I would like to create an app for airline passengers who are unaccompanied minors, helpful whether they are flying for the first time or already familiar with the travel process. It is designed for kids traveling alone to connect them with their families and make flying safer, easier, and less stressful or scary. Inside the app would be everything they need for traveling (packing list, boarding pass, flight updates) but made into a fun list, almost like a game to make sure that everything is organized and passengers get to their destination safely. The app would be useful for all kids, both first-time and experienced flyers, so they could stay in touch with family and feel safe when they fly.

When you first sign up for the app, there would be two main options: “I’m a kid” or “I’m a parent/adult,” and then passengers could specify if they also have an injury, disability, or other needs. For example, “I have never flown before,” “I have a disability,” or “I have a food allergy.” Families and kids would then be able to upload a detailed packing list (or even use templates on the app), get their boarding pass, receive flight updates, and see flight maps, all in one organized and centralized travel center. Parents would have access to flight updates to know exactly where their kids are when flying, and they could add money to the app to pay for anything kids might need during the flight: food, snacks, or whatever else might come up.

The app would be a fun way of flying alone while still being environmentally friendly. I came up with the idea of creating this app for the essay prompt, but now I actually want to make the app!