Rules for minors traveling alone by plane vary

If your summer plans include waving goodbye to your kids at the airport, be aware that some airlines have changed their unaccompanied minor rules since last summer.

Rules vary, so check details at your airline’s Web site or with an agent. A few tips:

• All six major U.S. carriers — American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United and US Airways — charge an extra $40 to $90 each way for an unaccompanied minor. The highest charge is for international flights — and whether Mexico, Canada and U.S. territories are considered international flights depends on the airline.

• Most airlines require that children ages 5 to 14 be escorted by airline personnel, and thus pay extra. United requires the extra fee only for ages 5 to 11. (Some discount carriers, including Southwest and Jet Blue, do not charge extra for minors flying alone.)

• Most airlines will provide optional supervision for children up to age 17, for the same fee required for younger kids.

• Some flights are forbidden. For example, children ages 5 to 7 are banned from flights that require a change of planes on many airlines. A few ban connecting flights for kids as old as 11. Most airlines restrict late flights, particularly the last connecting flight of the day.

Hurricane watch: brace yourself

The National Hurricane Center predicts six to eight hurricanes in the Atlantic Basin during the season that runs from now through October — a “likely continuation of above-normal activity” that began in 1995.

Of course, one hurricane is enough to threaten your vacation and your life. Some advice:

• If you’re visiting a Caribbean island between mid-August and late October, plan ahead, says Frank Lepore of NHC. When booking, ask what provisions are made for guests in the event of a hurricane. “Some will allow you to ride out the storm; others will toss you out like you were Typhoon Mary,” says Lepore.

• Your worst odds are in September, when 36.3 percent of Atlantic hurricanes occur.