Flying with a bunch of older teens
Nov 8, 2014, 9:15 am
#1
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Flying with a bunch of older teens
In March a colleague and I will be taking 14 teens (aged 17-19) on an overseas trip. We are flying CPH-AMS-YUL and return on KLM.
As well as apealing to the students' calmer, more polite side, I'll be reminding them about things like staying in their own seats, keeping feet down, lowring seatback gently, and keeping the noise down. In fact, I might preemptively read them the riot act :-)
Thankfully, they like to share earphones and are normally good about keeping the volume down.
I am hoping, of course, that the airline will try to keep them sitting together (at least in pairs). In my experience, the whole group does not get to sit together.
Any other tips?
Thanks,
DanishFlyer
As well as apealing to the students' calmer, more polite side, I'll be reminding them about things like staying in their own seats, keeping feet down, lowring seatback gently, and keeping the noise down. In fact, I might preemptively read them the riot act :-)
Thankfully, they like to share earphones and are normally good about keeping the volume down.
I am hoping, of course, that the airline will try to keep them sitting together (at least in pairs). In my experience, the whole group does not get to sit together.
Any other tips?
Thanks,
DanishFlyer
Nov 8, 2014, 9:38 am
#2
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: East Anglia UK
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In March a colleague and I will be taking 14 teens (aged 17-19) on an overseas trip. We are flying CPH-AMS-YUL and return on KLM.
As well as apealing to the students' calmer, more polite side, I'll be reminding them about things like staying in their own seats, keeping feet down, lowring seatback gently, and keeping the noise down. In fact, I might preemptively read them the riot act :-)
Thankfully, they like to share earphones and are normally good about keeping the volume down.
I am hoping, of course, that the airline will try to keep them sitting together (at least in pairs). In my experience, the whole group does not get to sit together.
Any other tips?
Thanks,
DanishFlyer
As well as apealing to the students' calmer, more polite side, I'll be reminding them about things like staying in their own seats, keeping feet down, lowring seatback gently, and keeping the noise down. In fact, I might preemptively read them the riot act :-)
Thankfully, they like to share earphones and are normally good about keeping the volume down.
I am hoping, of course, that the airline will try to keep them sitting together (at least in pairs). In my experience, the whole group does not get to sit together.
Any other tips?
Thanks,
DanishFlyer
Nov 8, 2014, 11:30 am
#3
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But I demanded a routing to avoid the US, so I am hoping we can board pretty much together and control the situation better.
Thanks,
DanishFlyer
Nov 8, 2014, 12:13 pm
#4
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Flying with a bunch of older teens
In my observations over the years, the 17-19 age range is very well behaved. Informing them of the courtesies frequent travelers expect is appreciated. They can't conform if they are never told the rules.
Nov 8, 2014, 12:14 pm
#5
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* Don't use electronics without headphones, and if you don't have headphones, mute the volume.
* Other passengers don't want to be distracted by your conversations...keep your voices low.
* If you're in a window/middle seat and the passenger on the aisle isn't with your group, then only get out of your seat when absolutely necessary.
* Don't stand in the aisle to socialize with people.
* Don't have prolonged conversations with people in the rows in front or in back of you.
* No horseplay on the airplane.
* Don't kick the seat in front of you or use it for leverage when standing up/sitting down.
* Don't even think about trying to order alcoholic beverages on the plane.
* Other passengers don't want to be distracted by your conversations...keep your voices low.
* If you're in a window/middle seat and the passenger on the aisle isn't with your group, then only get out of your seat when absolutely necessary.
* Don't stand in the aisle to socialize with people.
* Don't have prolonged conversations with people in the rows in front or in back of you.
* No horseplay on the airplane.
* Don't kick the seat in front of you or use it for leverage when standing up/sitting down.
* Don't even think about trying to order alcoholic beverages on the plane.
Nov 8, 2014, 12:30 pm
#6
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When I was a freshman in high school I was part of a group of 200+ students that went SFO-HNL and as far as I remember there weren't any problems on the plane. The hotel was where the party started 
I think 14 will be much easier to control than 200, though.
If you have more than one chaperone I would recommend breaking everyone into smaller groups with each group led by one chaperone. That'll make it easier to keep track of everyone, especially at the airports. Edit: I saw you have someone else with you so make yourself responsible for seven students and your partner responsible for seven.
I think 14 will be much easier to control than 200, though.
If you have more than one chaperone I would recommend breaking everyone into smaller groups with each group led by one chaperone. That'll make it easier to keep track of everyone, especially at the airports. Edit: I saw you have someone else with you so make yourself responsible for seven students and your partner responsible for seven.
Last edited by Lost; Nov 8, 2014 at 12:36 pm
Nov 8, 2014, 12:34 pm
#7
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Nov 8, 2014, 1:25 pm
#8
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legal age for purchasing, possessing, consuming and supplying alcohol is 18 in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec, and 19 in all other provinces and territories.
Nov 8, 2014, 1:48 pm
#9
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They're flying KLM. Canadian laws don't apply, but Dutch/KLM rules.
Dutch laws:
Even if the Netherlands have increased the drinking age from 16 to 18, in the case of KLM (giving alcohol for free, not selling it) there is no legal minimum drinking age, just common sense:
"The legal age for purchasing low-alcoholic beverages (such as beer and wine) was raised on 1 January 2014, from 16 to 18 for all kind of alcoholic beverages. Minors can legally drink alcohol as long as it is provided to free of charge, such as minors sharing a beer with their parents or friends. Selling alcoholic beverages to people under 18 is illegal, giving it away is not."
Dutch laws:
Even if the Netherlands have increased the drinking age from 16 to 18, in the case of KLM (giving alcohol for free, not selling it) there is no legal minimum drinking age, just common sense:
"The legal age for purchasing low-alcoholic beverages (such as beer and wine) was raised on 1 January 2014, from 16 to 18 for all kind of alcoholic beverages. Minors can legally drink alcohol as long as it is provided to free of charge, such as minors sharing a beer with their parents or friends. Selling alcoholic beverages to people under 18 is illegal, giving it away is not."
Nov 8, 2014, 2:17 pm
#10
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They're flying KLM. Canadian laws don't apply, but Dutch/KLM rules.
Dutch laws:
Even if the Netherlands have increased the drinking age from 16 to 18, in the case of KLM (giving alcohol for free, not selling it) there is no legal minimum drinking age, just common sense:
"The legal age for purchasing low-alcoholic beverages (such as beer and wine) was raised on 1 January 2014, from 16 to 18 for all kind of alcoholic beverages. Minors can legally drink alcohol as long as it is provided to free of charge, such as minors sharing a beer with their parents or friends. Selling alcoholic beverages to people under 18 is illegal, giving it away is not."
Dutch laws:
Even if the Netherlands have increased the drinking age from 16 to 18, in the case of KLM (giving alcohol for free, not selling it) there is no legal minimum drinking age, just common sense:
"The legal age for purchasing low-alcoholic beverages (such as beer and wine) was raised on 1 January 2014, from 16 to 18 for all kind of alcoholic beverages. Minors can legally drink alcohol as long as it is provided to free of charge, such as minors sharing a beer with their parents or friends. Selling alcoholic beverages to people under 18 is illegal, giving it away is not."
It is included in the ticket, so I suppose that qualifies as "free".
In terms of alcohol, I am not that concerned about the flight (I have the idea that we can keep an eye on them and get the, cut off easily, preferably after one beer), whereas in town is going to be a bit harder (just like at home).
Legal drinking age was a very nice aspect of the school trip to the US :-)
Thanks for all the advice so far!
DanishFlyer
Nov 9, 2014, 2:11 pm
#14
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Ask the teen girls why they bring pillows from home. 
Oh, and tell them not to do stuff like this
:
Oh, and tell them not to do stuff like this
:
Nov 9, 2014, 4:15 pm
#15
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With regard to alcohol, my comment wasn't related to the legality of it, but rather the likelihood they'd get boisterous and annoy passengers. Sorry, should have made that clear. (I love that I went to a boarding school where I had an alcohol permission slip from my parents allowing me to have beer and wine in countries where it was legal if a faculty member was at the dinner table with us. LOL...and if faculty members weren't present, anything goes.)