Woman’s case shows reluctance to aid children travelling

Some people have spoken out recently saying that they think more should be done by airlines to facilitate children travelling alone. Thousands of unaccompanied minors fly in the United States every year, with summer and winter holidays being peak times.

Airlines mostly adhere to policy that they are in no way responsible for minors travelling unaccompanied, and the recent example of Susan Cole has parents all the more worried about the prospect of their children travelling alone this holiday season.

Cole’s 12-year old son Danny was to fly to Houston to met his father who was there on a business trip, and though she got her son to the airport early, airline staff refused to let him board early or to make sure he was united with his father on the other end of the trip. “I assumed Southwest would let him on early, before the herd of passengers gets on, because I’m not even sure he’s tall enough to reach the overhead luggage,” reports Mrs. Cole.

Southwest Airlines says that once you reach twelve years old, you’re on your own, while it does escort younger flyers to and from the plane.

www.southwest.com