Airlines: Children are rarely misplaced

From Mike Boettcher
CNN

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- No one keeps figures on how many kids travel alone in the United States, but it's in the millions and rising in our mobile society, where a growing number of families are divided.

This summer, one statistic focused attention on the growing trend: Four times in the span of just a few weeks, airlines sent unaccompanied minors to the wrong place.

"The Department of Transportation keeps good figures on the number of lost luggage, but not the number of lost children," said David Stempler, president of the Air Travelers Association.

The airline industry contends children flying solo are rarely misplaced, and figures seem to support that. Out of almost 10,000 passenger complaints filed with the Transportation Department in the first six months of this year, only 54 concerned unaccompanied minors.

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But America West Airlines, after three well-publicized incidents of children being sent to the wrong city, decided it will no longer allow children under 12 to fly alone on connecting flights.

"It's a very secure program that broke down, and we are fully looking into this. It's very unfortunate, and we intend to take the appropriate action," said America West spokeswoman Patty Nowack.

When it comes to children and their security, parents' expectations are high. But according to the Air Travelers' Association, they may not be realistic.

"The airlines have custody of the children but they are usually with employees who oftentimes have other responsibilities, whether it's a gate agent or even a flight attendant who have other duties," Stempler said. "So your child is in the custody of the airlines but not the 100 percent focused attention of those employees."

Travel experts say the possibility of mishaps can be reduced by doing two things -- book children on nonstop flights, if possible, and schedule their departure early in the day, when delays and cancellations are less likely.