Aha! Plane attire: one of my favorite topics! The best advice, obviously, is to wear something you're comfortable in (particularly on a long flight or a red-eye), but if you want to delve a little deeper, here are some of my go-to rules when dressing for the plane:

• Long pants--no capris or skirts--to keep chills away from ankles.
• Shoes that can be slipped on and off easily (and--or at the very least or--thick socks. Have you seen those airplane bathroom floors?!)
• Speaking of shoes, no heels. Been there, done that, got the blisters.
• No white. Or cream. Or beige. In fact, head-to-toe black is often the safest way to go.
• Layers for peeling on and off (airplane AC is notoriously fickle)
• No dangly earrings (I've lost too many while dozing against the headrest)
• A wrap or pashmina (which ties very neatly to a bag handle like a scarf, thus freeing up valuable real estate in your carry-on) in case the blankets have all been taken by the time you board.
• Nothing sloppy or slobby--one should always hold out hope of getting upgraded (hint: if they're considering you based upon appearance, apparently the shoes are where they look first. Sneakers probably won't make it into the Business Class cabin.)
• No pajamas! Honestly, I can't count how many people I've seen flying in pajama pants. Wear some neat and tidy track pants IF YOU MUST, but a pair of loose black pants (or even khakis) will be just as comfy.

Hope you have a safe trip, whatever you wear!

--Holly

Hi Mel,

The answers: younger than you may think, and a 17-year-old can definitely fly as an adult would!

The golden rule of booking a ticket for a minor is to call your airline before booking, but airlines agree that a 17-year-old can book and fly as an adult. In fact, some airlines allow children as young as 12 to fly alone without having to use the airline’s unaccompanied-minor services.

Even if your airline is happy to transport your littlest travelers without imposing their youth service (and its fees), bear in mind that some restrictions may apply, even for teens. It’s common for an airline to restrict children to non-stop flights or to ban them from the last flight of the day (if a flight cancelation results in an overnight stay, children younger than 18 may not be accepted by hotels).

Here are links to some domestic airlines’ minor policies so you can compare:

American Airlines
Continental Airlines
Delta Air Lines
JetBlue
Southwest Airlines
United Airlines
US Airways

A wonderful flight and safe travels to your teen!

Michelle

A seven hour layover sounds great, but let's say you need to be back at the airport two to three hours before your next flight to check in: that would really only give you four or five hours to explore Hong Kong outside the airport. Still, there's quite a bit you can do!

You'll be coming in to the Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok. Ground transportation from there is pretty good, so you could easily get the MTR into the city center (get off at Admiralty or Wan Chai) -- it should only take about half an hour.

Walk around, admire the architecture, do a little shopping in Central (Pacific Place is a large luxury-type mall, or you might want to try The Lanes for faux designer goods), and ride a tram down Des Voeux Road. Take the (free) elevator up the outside of the Hopewell Center in Wan Chai and you'll get a fantastic view of the city. For another excellent view, take the Peak Tram up to the top of Victoria Peak (you'll catch it in Central) -- it's astounding, and the ride itself (sort of like a funicular) is a lot of fun too.

Try and make time for a quick ride on the Star Ferry if you can -- you'll catch it downtown in Central (Admiralty MTR stop) and you'll likely have change from a dollar. It's only a ten-minute crossing but the ferries are from the 1940s and 50s, and it's a fun time. Once you're on Kowloon side, you can admire the Hong Kong skyline from across the water (there's a free laser show every evening if you're there at night) and maybe have a look around the markets of Nathan Road or the western-style shopping centers at Tsim Sha Tsui.

Hope you have an amazing time! You can certainly see a lot of Hong Kong in 4-5 hours.

-- Holly