Children Flying Alone

[Karennina]

Have emailed you Julie with flight details etc!
Karen x

[julesbob0303]

Thanks Karen, just ringing round to see if this flight is available.  So far, they have told me that it's only available as part of a return flight option!  How stupid!  Will get back to you as soon as I can.  

[Crabbit]

quote:Originally posted by julesbob0303

Does anyone know at what age a child can fly alone?  

Jules
They can`t fly alone, they need an airplane.  
Sorry, I couldn`t resist it.   :

[julesbob0303]

Tell you what, Crabbs, it would be a damn sight cheaper if she could fly alone.    These airplane things cost a flipping fortune.  

[julesbob0303]

Well, the plot thickens!

I have finally found exactly the flights I was looking for to enable our daughter to join us on holiday!  Thought I'd better ring the booking through, as she's only 14 and I just knew it would cause complications if I tried to book online.  

The flights are extortionate, more than double what we paid for ours through Airflights months ago.  I rang On the Beach holidays and explained our predicament.  He refused to take the booking, as she is only 14.  I explained that both of her parents would be on the same flight, so when we get to the Onur Air desk at Manchester, we will hand over our 2 lots of booking forms, and we will all be together on the same flight!  Simple?  Obviously not.  [xx(]

Our only way around this is to change the name on one of our original flight bookings into our daughter's name, then re-book the new flight into hubby's name!  The cost?  £50 admin fee, plus the difference in current flight prices compared to when we booked ours!!

There is no bloody current flight price - they are all sold out!  He couldn't give me a costing, as I have to put it in writing to them, at which point they will decide how much we have to pay for the name change!!  

As the flights with On the Beach are very limited, we would have to book the extra flight immediately, at an extortionate cost, or risk losing it.  Then wait to find out how much we will have to pay for the name change on the original ticket!  

The annoying thing is, we never originally booked to fly out of Manchester - we live in South Wales, and had nice local flights out of Bristol.  These were changed to Birmingham, then cancelled again, and we were offered these flights out of Manchester.  Rather than cancel altogether, we accepted them.  

Basically, we are not going to be able to book anything for our daughter without it costing us an arm and a leg!  Just seems so pointless!

Anyone up for a week's babysitting?  

[Karennina]

Julie can you not cancel the whole booking saying you have given it some thought and Manchester is no good for you, get a refund and then rebook another flight for all of you, or are all the flights for that week now really expensive? Our offer still stands if any use to you,.

[julesbob0303]

Hi Karen, I'm pretty sure that the flights through Airflights are non-refundable, but must be honest, I haven't read the small print.  We may however be entitled to a refund as this airport wasn't our initial choice, which was cancelled, I'm really not sure.

The flights are now really expensive for half term, so would cost us a fortune for three of us to re-book.

Thanks so much for your offer of help - I can't thank you enough!  I don't think we will be able to book anything for her though, as they wont take bookings for a child under 18 on their own - apparently!!  It is just ridiculous.  Even though you are on the flight with your family, we are back to the same position - the booking would be for one person who is under 18, and therefore not allowed!!!

[Karennina]

Oh yes of course I never thought of that, it is ridiculous isn't it. Anyway good luck with it all, I hope you manage to get something sorted at not to much of a cost!

[trebor]

Jules - our daughter has been flying out to Dalaman from the UK on her own for 3+ years now.  She started at the age of 10 years old.

The main flights she has used are Turkish Airlines - via Istanbul (with HELP from TA staff only up to 12 years old).

She is so used to it now that she can travel across Istanbul International on her own to Domestic and onto Dalaman - all no probs.  Just calls us on mobile at each stage.

Going back to UK is even easier.  TA staff are very very helpful.

Or you can try Cyprus Turkish airlines - but they only operate in the season.

You can get your child to fly charter flighgts they can - but you must LINK their ticket to the accompanying adults.

With TA dont forget to book 4+ months in advance to get a price of approx £300 return.

Good luck !