I traveled alone from the time I was 12yrs old...It's a big difference between 6 and 12 though.
I thought it was so much fun! Don't feel sorry for those kids
I WAS one of those kids and I can tell you it was neat, especially if it's a direct flight. My parents were divorced, so I would travel to see my dad across the country. Had it not been for me traveling by plane, alone, I would not have gotten to see my dad nearly as often.