Taking a child airside to meet up w/other travelers
 

Apologize if this has been answered before, did try searching but with too many non-germane results.

The brother & sister-in-law of a friend of mine and their young son are traveling from IAD > HNL with a change of planes in LAX. They've kindly offered to take my friend's son along so the boys could play together. My friend lives near LAX and has purchased a r/t ticket for his son on the same metal.

The question is can my friend accompany his son to the gate even though he's not flying? Technically it's not an unaccompanied minor situation and since it's a short connection he doesn't want his brother to spend the time to exit the sterile area and go back through security.

I know one could always buy a fully-refundable ticket and cancel, but was hoping to find some actual policy. Lots of info on international flights & unaccompanied, but not much on domestic.

Any info most welcomed.

(and yes, my friend has already executed a parental authorization to travel and provide medical necessities, thanks!)

I don't know that you can GUARANTEE it, but ask the check in agents for what is known as a "gate pass," which is essentially a boarding pass for no flight. It gets you through security but not onto any airplane.

My husband used a gate pass when I traveled alone with our (then) 3-month-old once so he could help me manage with the stroller and all that jazz.

Yes, in most airports a parent dropping a child off on a flight for a situation like you describe can get a gate pass. It's totally up to the gate agent but they're usually pretty reasonable. Except in New York :)

Thanks for the advice which I passed along. Unfortunately the check-in agent refused to issue a gate pass because the child (age 10) was technically eligible to travel as an unaccompanied minor. Kid wound up having to go through TSA security alone without full visual contact with dad. Know it's rare, but in the future my advice will always be to buy a refundable ticket.

What airline does not require a ten year old to fly as an UM? My children have flown by themselves many times and on about every carrier in the US. I've never had a problem getting a gate pass to take them to the gate, even if they were not flying technically as an UM. I think the agent was wrong, and your friend should have insisted this child needed assistance. IMO, that's just crazy.