In this blog we look at the impact of airline policies on unaccompanied minors for parents planning a language immersion holiday for their child. Sending your child on a flight can be a daunting experience for both you and your child. Airlines are sensitive to the concerns of parents and the logistics required but some airlines will not allow children to fly unaccompanied. The two biggest examples of the restrictions this could have are Ryanair and Easyjet who serve hundreds of routes across Europe but do not allow unaccompanied minors on their flights. This means that you will need to consider the policies of airlines servicing destinations you are looking to send your child to before booking your flights and confirming your child’s Lingoo host or exchange family.
What Are The Airline Policies On Unaccompanied Minors?
Unaccompanied airline policies generally affect children under 16 and can include; age restrictions, support services and additional costs. These restrictions vary between airlines and are strictly enforced so it is important to research prior to booking. The policies of each airline fall into one of three categories
- Unaccompanied minors permitted to travel with age restrictions with no additional fees and some supervision provided
- Unaccompanied minors Permitted to travel with age restrictions and additional fees for “unaccompanied minor assistance”
- Unaccompanied minors not permitted
Here is a summary of unaccompanied minor policies
Airline Unaccompanied Travel (quoted charges are for international/ long-haul flights) Aer Lingus Children under 12 are not permitted to travel alone Those aged 12 to 15 require parent or guardian to sign a Form of Indemnity. Air France Children aged between 4 and 11 can travel unaccompanied on France/French or Europe flights and overseas departments and territories flights. On international flights the age range is 5-14 years. Unaccompanied Minor Assistance fee applies. British Airways Children aged 5 to 12 can travel alone but must be registered with BA's Skyflyer Solo service (fee of $100 each way applies). Otherwise, they must be accompanied by an adult aged 16 or over. Restrictions apply to journeys which include a stop-over lasting more than six hours. EasyJet Children under 14 cannot travel unaccompanied Emirates Children aged 5 to 11 are classified as unaccompanied minors and are cared for by dedicated ground staff. Gulf Air Children aged between 5 and 11, travelling alone, must be booked in advance as an unaccompanied minor. Jet2.com Children under the age of 14 can only travel with a person aged 16 years or older. KLM The Unaccompanied Minor service (reserve through KLM reservations) is available for 5 to 14 year olds. 15 to 17 year olds may opt to fly as UMs, but can also travel independently. €75 surcharge applies each way. Lufthansa Unaccompanied children ages 5-11 must make use of the airline's supervision service, or travel with someone who is at least 12 years of age. 12 to 17-year-olds can also be looked after at the request of a parent or guardian. Fee of €80 each way applies. Malaysian Airlines Special Assistance programmes for children aged between 5 and 14. Monarch Unaccompanied children under 16 to travel on its flights. Qatar Airways Escort Service is available to children between the ages of 5 and 15 years. Ryanair Children under 16 cannot? travel unaccompanied. Singapore Airlines Children aged 5 to 12 must travel in the Unaccompanied Minors programme. It's optional for passengers aged between 12 and 18. Download the "UM Handling form" from the website and then contact the local Singapore Airlines office. Thai Airways Children aged 5 to 12 must register as unaccompanied minors if travelling alone. Any unaccompanied minor needs to travel on an adult published fare ticket. The Unaccompanied Minor Form needs to be completed and a fee of $60 per flight applies. Thomas Cook AirlinesUnaccompanied minors between 5 and 12 require special assistance. It's also open to minors aged between 12 and 15. Fee is €50 per child per flight. Request in advance via the Contact Centre.