When it comes to kids and flying, the ground rules shift

Derek Shields, 14, of San Diego, has flown on his own for years to visit his grandparents near Minneapolis. But this summer was different.

He was turned away at the airport ticket counter.

Derek, whose planned flight connected through Phoenix, had run into America West’s rule that unaccompanied minors may fly only on nonstop routes. He never made the trip.

America West says it tells parents about this rule by phone and in a pop-up box that appears on its website when they book solo children online. But Derek’s mother, Melinda, had apparently missed this when she reserved his ticket at www.americawest.com.

I have a lot of sympathy for Derek, whose disappointment inspired me to comb through nearly a dozen airlines’ websites for their policies on children. What I found was a jumble:

* Depending on the carrier, “minors” were defined as children up to age 11, 12 or 14.

* Four of the 11 policies banned unaccompanied minors from taking a connecting flight (a stop with a change of planes), two allowed them, and five allowed only children 8 and older to take them.

* Service fees for unaccompanied minors were $30 to $90 each way, varying by airline and flight, except on Southwest and JetBlue, which do not charge a fee to provide extra supervision of young passengers.

* There were discounted child fares -- or not. Infants younger than 2, 3, 7, 8 or 14 days were barred from flying -- or no minimum was listed.

“Before you book a flight, you’ve got to check the policy of your airline,” concluded Gordon Shields, Derek’s father. Especially during the holidays and peak summer travel times.

The Federal Aviation Administration doesn’t set many policies for handling children on airlines, said spokeswoman Alison Duquette.

The FAA allows children younger than 2 to sit on an adult’s lap on an airplane. Airlines usually don’t charge a fare for a child handled this way.

Children older than 2 must have their own seat. If they weigh 40 pounds or less, they need to be in a carseat or other child restraint system, according to FAA guidelines. A sticker on the seat should indicate whether it is approved for use on a plane.

Although carrying a child younger than 2 in your lap is permitted, Duquette said, “We do not advocate that at all. The concern is that if you hit turbulence, you might not be able to hold onto your child.” The FAA recommends you reserve a separate seat for your baby and ask the airline whether it offers discounts on these. And many airlines allow an infant in a carseat to occupy a seat for free if any are vacant at takeoff. But don’t count on an empty seat.

“That’s always a gamble,” said Bryan Baldwin, spokesman for JetBlue, which has been filling more than 83% of its seats on average this year.

Here are brief summaries of some airlines’ policies on children. They apply to domestic flights, except where noted, and all fees are one way. All these airlines allow children younger than 2 to fly for free in a lap, at least in the U.S. Many policies bar unaccompanied minors from the day’s last flight or red-eye flights. Contact the airline for details.

* Alaska: Children younger than 2 are charged half-fare to occupy their own seat; older children pay full fare. Fees for unaccompanied minors ages 5 to 12 are $30 for flights that are nonstop or direct (stop, no change of planes), $60 for connecting; ages 5 to 7 must fly nonstop or direct.

* American: Children up to 2 in their own seat are eligible for 50% discounts off the “applicable adult fare.” Fees for unaccompanied minors ages 5 to 14 are $40 for nonstop/direct flights and $75 for connecting in the U.S. or between the U.S. and Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; up to $90 for other destinations; ages 5 to 7 must fly nonstop or, according to the website, on a flight “not requiring a change of aircraft.”

* America West: Discount of 50% off the “lowest available adult fare” (with some exceptions) for babies under 2 in their own seats. Fees for unaccompanied minors ages 5 to 14 are $40; must fly nonstop.

* Continental: Discount of 50% off adult fares (excluding some low fares) on select routes for children younger than 2 in their own seats. Fees for unaccompanied minors ages 5 to 14 are $40 for nonstop, $75 connecting; up to $90 on international flights; ages 5 to 7 must fly nonstop or direct.

* Delta: No child fares. Fees for unaccompanied minors 5 to 14 are $40 for nonstop or through flights, $75 for connecting in U.S. or between U.S./Canada and Mexico; other nonstops $60.

* Frontier: Children up to age 2 occupying a seat get 50% off the fare paid by their adult companion. Fees for unaccompanied minors ages 5 to 14 are $40 per segment; must fly nonstop.

* JetBlue: No child fares. No fees for unaccompanied minors ages 5 to 11; must fly nonstop or direct.

* Northwest: No child fares. Fees for unaccompanied minors ages 5 to 14 are $45 nonstop, $75 connecting for U.S., Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Caribbean; up to $90 for transatlantic/transpacific.

* Southwest: Special fares for children up to age 2, children ages 2 to 11 and youths (ages 12 to 21) vary by route. No fees for unaccompanied minors ages 5 to 11; must fly nonstop or direct without change in aircraft or flight number.

* United: Babies younger than 2 in their own seats get 50% off the fare paid by the adult. Fees for unaccompanied minors ages 5 to 11 are $60; ages 5 to 7 must fly nonstop or direct.

* US Airways: Discount of 50% off the fare of the accompanying adult for children under 2 in their own seats; some low fares excluded. Child fares available on some routes. Fees for unaccompanied minors ages 5 to 14 are $40 for nonstop or direct, $75 for connecting; ages 5 to 7 must fly nonstop or direct.

For tips on traveling with children, including security procedures, go to www.faa.gov and click on “Flying with children.”

Hear more tips from Jane Engle on Travel Insider topics at latimes.com/engle. She welcomes comments but can’t respond individually to letters and calls. Write to Travel Insider, L.A. Times, 202 W. 1st St., L.A., CA 90012, or e-mail jane.engle@latimes.com.