MSE News: Flybe doubles unaccompanied child charge

boo_star wrote: »

£80 for someone to look after your kid for several hours seems pretty reasonable to me.

I couldn't agree more. I don't have kids myself, but when one looks at the unbelievable cost of child minding fees that some parents pay weekly to have someone look after kids for a few hours in the morning, then £80 isn't so outrageous for looking after someone elses kid flying alone. Perhaps a little less whinging from some people and a kick back into reality is needed. In the 1970's, my Mum used to shove me and my sister onto a National Express coach all by ourselves to our Dad's 70 miles away. I was 10 or 11 and my sister was about 8. No one batted an eyelid and we always got to the other end safely, but it's still a lot of responsibility to land on someone or indeed a Company.

boo_star wrote: »

£80 for someone to look after your kid for several hours seems pretty reasonable to me.

And to me too.

For those people who aren't happy with the cost of getting their children/grandchildren safely from one airport to another, they can always use an alternative airline - (as long as it isn't Easyjet, Jet2, BA, Ryanair or TUI

• Easyjet, Jet2, British Airways, Ryanair and TUI – Don't allow unaccompanied children on their flights at all.
• KLM – Charges £100 each way on most European flights, and £150 each way on most intercontinental flights - on top of a full price adult ticket. For certain routes, the charge can be as much as £300.
• Virgin Atlantic and Emirates – Don't charge a separate fee for their unaccompanied minor service, but the child must have a full rate adult ticket rather than the cheaper child fare.

Maybe a little research into their alternative options might make them reconsider that it's "extortionate", "unacceptable" and "unjustifiable".