The Orlando Sentinel from Orlando, Florida • Page 33

The Orlando Sentinel, Wednesday, November 25, 1987 E-3 KIDS From E-1 The Far Side By Gary Larson Looking out for youngsters flying alone through or connecting flights as long as reservations are confirmed to the destination, according to information compiled by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Airlines will provide personnel to accompany children and help them make connections. A $20 transfer fee is fairly standard industrywide, according to Continental Airlines spokeswoman Nancy Pond-Smith. Continental has launched a Young Travelers Club for passengers that includes membership cards and admission to special supervised kids' club rooms stocked with toys at certain airports.

Other airlines, such as Delta, will allow children with layovers or flight delays to wait in MP rooms: often where a child can get a soft drink, watch TV or read a magazine. Children stay with airline supervisors Airlines follow special paperwork and supervisory procedures designed to keep tabs on youngsters who are flying solo or with siblings. For security reasons, adults who are delivering and meeting children fill out itinerary forms listing their addresses and telephone numbers as well as contacts for emergencies. In some instances, adults meeting children at the gate must provide proper identification such as a driver's license in order to have a child released to their custody. General airline policy forbids any child under 5 years of age from traveling alone.

Children ages 5 to 7 may take nonstop or through flights (flights that stop but require no change of planes) as long as designated adults deliver and meet them upon departure and arrival. Children ages 8 to 11 may fly unaccompanied on nonstop, until someone picks them up at their destination. In airline terms, a child is an adult at age 12. Parents with children 12 and older need to request special assistance for traveling teen-agers. Just because they are adult in airline terms, parents of teen-agers shouldn't assume their children can handle unexpected schedule snags alone.

"Teenagers are easily distracted," said Allaire Williams of the Department of Transportation. Williams said teens could conceivably wander off between flights to play video games or find a snack and lose track of time and their connections. "Unless you have said, 'My 15-year-old really needs some supervision' that child is pretty much on his own." MOIRA BAILEY Exciting holiday styles go straight to your head noted a marked increase in child-fliers and attribute it, in part, to the number of marriages that end in divorce and society's increasing mobility. Working parents in separate cities don't have time to drive children back and forth. Sometimes the only solution is to put the kids on a plane.

"To try to do it driving would take too long 24 hours if you don't stop," said Leslie Armstead, mother of Aaron and Adam. "You couldn't afford to be taking the time off of work, spending three days driving up there and having to get back." Summer is the heaviest travel time for children, with Thanksgiving and Christmas following close behind. Last summer, Continental Airlines averaged 1,200 kids a day who were traveling alone, said spokeswoman Nancy Pond-Smith. It's estimated that more than half a "million kids flew alone during the summer last year on all airlines, she said. It isn't just children of separated parents who are making these flights.

Working parents can't always arrange their vacations to coincide with their kids', and there are aunts, uncles and grandparents to be visited. An Eastern Airlines spokeswoman commented that flight attendants are getting used to seeing children on board. -'It's not unusual to have two or! three or four kids traveling alone," said Paula Musto. "A few years ago, it would have been unusual to have one." There are potential separation fears and anxieties involved in flying; Children often feel they are in a isort of limbo when flying between homes and are out of sight of parents or guardians. Children traveling alone often worry about a parent they leave behind, as well as their own safety, said Stephen Jordan, an Orlando psychologist who has counseled children who fly between parents.

"It's kind of frightening to fly," Jordan said. "If a child is going to a parent he or she hasn't had much contact with that makes it quite traumatic. Lots of times they haven't seen or heard from the other parent for months It's easier if you have a sibling" traveling with the child. A parent who stays behind can ease anxiety by letting the child know exactly what will be happening at home while the child is gone, Jordan said. Flight attendants help to put children at ease by seating them in the same area, usually toward the front of the plane.

Kids are encouraged to bring reading materials or favorite toys with them. Sometimes, flight attendants have to be creative. A 5-year-old girl, who was reduced to tears when she thought ndone was paying attention to her, was given responsibility for passing out packages of peanuts to 'fellow passengers on a Continental flight, said Pond-Smith. ness look for weekdays, hair ornaments are a fun option for a weekend or party look," Marvaldi said. Combining a wildly curly extension with naturally smooth hair, or pinning in a ringlet or two in a "flash color" such as pink or turquoise, are favorite techniques of Mark Sutherland, owner of Lock-works for Hair, in Maitland.

"They add extra length, extra color, extra texture for one night," Sutherland said. "The holidays only come once a year, so now's the time to say, 'Why not? It's time to have Designs for this party period may include sleek, classic styles, Sutherland said. But they are more likely to be dramatic, with contrasting textures and colors; or "spunky," with geometric shapes and punk-inspired spiky accents and fun gel colors; or feminine, with romantically soft waves. Makeup, however, is remarkably restrained. "Soft, soft and pretty," said Marvaldi, "We're using soft colors on the eyes, with just a little liner at the base of the lashes.

Neutral color for lips and very little blush." The result, he said, is a dramatic counterpoint to elaborate dress find hair st vles. J1 55 Wnms WitiMt Pai STAKEOUT 7 30 9 45 Niuhtlv MKJriiaM-Frt. Sat. f'l'IfcWa Nov 21sl OHIO ST. VS i I MICHKiAN Doom nnnn nl 11 30 2m-M20 STAKEOUT 7 30 9 45 Nmhttv Midnight Ffl A Sat 1 tm I SMI IH Will By Jean Patteson OF THE SENTINEL STAFF With fashion drifting into the realm of fantasy this holiday season, you'd hardly expect hairstyles to be short, smart and practical and they're not.

Rather, holiday hairstyles come in as many unexpected shapes and colors as clothes. "Hair is unrestrained, softer, fun, sophisticated," said Douglas Marvaldi, owner of Murvaldi's, in Winter Park. The same adjectives are being used to describe the latest party dresses. "There's a return to elegance, with romantic, soft, upswept styles," said Patty Migliorato, a stylist at Hair Benders, in Alta-monte Springs. To add length, volume or curls, she suggested using small hairpieces known as "extensions." And any hairstyle is more exciting when the hair is multishaded subtly highlighted in two or three different warm tones Migliorato said.

Hair ornamentation is trendy this season, said Marvaldi, who favors dramatic plexiglas ornaments, rhinestone barrettes and elaborate combs. He also uses hairpieces as ornaments. "When a woman needs a busi 4 V- 5 1 'TfliiiT Travel tip The following travel-alone tips for children and teen-agers are from airline representatives and from a pamphlet published by the National Child Safety Council and the U.S. Department of Transportation: When you book the ticket, specify to the reservation agent your child's age and the fact he or she will be traveling unaccompanied. Try to book a non-stop flight or a flight that doesn't require the child to change planes.

Remember that unaccompanied children are charged adult fares and try to book in advance. Copy identification, flight information, your child's ticket number, your name and contact number, and a name and contact number for the person meeting your child. Make sure the child carries this information in a pocket, separate from the ticket. If your child has never flown, try to visit the airport sometime before the trip so he or she will be familiar with the airport layout. Arrive at the airport with plenty of time to spare before your child's flight to allow time for filling out travel forms and to give your child time to relax before taking off.

Give your child something to take on the plane, such as a toy or reading materials, to help prevent in-flight boredom. Make sure the person meeting the child has correct flight and airport information. Notify the airline if there are any changes. For a free copy of "Kids Teens in Flight" write to: Office of Consumer Affairs, U.S. Dept.

of Transportation, 400 7th St. SW, Room 10405, Washington, DC 20590. 1 PLANE, TRAINS AND AUTOS R) 45 DATE WITH AN ANGEL P6) 2 15-4 45-7 15-9 45 HELLO AGAIN (PG) 30-7 30-9 30 DOLBY CINDERELLA (G) 304 00-5 30-7 00-B 30 NUTS (R) 2 0O-4 3O-70O-930 THE SICILIAN (R) 154 45-7 15-9 45 DANCERS (PG) WED 30 THURSDAY 2 30-5 30 LESS THAN ZERO (R) WFD ft 715-915 THURSDAY 15- 715-915 FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC (PG-13) 145-345-545-7 45-945 DANCERS (PG) 1 45-345-545-745 -9 45 TEEN WOLF TOO (PG) 145-345-5 45-7 45-945 BABY BOOM (PG) 2 15-5 00-7 15-9 30 FATAL ATTRACTION (R) 2 00-4 30-7 00-9 30 THE RUNNING MAN (R) 2 005 00-7 30-9 45 3 MEN AND A BABY (PG) 1 30 3 30-5 30-7 30-9 30 PARTY From E-1 dress, and can top $500 for a designer model. (Evening gloves may be hard to find; if your favorite stores don't carry them, try a bridal shop.) Not surprisingly, local sales people reported that the shorter looks are favored by the younger, slimmer set. But they said that even, older women who are more conservative in their daytime dress are lashing out at night, choosing wild and wonderful outfits for festive occasions.

Still, for the woman who can't quite imagine herself in a dress that is part tutu, part meringue puff, there are options to the La-croix look: long gowns, evening suits, pants outfits. But even these have been touched by the French master's magic. Long, strapless gowns, for example, come in brilliant colors and cling to the torso while flaring into tiered or ruffled skirts. Evening-suit jackets are either long and shapely, or cropped, bolero-style; skirts are short; the favorite top is the fitted, strapless bustier. Easy-fitting black satin trousers teamed with beaded sweaters or sequined tops are a solid standby.

But a gold metallic blouse, or an elaborate, sleeveless bolero over a silk shirt is the more stylish alternative. In a season when excess is not only acceptable but positively de rigueur, it seems a waste to play it safe in a long gown or trousers. Who knows when another swing of the pendulum will push party dresses to such delectable extremes? THE CHRISTMAS GIFT-GIVING SOLUTION GET YOURS NOW! AVAILABLE AT ALL BOX OFFICES NUTi PLAYING AT: SANDLAKE 7 GUHfMBEHG SCIltCK "LAYING AT: UNIVERSITY 8 -L; ON 2 SCREFNS! (Fli PLAYING AT: UNIVERSITY 8 CLASSIC indeveCCa IfJ THY trTFRFd PLAYING AT: SANDLAKE 7 7 TfD DANiON fe She was a big hit. "Everybody on there was talking about what a darling she was," Pond-Smith said. Airlines realize that it's good business to watch out for their young passengers.

Children's flight experiences good or bad may determine whether they or their parents become regular passengers. "I'm a businessman; I sure wouldn't use an airline that messed up my son's flight," said John Griffith of Orlando. Griffith's 7-year-old son, Patrick, has been flying Northwest since he was 4Vi years old. Patrick, who lives with his mother in Minnesota, has now racked up almost enough frequent flier miles for a free trip. When Patrick made his first trip, Griffith sent his 17-year-old nephew along for company.

Within a few months, Patrick was flying alone. "His biggest fear was that he would get lost," Griffith said. After a few flights, the planes and airports became more familiar and Patrick gained confidence. "We had always tried to raise him in a very secure environment," Griffith said. "We always allowed him to explore.

This just seemed a natural pattern for him. He has a healthy respect for the unknown." Parents with positive attitudes toward their children's travel can make a trip a good learning experience in independence and self-confidence. John Griffith gave fellow Parents Without Partners member Leslie Armstead advice when her sons started flying. Armstead is concerned whether to buy coats for her sons before they leave for Detroit or whether they should wait until they get there. "It's going to be cold," she told her sons, as they lounged around the living room last week in shorts and T-shirts.

But Aaron and Adam are wondering what kind of food they will eat this time around, and whether or not to bring the GI Joes. They just hope there are no "gross" waffles on the flight and that they get to sit in chairs with the tray tables that come out of the arm. the new film is brighter and livelier than its predecessor. And if the ending seemed more plausible in a French context, a subplot about drug smugglers is executed more nimbly in the new movie. As a sometime actor, Nimoy understands how to get good performances from the members of his cast.

Guttenberg's character is, perhaps, a bit too frantic during his first encounter with the baby, but, in general, the men are often hilarious as they go about the care and feeding of Mary. A scene in which Selleck's character uses a cooing voice to read a magazine article about a violent boxing match to Mary is especially entertaining. And when Danson's actor character accepts the challenge of fatherhood as if it were a new role, his fatuousness is funny. In some sequences, the three men function together so smoothly it's as if they were a single person. Metaphorically speaking, they pretty much are.

Three Men and a Baby isn't the best of the current wave of baby movies (including Raising Arizona, Baby Boom and a couple of others that are on the way), but it does have the most amusing baby. Little Mary (played by Lisa and Michelle Blair), has the sort of head that seems to change shape in every scene, and eyes that make her look always on the verge of discovery. Director Nimoy uses Mary in enough scenes to really establish a personality for her, and to show us how it is that the men come to care for her so much. (Near the end, when she's absent from some scenes, you may miss her almost as much as they do.) A few more baby movies like this one, and males might want to know more about diapers. StMIHOlt PLAZA UNivtiisiTT I ouri matt, fc 19 7111 657 U.01 7 'TOiM If SHELLEY LONG GONE TODAY.

HERE TOMORROW. I 1 Chock TXEATHF GUIDE tor tftof 1 ju ChiK THFATRF GUIOE tor thowii GUYS Frpm E-1 had a year and a half earlier, he had been unaware of her existence. Until Jack returns, his roommates take care of little Mary, after which he pitches in, too. How the lives of the threesome are changed by the new arrival is the crux of this good-natured comedy. Trois Hommes et Un Couffin, the delightful French film on which the new picture is based, broke box-office records in France, won three Cesars (the French equivalent of Oscars) including the one for best picture, and was nominated for an Oscar in the foreign-language category.

Someone at Disney's Touchstone division evidently figured that an American version might work out well. Coline Serreau, who wrote and directed the French version, was signed to do the American adaptation. But when she became ill (or so the report went), Leonard Nimoy stepped in as director. At first, the idea of Star Trek's Mr. Spock directing a goofy comedy about a baby seemed well, illogical.

(Now, had it been Dr. Spock .) But Nimoy shows much of the warmth and humor he did as director of Star Trek TV: The Voyage Home. He's still all thumbs with action scenes, but that's only a minor irritation in this kind of movie. And he's fortunate that screenwriters James Orr and Jim Cruickshank (the Tough Guys team) have stuck fairly close to the solid story line of the Gallic original. The Frtnch version did have more texture, but Hrnrsnn mu FUMHMt VIltACi UNO ll 7 lll-IMI I A Ml AM I i I MB Ht tnt VI'IIIRMW iruUK SQUAM Held Over UM KOWH1 SOUAM m-vw Check local listings for show times UNIVERSITY 1MM1 "Absolutely GLORIOUS entertainment." -Ury franklin, ABC-TV MIKHAIL EWmHNlTKOV DANCERS III Siivt Martin Km Candy Planls TrainTanU AltomobiFes If- lt lurid PLAYING AT: SANDLAKE 7 ON 2 SCREENS 0 THEATRE GUIDE tiyr thnwhmm.

MIKHAIL BARYSHNIKOV DANCERS PLAYING AT: UNIVERSITY 8PLAZA PG cm aviKi at. i itii rrnoiTW a ir-i i iiiu i UKiycnot no CfSci- TMEATPf GUtOE for showt i (Jf CANNON at, ym ft STARTS TODAY UA NkOVlit AT FLORIDA MALL PUTT THUTHI PLAZA 4j; MOTH Vf NUI.