16 year old is traveling by himself and airline flight connection was cancelled, hotel?

Question

My 16 year old son is traveling on his own and he missed his flight connection due to weather and is trapped at the airport for 14 hours. He just called and is frantic. This is his first flight all alone. The Airline said they can not get out on a new flight until late tommorrow.

I would like to check him in into a hotel, where he can wait for the next flight in comfort, but I was told you had to be 18 to check into a hotel. The Airline staff will not help. Do you have any advice?

Answer 1

to be honest, theres nothing that you can do. the system sucks.

Answer 2

yea call the hotel where yuo think his goin to stay an explain the situation i  dont think there goin to say no and i think you can be 16 to rent a room

Answer 3

swell we should suck it up. and do it him self. he is 16 now and he need a job. i know dis cuz myu bj  parents did dis 2 me when i was 14 so he can handle it. i live by my own rulds and have since 13. do it mf

Answer 4

I'm not sure if this will help, but try calling the hotel and explaining what is going on and seeing if possibly you can somehow check him in over the phone. Best of luck to you.

Answer 5

The airline should pay for the hotel room, i've had it happen to me and they paid for everything. I was 16 at the time when it happened traveling alone to Arkansas, so i've been in the exact same boat.

Talk to the airline and tell them you want them to give him a hotel room.

Answer 6

He'll have 2 sleep in the airport but have YOU called the hotel maybe YOU can check in for him

Answer 7

-Politely ask the airline staff their names

-Politely inform them this would make an interesting news story

In europe an airline HAS to offer a free hotel if there's a very long delay. I assume that's not the case in the US. You guys should complain more.

Call a hotel in the area and explain the situation. They'll understand - if you pay :)

However: if you're 16, you should be able to take care of yourself for a day or two. i'm a firm believer in that.

Answer 8

hes 16 he should be able to spend a overnight by himself in an airport. if anything he is safe in the airport cause there are people everywhere. I know its not comfy to sleep there, but things do happen. next time if you know hes a frantic type you should probably fly with him.

Answer 9

I worked at the front desk of a hotel during college.  One hotel I worked at had a policy where a deposit was required by minors simply because they often party and trash rooms.  The other hotel had no such policy.

If you are willing to pay for the room over the phone with plastic then I doubt there would be any issue with getting your son checked into a hotel, especially with the story.

The people who work front desks at hotels are people... Talk to them.  If you find a hotel that won't allow it, turn up your nose and call another one.  I highly doubt they would all say "tough luck lady!"

I would have given you a discount.

By the way... I'm not sure if the "I have since I was 13" reply was a joke or not but either way it should remind any parent why they need to stay in their child's life until they finish high school.  Can you imagine an 18 year old with literacy skills like that trying to work with adults in today's society?

Answer 10

When you allow your child to travel alone, this is the chance you take. I've had it happend twice; one time my daughter was "trapped" for 36 hours in customs in a Mexican airport waiting for plane repairs. So I appreciate your frustration and your concern. But if your son is old enough to travel alone, he's old enough not to be frantic. Tell him to find an empty gate and stretch out and relax, maybe catch a few winks. It's not comfortable, but that's usually how it plays on in situations like these. I spent more than one night in an airport when I was a teen.

The other thing you can try is to get a hotel manager on the phone and plead your case. If you have the credit card with the all the required info, you might be able to work something out. I'm not sure who told you you had to be 18 to check into a hotel. My kids have been doing it since they were 15, using my credit card, although they did have the card in hand.

The other thing you might do is brainstorm about someone you might know who might know someone in the area that might be able to put him up for the night.

But do calm down and encourage your son to do the same.  It could be much, much worse. He's safe in the airport.

Answer 11

He needs to wait at the airport.  That's the safest place.  In the future, he should take non-stop flights.

Answer 12

fone a local hotel and tell them what u said here they shud help u x

Answer 13

call the closest hotel and explain the situation. they may make an exception,as leaving a minor on the streets could be considered negligent.