Slight thread drift ...
I am not a parent but have met my niece and nephews off lh flights from South Africa at various stages of their childhood. The last being about six years ago. I add this comment since it may be read by others reading this thread for the same information as the OP. I flew lh from 9 butnever travelled UM myself, age 17 was first solo.
Don't bother with South African Airways. Whilst they did a good job from the hand over and through the flight AND saw my niece and other UMs through passport and customs and baggage hall ... they then pointed them to the exit said 'Bye'.
So she emerged into the general outflow with all the rest. What if I had not have been there? She did not have a UK mobile phone, she was 12 (and petite of build and not very full of confidence). Yes - she would have screamed loudly but what I expected was:
- SAA Staff person accompanies child into the outflow of pax to the meeting area.
- Staff waits to see if the UM goes willingly and happily to the meeter.
- Staff then checks my photograph and details against ones they have.
- Staff gets my signature.
- UM thanks staff politely for their help.
To me, as an Uncle, anything less than that would be totally unacceptable and I would be assuring myself that that was the procedure
before I released the UM to them. I had been expecting that my brother (in ZA at the time) would have asked me for an up to date photo for this process and when none was asked for I suspected that there would be a less than perfect handling.
OK, all went fine and it was a direct from CPT ~ LHR but the point is that they released her into the general flow of people - one of the most vulnerable times!!! The post from
jetset lady fills me with confidence.
Would I pay more for proper handling? Yes. Not because I think that someone is going to take great advantage of the child but one cannot be too cautious and, perhaps, it shows the child how much you value them. Call me a soppy old Uncle (now Great Uncle too) but I value children, which is one of the reasons I never had any, but that's another story!
End of rant.