[YouJustMe]

Originally Posted by dfwgirl

Parents of any child over 11 have the option to pay the unaccompanied minor fee and have the child supervised. When the parent waives that, the parent is basically saying their child is ok to be out in the big world alone. Consider it like buying insurance, you may not need it, but is sure it worth it when/if something goes wrong with the flight. This is a parent choice, not an airline responsibility.

The new cut-off age is only 11 yrs old for American Airlines. If the parent chooses not to pay the extra fee, the child is considered on their own.