European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 14, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Frequent fliers Junior division by Robert Reinhold new York times t 15 10 o clock on a saturday morning and the Parade of the children is beginning a1 Houston intercontinental Airport Here comes 12-year-old Scot Craiger skateboard Hung rakish by Over Knapsack on his regular filial pilgrimage from Wilmington. Del., where he lives Wilh his Mother to spend the summer with his father in san Angelo Texas. I be been lying alone since i was 5," he says Wilh aplomb. Next comes tousle haired Alvin Devore 11. Bound from Cleveland to visit his father in jiving Texas. At airports All Over the country Young children clutching favorite toys and dolls Are travelling alone in record numbers according to airline spokesmen. Continental airlines based in Houston says the number of unaccompanied minors on its routes wast up by nearly a third in the first two weeks of june Over the same period last year. Other major airlines White tacking detailed figures All confirm the trend airlines say the surge in Young frequent fliers is a product of to unrelated facts of Modem american Lite   Bob Daviton Tea Dortht  unaccompanied minor Center at Hou tort  Airport with Tranter sen snowman 10, of san Joe Calif. The growing number of divorced couples and several years of airline deregulation which has brought fares Down and made Hying nearly As routine As taking the bus. While the Young passengers require much special attention the airlines Welcome the business. It has to be taken seriously it s an increasing number every  said Nancy Pond Smith a longtime Continental flight attendant who is the airline s coordinator of special projects. They Are the passengers of the future and we want hem to have a Good experience the first Lime they  Continental Western and Ozark air lines have set up special supervised lounges for children at major hubs with Continental and Western supplying television toys games and snacks to keep children occupied while awaiting connections. Continental has these lounges at Houston s intercontinental where the airline deals with about 300 unaccompanied children each Day and at Denver s Stapleton where the airline has about 450 to 500 children a Day. Western has a kid vip lounge at Salt Lake City while Bozwk has set up a special waiting room at St. Louia. Continental has a so established a Young travellers club whose members gel a birthday card every year and a sweatshirt alter the second Light airline staff member say children Are usually a pleasure. They can create some ruckus bul for the most part they Are better travellers than adults said Darla Lyon a passenger service supervisor for Continental Here. They follow directions. If we could gel our adults to act like them we d be of Waller Heltman spokesman for Republic airlines concurred children Are More agreeable. They Don l have much carry on baggage. They follow instructions better slil., every right attendant has child horror stories. Pond Smith of Continental recalls the children who smuggled a Pel Hamster aboard a flight in a lunch sack. Naturally the rodent ate through the bag and started to scamper up and Down the aisles. Shrieks filled the dc-9 As the Crew spent 20 minutes chasing the animal. Then there was the 10-year-old boy who entered the toilet at a Stopover and would not come out. The Jet was already moving out onto the runway for Takeoff. A mate attendant finally unlocked the door and found the boy in terror because he could not pull his sweatpants Back up. A had somehow lied a knot in the drawstring. The embarrassed boy was wrapped in a Blanket and the Crew spent the rest of the flight trying to untie the knot. And Lyon of Continental does not care to relive the Day when a boy brought his pet rat aboard in a Clhoa Box and ii got Loose. The Tail was this big she said gesturing. Boarding had la be delayed until the animal could be trapped Industry officials expect about Naif a million unaccompanied children this summer normally the heaviest period for such travel. Most of the children they say Are shuttling Between parents separated by divorce or jobs. The main such divorce routes Are along the heavily corridor Between Boston and Washington in the Northeast and Between nearby cities such As Houston and Dallas and san Amin Fri Duffry off Beteta expect he Mitori Francisco and los Angeles. In California we have so Many separated families it s a sad commentary on the limes said Bill Hastings spokesman for Pacific Southwest airline the Wool coast s larg Asl Carrier. The Molher Vest the Bay area the lather in los agates and the kids shuttle in  he added thaltha affluence 6 California also contributed to the travel. The Market is out there and the airlines Are going for ii says Allaire Williams Deputy director of consumer affairs at the department of transportation in Washington. While extra discounts Are generally available for children accompanied by adults most major Ai Finea charge regular adult fares for unaccompanied children who Are eligible Lor the same discounts offered adults. In addition a handful of airlines including american United end Continental charge a $20 fee when the child s itinerary requires one or More connections Between nights. The Federal government has no rules governing unaccompanied children. But most major airlines follow the same policy children under s years old Are not allowed to Fly alone those 5 through 7 Are accepted As Long As no Transfer to another airline is involved and children 8 through f 1 Are accepted for All travel. Filers 12 through 16 years old May Ravel without any airline supervision bul parents May request supervision. Cognizant of the possibility of kidnapping and other hazards the airlines appear to take their Young charges seriously. Most give the children name badges. The child is required to be escorted by a stall member at All times. On Continental trans world airlines and other airlines the staff escort must sign for the child on a special form. At the end of the night the child is delivered Only to a pre design Leda us from whom identification is required. The ranks of itinerant children have swelled so that the department of transportation at the request of the National child safety Council recently published a pamphlet entitled kids and teens in Fen with hints for parents Tell your child never to leave the Airport alone or with a stranger the pamphlet is available from airlines some airports and the port authority of Mew York and new Jersey j discount airlines such As people express gel a Large number of unaccompanied children. They usually really enjoy it they re completely enthralled with being on a plane said Carol Friedman customer service manager Lor the Newark based Carrier. Page 14 the stars and stripes