Mobissimo

If you were hoping to get rid of the kids for a few weeks somewhere far, far away this summer, you may need to rethink your strategy and start looking for Camps within driving distance. Seems the airlines continue to increase the minimum age for flying. The latest via Courierpostonline:

It's summer travel season, and families are finding it harder to send their children off by themselves on an plane trip, according to Gannett News Service. Until recently, most of the major carriers generally let unaccompanied children as young as 5 years old take connecting flights.

But in the last year, Delta, Northwest and American have raised the minimum age to 8 for children traveling solo on connecting flights. US Airways last October bumped the age up to 15, matching the policy of merger partner America West.

US Airways spokesman Morgan Durrant says the merged airlines needed a consistent policy, but he acknowledges that the change also saves the airline money. Shuttling children between gates at busy airports is time-consuming for employees.

The latest restrictions are part of a longer-term trend in the airline industry. In 2000, Continental raised its minimum age for unaccompanied children on connecting flights to 8 years old. United did it about a decade ago.