No disrespect to jrhone intended, but I think that the service provided isn't worth the $60 ($75?) it costs. It can't cost that much to do paperwork, and the fee could at least buy the child entry to the AC to pass the time... :-)

Judging by my own experience as a UM almost 20 years ago, and my niece's experience recently, the AA employees we encountered didn't actually do much that was worth the fee.

I was escorted through LHR T3 and at BOS by AA staff, but made to wait in LHR outside a very boring office for a long time with nothing to do, rather than being taken to help me find something to eat or drink in the airport and the ground agent sitting with me while I did so.

There was no special attention or help for my niece on her PHL-BOS trip, despite a long delay and stifling conditions while being shut inside an ERJ Eagle plane.

I don't *think* that my parents had to pay a fee in 1990, but perhaps they did -- anyone know? My niece, however, definitely had to pay the fee.

No doubt there are some gems among the AA personnel dealing with UMs, but neither I nor my niece encountered them...