Originally Posted by
Inexpert
- What if I lose the flight because I'm not able to get through the immigration? Once again, I'm a minor, I have no credit card and I wouldn't be able to re-book the flight, would I be handed to the Portuguese Embassy in Canada? What if I lose it because of a delay on a previous flight or a cancellation? Will they book it for later? If they do and it's like 1 day later will I have to sleep at the airport?
Anyone flying to another country to meet and stay with a complete stranger needs to have both cash and credit cards in case things go awry. What happens if your girlfriend doesn't live up to expectations? What would you do if you needed to pay for unexpected expenses such as a hotel, taxis or new airline ticket in the event you decide to go home earlier than expected?
I'm 44 years old and I was living on a different continent from my parents at age 15 (going to boarding school) so I did plenty of intercontinental travel, and you better believe that my parents ensure that I was well-equipped for all possible contingencies. (Not to mention: There were usually at least 10 and up to 50 people I knew on any international flight I took as an unaccompanied minor.) I may not be a parent, but I've walked in your shoes and I can't imagine a parent who would let their minor child fly to another country without a credit card.