special event.</p>
<p>If you don’t want a few hundred dollars in Southwest credit, one can purchase a fully refundable airfare, often called “Full Y” by the airlines, for a later flight, go through security, and then visit any of that airline’s gates before flight departure for a full refund. This is not recommended as a long term solution however. Instead, consider flying to another destination around the same time your student flies back to college so you can have a much needed vacation. :)</p>
<p>Very rarely would I see a need for a parent to accompany their college student to the boarding gate. Airport and airline staff will gladly provide directions and the next person in the check-in line is likely going in a similar direction as well.</p>
<p>Flight delays happen, have your children learn learn how to find alternate flights and be rebooked in the event of flight delays, noting that policies may differ among airlines. They might even learn how to take bumps on oversold flights to get airline vouchers for future travel.</p>
<p>Oh, SEA_tide, you have never been to O’Hare International Airport, have you? It is like a little city in and of itself. I assume this, because you used the word “gladly.” Yeah, here in the Windy City, people at the airport would be glad to “tell you where you can go!”</p>
<p>Yes, those mega-sized airports can be intimidating to a young person who is flying alone.</p>
<p>One thing a parent can do BEFORE these crazy situations happens, is the next few times that you fly WITH your child, act as if you’re NOT flying with your child. Have the child figure out where y’all need to go. Let them figure out the concourses, trams, trains, or what-have-you. </p>
<p>Have them start the process at home, print out the intinerary, put a copy in their carry on, figure out where departure folks go, etc. Have them do the baggage and boarding pass stuff…the whole nine yards.</p>
<p>When parents fly with kids, the parents are often leading the way, and the child just tags along - not paying attention to anything. Let them tell you where you need to go…after a few times of doing this, flying alone won’t be as intimidating. </p>
<p>Obviously, you may need to allow some extra time for these learning lessons, but you’ll feel much better when they do need to fly alone.</p>
<p>mom2collegekids’ suggestion is excellent. We’ve done this with our kids and as high schoolers they had no problem taking international flights independently. My 16 year old actually had to change flights in Chicago. I’d add the suggestion that the next time you go abroad have your kids fill out their own customs and immigrations forms. I took a small group of kids to Mexico and on our return I was surprised by the number of kids who had been abroad repeatedly but didn’t know where to look for their passport numbers or places of birth.</p>
<p>Great advice, m2ck. This goes for a lot of things. Helicopter parenting would not be necessary if parents would start teaching their children how to operate in the real world from an early age, not when they are 17 1/2.</p>
<p>Thank you so much Kat for sharing! I appreciate the post.
I do feel for students that have to make connections in the larger airports that might have very little experience flying.
Atlanta is a bit of a shocker, even for adults. I am just glad that we had lived there and flown out of there so often that my d knew to hustle to the train to hop over 2 concourses in her 15 minute time frame.</p>
<p>Even some adults (me) have not had much experience in flying. DS has not flown since he was 9, it has probably been that long since I have flown as well. I hope we get some experience with airports together before I have to send him off alone! :)</p>
<p>My D traveled extensively on her own all thru high school as she was in the olympic development program and needed to be in California and Florida for camps, etc. So last year when she went with Alabama Greek Missions to Nicaragua I figured it would be no big deal for her to change planes in Atlanta. I was wrong…</p>
<p>Honestly, I don’t care how much you have flown, nothing prepares you for Atlanta! Well except for Charles De Gaulle in Paris. Going from International to Domestic was chaotic and she was hollared at for being slow and looking around. LOL She very nicely said she was sorry, but she was not sure which way to go. Luckily she had plenty of time and she figured it out on her own.</p>
<p>Ah Heathrow is beyond bad feenotype! I took my mom there for her birthday, a long time ago. It was her first trip out of the country When we got off the plane and she saw the security w/ the automatic guns and the dogs and the blaring speakers, she almost turned around and got back on the plane.</p>
<p>Coming back we were in the customs hall waiting and a cute beagle came up to mom and sat in front of her. She was so excited that the little dog liked her! Yup, until the customs agent asked her if she had any food in her bag. No my mom said. He gently took her bag and dumped it out only to have an orange roll out. My mom, very innocently says: I thought you meant something that wasn’t in the US! I wanted to die of embarrassment! They were very nice, took the orange and then let her pet the pup.</p>
<p>About four years ago when I realized that DS would be attending school out of state and would be flying on his own, I decided to test him on a journey. We got off the plane at our connection city and I asked him what he should do first. He looked straight up and saw a Chinese fast food place and said “Get lunch?”. No wrong answer… Despite that start he quickly adapted to flying cross country and internationally all on his own.</p>
<p>NaperMom, I’ve never been to O’Hare, though I’ve connected in Atlanta 19 times and visited every gate (it’s a great airport for walking). Even airports such as LAX are considered difficult to navigate are really not that bad if one looks at the airport layout beforehand. Look in the back of the airline’s inflight magazine for maps of its hub airports.</p>
<p>I like the idea of parents having their children navigate the airport on their next family vacation so they will know what to do when they fly alone.</p>
<p>When asking questions of airport and airline employees, the key is to ask simple questions such as “where’s concourse D” rather than “where’s the flight to such and such city,” especially if there are multiple flights and multiple airlines flying that route. Check the flight monitors or check the airline’s app or flight status texts for such information.</p>
<p>I do highly suggest that both the student and their parent(s)/guardian(s) sign up for flight status updates via text. Oftentimes the texts come before the gate agent announces the information.</p>
<p>There are many things that can be done before flying solo to make your student feel more comfortable and confident.
1.) Learn the layout of the airports they will be traveling through by accessing online airport maps -you can print maps of the gates and the concourses.
2.) When you print their boarding passes, the gates will be listed and then you can do a quick review with your student.
3.) If they have to change planes, try to schedule their flights with a slightly longer layover. This will give your student more time to find their gate, use the restroom, or get a quick bite to eat. It is also fun to have a few hours to explore an interesting airport.
4.) Travel light, I know the current advice is to have all carry on luggage so you don’t have to wait at the luggage carousel, however I do just the opposite. Why bother to carry so much aboard…Let the plane carry and transfer the luggage. Just bring a small bag on board making transfers easier.
5.) Keep a close eye on the weather forecast. Unfortunately, as we all saw last week, too many parents and students had difficulties returning to campus because of weather related issues. I start watching the weather forecasts about one week prior to flying. If serious storms are predicted, I start looking at alternate travel dates. Some airlines like Southwest will work with you about changing your flight even before cancellation.
6.) During the winter months and cold weather, I always try to schedule flights through the warmer areas of the country. For instance, if you are flying from the Northeast and switching planes, you could probably schedule a flight through Baltimore or Chicago. However, why not schedule your layover to be in Florida, Texas, or New Orleans. Yes, you will be flying a little out of the way but the price is usually comparable. This strategy has worked in our favor to minimize delays and cancelled flights.
7.) Try not to schedule the last flight of the day. If the flight is cancelled, your student will probably not get another flight till the following day.
8.) Some airlines do not cooperate with other airlines to try and find alternate flights due to cancellation; for example, Southwest Airlines.
9.) Some airlines do not compensate for delayed or cancelled flights. Others will help with food vouchers etc.
10.) This is the best piece of advice I can give your student. If something happens…Stay Calm. You will never get anywhere speaking with airline personnel if you raise your voice or get agitated. Take a deep breath, explain your situation calmly and politely and thank them for their help.
11.) if your student is of legal drinking age and gets stuck somewhere, they shouldn’t go to the bar and drink. Airline personnel will deny boarding to anyone who seems the least tipsy or drunk. Besides when you are traveling, you need your wits about you.
12.) Make sure to keep your belongings with you at all times.
13.) Don’t keep all your money and credit cards in one place. Keep some small bills in a front pocket so you don’t have to take out a wallet to purchase small items such as gum.
14.) if your student does get stuck somewhere ( missed flight, cancellation), get on the nearest line for assistance while trying the airline via phone. Sometimes you will get quicker results by calling the airline directly. If they get through, stay on the physical line till they make their flight changes.
15) Remember to pack any necessary medications in their carry-on bag. Pack a dry snack as well.
16.) Stay positive and be Flexible. They can do this with some planning ahead.</p>
<p>My kids have been flying, with us, at least 2-4 times per year since they were little. Layovers, delays, canceled flights, international, etc. My kids don’t even need me to go thru security. They act like they don’t know us as it is, lol. Both girls have had the lovely experience of being “selected” by TSA for a little extra screening. I’d put my kids up against business travelers that fly every week to navigate security and airports. They just know. I guess because we have dealt with some really out there experiences. </p>
<p>Then of all things last week after D’s flight finally looked like it was going to board soon after a 4 hour delay, a fire alarm goes off and they evacuate the airport. She was texting me and I was telling her it was probably a false alarm and to just keep falling to the back of the pack or go in the restroom. Told her that her dad can tell her the back way out of that airport if there really was an emergency (he has been all over that new terminal for some customers we service there). After the entire terminal was evacuated they were told it was a false alarm. UGH! </p>
<p>I’d rather my kid fly alone across country than drive it. THAT scares me!</p>
