Departure Beckham - The handling agents at LGW used to charge (5 years ago) airlines £50 per child + VAT at LGW for a direct escort service - aircraft to arrivals or check-in to aircraft. A scale of charges for "waiting time", escorted overnight hotel accommodation and escorted in-flight services were quite extortionate in the event of delays.
It does not take a rocket scientist to work out that with Air Miles tickets, Daily Mail / Daily Express promotions etc, the airlines simply cannot afford to retain UNMIN services, in their present form, any longer. Indeed, it is onlyairlines that are forced to accept a legal responsibility over these children.
I've lost count of the number of times we receive "unnotified" UM's - because the parents/guardians have not paid the correct fare. Similarly, we have a member of staff tied up for four hours or more if an UM needs transferring between LGW and LHR - what other business would accept a cost of £100 or more against a half-fare ticket? Commercial Suicide!
Personally, I feel if the services are to continue, the Independent Boarding Schools and Foreign Language Schools should support these services financially - a lot of their overseas business would disappear overnight if the services stopped! Indeed, the UK Diplomatic Service, the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office should contribute too!
As far as Flame's comments are concerned, the quality of service is directly proportional to the fares being paid - you forget Aer Lingus very nearlywent bust a few months ago - they have to bounce back and cost-cutting is the only way they'll manage to survive 'cos people won't pay the proper fares!
(You can now fly London to Malaga or London to Palma cheaper than getting a train into London at certain times of year - where's the sense in that!)