MSPeconomist

I know of a 15 yo living in the USA who used BA's UM service for his first international trip alone: USA-LHR-India. It seemed to be agreed upon between him and the parents, although he was a bit unhappy to be unable to take a detour with his escort to purchase a magazine or some junk food during a long connection. Now he's grown up and independent, but it seemed to be a good transition step along the way. Yeah, he could have managed on his own, but having the UM service was nevertheless reassuring for everyone.

JAXBA

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raffles

You need to remember that a lot of people using this service had booked themselves into CW or F and were only doing this to save a few quid on buying an upfront seat for their kid :-)

From that point of view, it may increase revenue!

Quote:

Originally Posted by binman

I got the email today as I have a split cabin booking later on the year. It seems this change also marks the end of such bookings so you won't be able to have your kids in one cabin whilst you fly in another.

This part is strange to me - while split cabin bookings were accepted, and the minor would be semi-treated as an UM onboard, they didn't actually have to register as UMs. The parents in the higher cabin were still responsible for their progeny.

Did BA start requiring split cabin minors to be processed as full UMs within the last few years? And are they definitely ending the split cabin arrangement completely?

Tim1975

I suspect that this is a symptom of BA downgrading and contracting out their staffing at outstations. Very few outstations now have BA checking staff, BA-dedicated lounges BA-ticket agents. It must be expensive to contract staff to look after UM on an ad hoc basis (and have staff on call to mind kids that the parents forget to collect) even though I am sure that they could run a profitable operation at LHR and LGW

BLHD

Do this at MAN and you will be explaining yourself to a Social Worker!

hugolover

Maybe they can do something like the SNCF where it's available during school holidays and back to school times. Those lovely zero hours contracts would be suited to this too.

Globaliser

What about the heavy boarding-school routes? AIUI, many of the children concerned are now used to flying home six times a year (ie for half-term holidays as well). Might this traffic be affected if the under-12s now have to have an accompanying adult rather than using BA's service?

OT, but I still vividly remember getting to the baggage belt at HKG and hearing someone say "Oh, another of my babies has come home!" It was the station manager, who remembered me as one of her regular UMs from a couple of decades earlier.

gormless

One of my wife's nieces comes to stay from us (UK <-> US) once a year or so. She's currently over 20 years old, but you would probably assume she was an early teen based on her behaviour. Terrified of flying.

For years, Skyflyers Solo got her here with the kind of service you would expect from a BA cabin crew - the right level of attention and assurance that everything was OK.

Then BA started to balk given that she's not a minor based on age, and eventually refused to take her. So, she's now traveling on VS. They seem to be quite happy to accept the unaccompanied surcharge.

Perhaps the decrease in demand for this service was self-inflicted? You can't on one hand refuse to offer a service and on the other hand complain that there's not enough takers for that same service.

Globaliser

Whatever the reasons for the withdrawal of the service for unaccompanied children, I doubt that it was materially contributed to by BA's refusal to provide it to adults. There's been no suggestion whatever that BA has declined to provide it to children when it's been asked for.

pinkcat

Haha
Perhaps I should start doing it after I leave teaching at the end of the year!

gormless

Fair enough, at least up until the 24th.

wyvern

We used this a lot, though once my daughter got to 12 was ready to fly as a young adult, without the service. But it was very useful when she was younger, and I think BA lose by not offering it to under 12s and for those over 12s who could benefit from it.

Somebody at BA will have run the numbers, but I can't help thinking this will lose them a lot of bookings - not just UM bookings. As a shareholder I hope they have got their numbers right, and I wonder if whoever has taken this decision has fully considered the bigger picture; as a customer I am disappointed that this service is no longer offered.

csutter

Perhaps my memory is playing tricks on me, or UMs were handled differently over on the continent in the 90s. I seem to recall that even when I was 10 or so I frequently traveled on my own within Europe without any kind of UM service, and nobody bat an eyelid.

Whilst I quite enjoyed all the attention from pretty CC as a pre-teen, there was no way in hell that post-10 year old me would agree to be escorted around airports "like a child"!

Calchas

OFFER any child willing and able to guest me into the CCR

kanderson1965

Yewtree alert!!

CaroFos

As a fully qualified Nursery Nurse / former nanny, parent and soon-to-be 'empty-nester' I'd be very happy to discuss any opportunities to help families who may be stuck without this service! Feel free to DM or share my details!