Each airline requires parents or guardians to complete specific unaccompanied minor travel documentation before the flight. This includes details about the individuals who will collect the child at both departure and arrival points.

Adults at both ends must present identification that matches the information provided to the airline to ensure the child is safely sent off or picked up.

There is typically a fee for unaccompanied minors, which varies depending on whether the flight is domestic or international and the airline.

Airfares are generally charged at the adult rate, though this can vary at the airline’s discretion.

Since only a limited number of unaccompanied minors (usually less than six) are allowed on each flight, it’s important to secure your child’s booking as soon as possible.

Young passengers traveling alone receive excellent care from both ground and cabin staff.

At the airport, you need to accompany your child through check-in and to the gate, where a cabin crew member will meet you.

Unaccompanied minors are given priority boarding, allowing the crew to help them get settled, stow their carry-on baggage, and answer any questions they may have.

Step-by-Step at the Airport

1. Arrive at the airport and head to the check-in and bag drop counters.
2. Have your personal ID, your child’s ID, and the adult collecting your child on arrival at the destinations details ready to confirm with the airline staff.
3. Once your child has their boarding pass, proceed to the gate at least 30 minutes before departure.
4. A flight attendant will meet you at the gate to complete the necessary paperwork before boarding.
5. The attendant will escort your child on board the aircraft and help them get settled before other passengers.
6. Stay at the gate until the aircraft departs in case your child needs to return for any unexpected reasons.

It is important that you don't forget to bring;

• Unaccompanied minor travel documentation
• Medical clearance forms (if needed)
• Your child’s identification (ie. birth certificate, passport, or ID card)
• Comfort items to make the journey easier for very young travellers

Unaccompanied minors are typically seated near the cabin crew areas, such as the flight attendant jump seats by the exits or food service areas. They are also placed close to bathrooms and, if possible, next to a vacant seat.

The cabin crew pay special attention to their younger guests, prioritizing their security and comfort throughout the journey. Flight attendants check on unaccompanied minors multiple times throughout the duration of the flight.

When the attendant escorts the child on board, they will guide them to their seat, explain how to use the any in seat controls (ie. entertainment systems), show them where the bathrooms are, and demonstrate how to use the call button.

The unaccompanied minor forms require you to specify a parent or guardian who will pick up your child at the gate upon arrival. It is crucial that the person listed on the form is the one who collects the child.

For legal reasons, airlines cannot release a child to anyone not listed on the documentation or without proper ID, even if they are a family member.

Unaccompanied minors will be the last to disembark. The flight attendant will escort them to their waiting parent or guardian, along with the forms signed at the departure point. These forms will be signed again by both the attendant and the person collecting the child, completing the final leg of their journey.