Airline Commuters Under 12 Years Old on Rise

Divorce and job transfers are helping to swell the ranks of children commuters in California, airline officials say.

The state’s biggest carrier, PSA, flew 11 million passengers last year and spokeswoman Margery Craig said about 400,000 of them were unescorted children under 12.

“You go out to an airport on a Friday or a Saturday night, and you see them everywhere, commuting between mom and dad. It’s a sad commentary,” she said.

Some airlines require forms to be filled out that list the name of the adult expected to meet the child at his or her destination. The child is assigned a flight attendant responsible for delivering him or her to a waiting relative after confirming identification if there are doubts.

“I’ve never heard of a child getting lost for a long period or getting taken by somebody” other than a relative, said Cindy Yeast, spokeswoman for the 23,000-member Assn. of Flight Attendants. “Usually the system works.”

Dennis Lees, a family therapist with offices in Oakland and Walnut Creek, said the solitary travels can give children a sense of self-sufficiency.

“For a kid with a sense of adventure and a strong personality, I could see their self-esteem growing as a result of coping with this highly unusual situation,” Lees said.

Don DeMoss said his 12-year-old son, David, commuted from Oakland to Los Angeles for 2 1/2 years. “Out of the two years, there was one time I wasn’t at the airport right away. He almost had a hemorrhage,” he recalled.

But DeMoss, who moved to Oakland in part to be closer to his son, said the stresses of his son’s commuting lessened with time.