My airline has a policy that doesn’t allow anyone under the age of sixteen to fly without an adult. But, for an additional fee, they can fly as an “unaccompanied minor,” giving our employees  the responsibility of ensuring they get delivered into the hands of the documented adult waiting for them at their final destination. 

As a flight attendant, we are required to give them personal briefings about the safety features of the aircraft, check on them every 15 minutes, and most importantly make sure they do not get off without one of us walking them off. We try and board them first and seat them in the last row.

On a recent flight, the flight leader called back and told me an accompanied minor was on her way back and asked me to brief her.

After she took her seat, I launched into possibly the most thorough individual briefing I’ve every given.

“Hi there! Is this your first time flying? No? Well, you probably know the drill, but I’ve got to repeat it anyway.” I jokingly start out, “I see you figured out how to put your seat belt on. Good job! The closest exit is right behind you. If for any reason a mask drops down, make sure you put it over your nose AND mouth and, if during the flight you put a mask on, be sure to remove it first. This particular aircraft has different colored exit signs…”  and on and on and on I went.

She attentively listened with a smile on her face and politely thanked me for each little tidbit I passed along to her.

I ended my briefing, as I always do, “BUT, the MOST important thing is that you do NOT get off this airplane without one of us accompanying you, okay?”

She looked appalled, “But WHY? I’m twenty-six years old!”

Right behind me, waiting to take her seat, was the actual unaccompanied minor.

Can you imagine what this sweet twenty-six year old girl (who really could pass for fifteen) was thinking?? Getting this laser focussed, personal briefing about every detail about the airplane and what she needs to do in an emergency?

No doubt she was thinking to herself…this old bat is taking her job waaaay too seriously…she should retire already.

What cracked me up the most was how grateful she seemed, never once giving off vibes about how weird she must have thought I was, how weird the whole thing was. It wasn’t until I told her she had to wait until everybody else got off, that she even questioned it. Too funny!