In message , at 15:57:57 on Mon, 19 Mar
2012, Stephen Sprunk remarked:
(On another note, I flew Transatlantic with such an airline last year,
and did wonder how they cope with unaccompanied minors, who almost
certainly won't have any cards).

Just tell minors to use their cash to buy a gift card before they board.

Eventually you may come to accept that gift cards like that are only
available in the USA. It's been mentioned half a dozen times already,
but maybe if we keep saying it you'll believe it.

They can buy the cards at the airport before they leave on an eastbound
transatlantic (or westbound transpacific) flight.

Some people start transatlantic trips from Europe. Strange, I know.

How long do you think it'll take until such cards are available at the
other end of those flights? It's not a difficult concept to grasp.

While a lot of US-invented financial initiatives do find there way over
here (even sub-prime mortgages) I'm not sure those giftcards will. It
seems to be important to the various stores that they are "tied" to a
particular outlet, or even a particular range of goods, and so the
current extensive (non-credit card) mag-stripe gift card scheme may
continue indefinitely.

Do European banks not have the concept of secondary cards? Each gets
their own card with their own name on it, and they're linked to a common
account, but secondary card holders are _not_ signatories to the card
contract and therefore are not legally liable for payment--which means
they can be minors.

I think secondary card holders in the UK are *jointly* liable, therefore
as a result there's not much point in having a secondary card rather
than a 'primary' one in your own name.

Obviously, one wouldn't open an account for a single trip. However,
millions of teens _already_ have cards, including minors, and can use
them on said trip.

UMs can be any age. A few of the teens many have debit cards, but it's
very unusual in the UK for under 16's.

Those who are flying regularly, particularly
internationally, are probably _most_ likely to have cards.

They are more likely, I agree, especially after they've been caught out
on the first trip.

--
Roland Perry