british airways 15 year old travelling alone

UponArriving

British Airways Unaccompanied Minor Policy Explained [2023]

If you want to send your child or a minor on a flight alone on British Airways, your booking experience might be quite different from many other airlines, especially those located in the US.

To help with some of the confusion, we’ve created a guide that will help you understand how British Airways treats unaccompanied minors and what you can expect.

So keep reading below for everything you need to know!

What is the British Airways unaccompanied minor policy?

British Airways does not have an unaccompanied minor service although they do allow children 14 years or older to fly alone.

If the child is 14 or 15 years old and traveling alone a parental/guardian consent form must be completed before travel.

Despite being one of the most popular airlines in the world, British Airways ended its unaccompanied minor service in 2016.

The program was called “Skyflyer Solo” and ended as a result of budget cuts and also reduced popularity of the program.

Reportedly, there was a big drop in the unaccompanied minors that used to fly between ex-pat hotspots like Hong Kong, Kenya, and the Caribbean.

The drop of the unaccompanied minor service appears to be unrelated to the legal issues British Airways dealt with related to sex discrimination.

Basically, British Airways would not allow men to sit next to unaccompanied minors which resulted in some legal issues until they ended the practice in 2010.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

What are the British Airways unaccompanied minor fees?

Since British Airways does not provide an unaccompanied minor service they do not require any fees.

If you would like you can look into the Meet and Assist program available at London Heathrow.

Whether you are arriving, connecting, or departing, you can have a staff member help assist your minor at the airport from the beginning to the end of their airport journey. Prices may depend on the route but you can expect to pay around £125.00.

Related: British Airways Boarding Groups Explained

British Airways unaccompanied minor rules

Minimum age.

If a child is under 14 years old, they cannot fly alone under any circumstances. British Airways is very clear about this and as far as I can tell there are no exceptions.

However, if a child under 14 is traveling with someone 16 years or older on the same itinerary they will be allowed to fly. In that situation, I don’t believe any paperwork is needed.

If a child is 14 years old or 15 years old and traveling alone they must have a completed parent/guardian consent form filled out in order for them to travel.

The consent form is pretty basic.

It requires you to fill out contact information and also requires you to provide a copy of a signed identification form such as a passport.

The form does speak to the issue of handling a delayed or canceled flight where your child will need overnight accommodation.

The key is to make sure that you or someone else is available to pick up the kids from the departing airport in that situation.

If not, then British Airways will contact the authorities and/or child protection authorities to provide advice or care which just does not sound like a great situation.

The form also grants permission for the minor to travel by taxi or stay in a hotel room unaccompanied if there is a travel disruption away from the point of departure/destination.

How to book a British Airways unaccompanied minor reservation

Unlike many airlines that allow you to book special bookings for children, you cannot do this with British Airways online.

If you need to make a booking for someone under the age of 16 who is traveling solo, you will need to  contact British Airways  to make the booking. 

International flights

Unlike in the US were many unaccompanied minors are simply flying around the country domestically, in the UK a lot of flights will be headed to international destinations.

Since there is no unaccompanied minor service, your child of 14 years or older will be flying as an adult. This means that he or she will have to learn how to navigate the airport and get through customs and immigration on their own.

For that reason, you want to make sure that your child is responsible and mature enough to get through those areas without major complications.

Encourage the child to ask questions from officials in the airport that have uniforms on or that are working information desks.

Some airports are extremely easy to get around in while others can be more confusing, even for adults.

In some cases, you may be able to print out a map and show your kid where to go but sometimes that is much easier to do on paper than it is in real life.

Try to book nonstop flights

One thing that you can do to make life easier for the minor is to book nonstop flights.

Nonstop flights are usually recommended for younger kids under the age of 18.

This is for two reasons.

First, dealing with connections can be stressful and difficult especially if there is a limited time window and the airport is particularly large or confusing to navigate.

Also, if there happens to be a delay and the kid is forced to stay overnight they would have to check into a hotel and many hotels have age limits on checking in.

This is especially true in the US.

They may not allow a kid under the age of 18 to check in and that could be a very difficult situation to put your child in.

Make sure to get signed permission forms

If the minor is traveling internationally including Europe, the minor may need an official document signed by their parents or legal guardian(s) providing them with permission to travel.

There are  no universal EU rules  on permission forms for minors. Instead, each EU country decides if it requires the child to have an official authorization. You can search for the country your minor is traveling to here to see the requirements.

Also, the UK has special rules for taking children abroad. You are required to obtain permission of everyone with  parental responsibility  for a child or from a court before taking the child abroad.

I would suggest that you read up on this resource so that you don’t get charged with child abduction by failing to get permission!

In addition, you can search country specific requirements for various travel documentation here .

British Airways recommendations

British Airways has some specific recommendations to help your young traveler. Many of these are pretty much common sense but I’ve added some additional insight.

If you really want to get deep into all of the tips for traveling with unaccompanied minors, then you should check out our guide .

Verify the travel documents

You’ll want to make sure that the child has any necessary travel documents such as a valid passport, any visas, and proof of return travel (as required).

If you think the minor might lose the passport or travel documents, consider attaching them to a minor’s neck lanyard or something similar.

You might also think about using something like Apple ID tags for the minor’s luggage so that things can be easily tracked if lost.

Bring the signed consent form

Make sure that the child has the signed British Airways consent form and a copy of the parent/guardian’s passport or other form of photographic identification showing a signature attached to the form.

Ideally, the parent/guardian would take the child through the check-in process and verify that the travel documents and consent forms are sufficient.

It’s also always recommended that the parent or guardian remain at the airport until the plane has taken off.

If you want to take your child to the gate but are not able to do that, one trick is to book a fully refundable flight.

As long as you cancel that in time you won’t be out any money but the ticket should give you access through airport security and allow you to drop the minor off at the gate for a proper goodbye.

Any required medication and/or health certificates

Even with airlines that have unaccompanied minor policies, they usually state that they do not administer medication to minors.

And since British Airways does not have an unaccompanied minor service, you need to ensure that your child is well aware of how to administer his or her own medication.

Also, if there are any health certificates needed related to any conditions, make sure the child has them in their possession so that they can show them to someone in the event of an emergency.

Charged devices

You want your child to have the ability to communicate with their parent or guardian and also the individual who will be picking them up at their destination.

Make sure that the child has a fully charged mobile device with sufficient credit and roaming activated if needed. If you’re worried about the device going dead, you have a couple of options.

You can try to book an aircraft that has power outlets although that may not always be feasible. And even if the aircraft does have outlets the outlet being used by the minor could be out of service.

Second, you can buy a battery juice pack that will allow the minor to charge his or her device while traveling.

Something else to consider is that it should not be hard to find a plane with Wi-Fi .

You can go through the steps to help your child know how to connect and if they have issues they can even ask a flight attendant who should be able to assist.

This could help you to remain in communication throughout the flight if you would like more peace of mind.

Credit card or cash

You never know what type of expenses a child might have unexpectedly. They may need to buy a phone charger, a taxi to a hotel, a hotel night, a prepaid phone that works, etc.

It’s a really good idea to send some cash or a credit card with your child and just explain to them the parameters of using it.

Related airlines

Flights operated by SUN-AIR or Comair have different age requirements for unaccompanied minors.

They allow young children between the ages of 5 to 11 years to travel without a parent or legal guardian provided you contact the airline in advance. So be sure to look into those airlines if you would like to book an unaccompanied minor service.

Also, American Airlines is a partner of British Airways and they do have an unaccompanied minor policy that you can read about here .

Unfortunately, British Airways does not provide a traditional unaccompanied minor service to help young kids through the airport.

Instead, they simply don’t allow any kids to fly alone unless they are at least 14 years old.

This means that you need to take extra care to make sure your child is mature enough to handle navigating through an airport and that you take all the precautions necessary to ensure that you will be able to communicate with them throughout the process.

Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and the credit card app, WalletFlo . He is a former attorney turned travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, and CNBC. Read my bio .

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Privacy Overview

• Stopover Programs
• Student Discounts
• Seat and Lounge Reviews

GUIDE: British Airways Unaccompanied Minor Policy

Publication.

Publish Date:

Modified Date:

Booking an unaccompanied minor onto a British Airways service is a little different than it would seem and is somewhat different to other major airlines.

For starters, they scrapped their formal offering “Skyflyer Solo” in 2016 meaning parents and guardians alike of having been using a patchwork of different offerings to get their children abroad.

To help with the confusion, here is a helpful guide for parents and guardians using British Airways.

That being said, if you are looking for a more structured offering, Virgin Atlantic, BA’s main competitor out of the UK does offer a service which you can find using this link .

Breaking Down Terminology

As a start, it is good to break down the key terminology that will be used as there is nothing more gut-wrenching that sending your children into the open world without fully understanding the ramifications of doing so.

What is an Unaccompanied Minor?

For people who don’t use the service often or do not fly a lot, the definition of what constitutes being a “minor” is usually different to what the airline industry defines a minor as.

The airline you choose for example will define these differently, but the rough consensus among established airlines is that anyone travelling under the age of 16 will be classed as a minor, although these do vary.

Understanding Passenger Type Codes

While mainly used to verify the booking, by default, airfare systems assume that all passengers are Adults. But in this article, we know that this is not the case. The common PTCs to look out for after you have made the booking are:

• INF: infant without a seat
• INS: infant with a seat
• UNN: unaccompanied child

If you are booking with a travel agent, you need to ensure they add the keyword YPTA to bookings so British Airlines can identify solo young flyers under 16 years travelling with them

What Is The British Airways Unaccompanied Minor Policy?

To date, British Airways does not have an unaccompanied minor service although they do allow children 14 years or older to fly alone .

Specifically, If the child is 14 or 15 years old and travelling alone a parental/guardian consent form must be completed before travel. The form is available to  download here .

Importantly, British Airway’s franchise agreements with Comair and SUN-AIR are not part of the guidance and have their own set of rules. The Rules do apply to BA CityFlyer

The Decline Of Skyflyer Solo

As mentioned, Skyflyer Solo ended in 2016 due to decreased uptake of the service even though passenger numbers were up over the last decade preceding the cut.

BA has a long history with offering the possibility to travel as an Unaccompanied Minor, dating back to more than 40 years with the airline charging $125 (£90) for a “flying nanny” on a European or domestic flight, and $150 (£108) for a long-haul trip, on top of the ticket price.

However, BA justified the move by saying that while the Unaccompanied Minor service was available to children aged between 12 and 18, only one in 10 in this age category travelling alone made use of it.

That said, British Airways never shies away from controversy, and the Unaccompanied Minor program was no different. The carrier in 2010 was embroiled in a sex discrimination case when the carrier policy of not allowing men to sit next to unaccompanied minors which actually enforced.

What Are The British Airways Unaccompanied Minor Fees?

As the carrier does not provide an unaccompanied minor service there are no fees involved.

Supplementary Services As An Alternative

But that is not to say there are no other supplementary services that could be used as a somewhat replacement for Skyflyer Solo.

For example, as it is the passenger’s responsibility to make it to the gate on time, you are entrusting a minor to be trusted enough to navigate an airport and make it onto the plane. While the carrier might not provide the service, a larger airport may have its own meet-and-greet team that can assist.

London Heathrow and Hong Kong International , for example, have their own meet-and-greet operation while other airports have turned to the free-market which has created its own mini-industry with companies like Allways (part of Plaza Premium Group) existing.

British Airways Unaccompanied Minor Rules

The rules are published on British Airways Children Travelling Alone page .

British Airway’s franchise agreements with Comair and SUN-AIR are not part of the guidance and have their own set of rules.

Minimum Age

The minimum age of a person permitted to travel alone on British Airways is 14 years of age.

If young flyers are accompanied by someone who is aged 16 or over (on the same or a linked booking), British Airways will allow them to travel.

Additional Paperwork

All young flyers aged under 16 and travelling alone must complete a parental/guardian consent form before travel, regardless of when the booking was made.

The form is available to download here .

A copy of the parent/guardian’s current passport (or another form of photographic identification showing a signature) must also be attached to this form.

Disruptive Behaviour

Disruptive behaviour, either on the ground or on board, is not acceptable to the airline

If a child has been disruptive, the parent or guardian collecting the child on arrival will be informed that the child misbehaved during the flight and their future travel with the carrier will be reviewed by BA Security.

The parent or guardian will be notified by letter if the child is banned from flying unaccompanied until their 16th birthday. This ban does not prohibit the child from travelling when accompanied by an adult.

How To Make A British Airways Unaccompanied Minor Reservation

Unlike many airlines that allow you to book special bookings for children, you cannot do this with British Airways online.

If you need to make a booking for someone under the age of 16 who is travelling solo, you will need to  contact British Airways  to make the booking. 

General Guidance to Parents

Here are some general good practise tips for parents and children

1. Ensure That The Child Knows Basic Airport Lingo

Make sure the child knows that gates close upto 40 minutes before departure.

One of the things children may not know is that the gates close sometime before the actual departure time.

As such it may be worth keeping them on the phone and ensuring they avoid any kids’ areas and go straight to the gate.

Airlines these days will send you gate information so it may be a good idea to have a map in front of you and pull up the information to guide them through the airport

Make Sure The Child Knows Their PNR

The PNR or the passenger Name Record is the 6 digit alphanumerical code that is usually called the booking reference.

If the child gets lost – the PNR should be an easy way to identify the child and get them on their way if they get lost.

2. Verify Travel Documents

You’ll want to make sure that the child has any necessary travel documents such as a valid passport, any visas, and proof of return travel in a safe folder in their bag.

If you think the minor might lose the passport or travel documents, consider attaching them to a minor’s neck lanyard or something similar.

3. Try to Always Book A Non-Stop Flight

While it is not always possible if say you are not in a big city, however booking non-stop flights significantly reduced the stress placed on both the parent and child.

This is for two reasons.

First, dealing with connections can be stressful and difficult especially if there is a limited time window and the airport is particularly large or confusing to navigate.

Also, if there happens to be a delay and the child is forced to stay overnight they would have to check into a hotel which would almost be a new and foreign concept. Some children may not be aware of Airside hotels and therefore would have to go through immigration to get to a Landside hotel. This naturally dials up the risks involved.

You might also think about using something like Apple’s Airtags to monitor the child on their trip

4. Make Sure They Have Emergency Money

In case of any unforeseen issues, it is good to give the child some emergency money in case anything does happen but also make them aware not to spend the money in the Airport Starbucks.

A prepaid Visa or Mastercard card can come in handy if there are unlikely to be bottlenecks for using it. For example, if they need to make a WhatsApp call/message using the onboard Wi-Fi system then cash wouldn’t be a good option.

5. Phones and Power

Depending on the child’s age, they may not be glued to the phones just yet – it is good practice to make them aware of where the phone charger is in the bag.

Also, provide them with a power bank should they need it so their phone has battery to make calls.

That said, it is important to also ensure international calling is set up on the phone plan and roaming is enabled on the phone itself.

6. Don’t Leave The Airport Until The Plane Takes Off

while any multitude of issues can arise when the little one goes through the airport, should they miss their flight, it is good to still be at the airport to collect them and work out an alternative.

Air Asia X Quite Zone: An Overview

Understanding cathay pacific’s 24-hour cancellation policy, how to book swiss throne seats for free, exploring delta vip select, premium economy: the nuances of comfort and cost, qantas family transfers – a quick overview.

• Updated 2022

Article Comments

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Related Articles

British airways gold guest list explained, british airways unveils exclusive group 0 boarding, british airways revives complimentary meals on select routes, british airways elevates gold guest list with concorde room, understanding british airways best price guarantee, british airways tightens id policy for domestic flights, popular catagories.

• British Airways 59
• Featured Posts 42
• American Airlines 32
• Tips & Tricks 31
• Cathay Pacific 28
• Qatar Airways 22
• Terminology Corner 20
• Virgin Atlantic 19
• Singapore Airlines 18
• Delta Airways 17
• Lufthansa 16
• Travel Tools 15
• Japan Airlines 14

EDITOR PICKS

Popular posts, how to get a free turkish airlines stopover in istanbul, british airways rules on ticket name changes & corrections, a guide to emirates dubai connect transit accommodation, popular category.

Travelling On Points is an up-and-coming blog and YouTube Channel that focuses on travel and points.

Find out more: About Us

© Copyright Travellingonpoints.com

• Homepage (2020)
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Policy

• British Airways >

British Airways: Children Flying Alone

• Planes & Seat Maps

What is Unaccompanied Minor Service?

Young children traveling without a parent or legal guardian are considered to be Unaccompanied Minors. Most airlines provide a service to assist these children from their point of departure to their final destination.

What age does my child have to be to qualify as an Unaccompanied Minor?

The service is mandatory for children ages 5-11 traveling without an adult who is at least 16 years old. Children under 5 years of age are not allowed to travel unless accompanied by an adult who is at least 16 years old.

What are the fees associated with this service?

In most cases British Airways will charge the adult fare for children traveling alone. In addition to the flight price, the Skyflyer Solo service fee per child, per sector, is approximately:

• $50 for short haul flights and flights within the UK
• $75 for long haul flights

Contact your local British Airways office or your travel agent for further information.

Are there any flight restrictions?

• Children from age five upwards can travel alone only on a single sector, direct, non-stop flight.
• Children from the age of six can travel alone on any British Airways flight.
• Check that all visas and other formalities have been completed.
• The Skyflyer Solo service must be booked and paid for together with your child’s flight. If not, cancellation and re-issue fees will be charged.
• Skyflyer Solo service must be booked at least 48 hours in advance of the flight’s departure time.
• Due to the lengthy process for gaining visa clearance for the escort on routes to Algeria, Libya, Saudi Arabia and Russia, British Airways offers only a limited number of bookings for unaccompanied children on these flights.
• Skyflyer Solo service is not available on flight numbers BA001, BA002, BA003 and BA004 (Club World London City).

British Airways cannot accept:

• children traveling on journeys which include a transfer between London Heathrow and London Gatwick airports.
• children on journeys which involve a night-stop, transfer, or stopover exceeding six hours, unless you have arranged for your child to be met and cared for at the transfer point. Full contact details must be provided before the child can be accepted for their first flight.

How do I book this service?

Contact British Airways Reservations

SeatGuru was created to help travelers choose the best seats and in-flight amenities.

Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

UK Edition Change

• UK Politics
• News Videos
• Paris 2024 Olympics
• Rugby Union
• Sport Videos
• John Rentoul
• Mary Dejevsky
• Andrew Grice
• Sean O’Grady
• Photography
• Theatre & Dance
• Culture Videos
• Food & Drink
• Health & Families
• Royal Family
• Electric Vehicles
• Car Insurance deals
• Lifestyle Videos
• UK Hotel Reviews
• News & Advice
• Simon Calder
• Australia & New Zealand
• South America
• C. America & Caribbean
• Middle East
• Politics Explained
• News Analysis
• Today’s Edition
• Home & Garden
• Broadband deals
• Fashion & Beauty
• Travel & Outdoors
• Sports & Fitness
• Sustainable Living
• Climate Videos
• Solar Panels
• Behind The Headlines
• On The Ground
• Decomplicated
• You Ask The Questions
• Binge Watch
• Travel Smart
• Watch on your TV
• Crosswords & Puzzles
• Most Commented
• Newsletters
• Ask Me Anything
• Virtual Events
• Betting Sites
• Online Casinos
• Wine Offers

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in

Unaccompanied minors: Can children travel by themselves on flights?

Following one family’s distressing experience, we take a look at the rules around whether under 18s can travel alone, article bookmarked.

Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts

Get simon calder’s travel email, thanks for signing up to the simon calder’s travel email.

Air travel for unaccompanied children is possible, but there are various rules and regulations around it - meaning those aged under 18 can encounter issues with their journeys.

In Australia last month, 11-year-old Jack Garland was due to travel with his 13-year-old sister Scarlett from Sydney to the Gold Coast, when he was unexpectedly denied boarding and left at the airport .

The siblings had been scheduled to travel with their father, but last-minute work engagements prevented him from taking the trip.

The pair’s mother, Emma Garland, claims she checked beforehand with Qantas, through whom she’d booked the tickets, that the two could travel unaccompanied by an adult.

But she says that, once they had boarded the plane, Jack was removed with no explanation given to his sister.

Jetstar clarified that it does not allow 11-year-olds to travel without a parent or guardian over 18.

“While we enjoy welcoming young passengers on board our flights , Jetstar does not offer an unaccompanied minor service and young passengers must meet certain requirements in order to travel independently with us, including being of secondary school age,” said a spokesperson.

“A secondary school passenger can travel independently but must be at least 15 years old to accompany a child under secondary school age.”

So are Jetstar in the right, and how do you know what the rules are when it comes to children boarding planes without an adult?

What are the rules around unaccompanied minors?

Each airline may set its own rules when it comes to allowing or not allowing unaccompanied minors, including the documentation parents must provide, how they book, and the flights children may take.

The minimum age a child must be to fly alone is five.

In general, airlines that offer an unaccompanied minor (UNMR) service insist that it is used for children between five and 11, while it’s an optional extra that parents can request for children aged 12 to 15. However, there are exceptions.

There are also some restrictions around flight length, timings and stopovers - so booking your child under 16 on a flight with a long layover during the night, for example, may not be possible.

Unaccompanied children are not normally allowed to take the last flight of the day, in case of any delays that might strand them overnight in a foreign airport.

Parents need to check with their individual airline for their rules and services around UNMRs.

Emirates, for example, offers an unaccompanied minors service for children aged between 5 and 11 flying without their parents; parents of 12-15 year olds can also request the service, which involves a specially supported check in, boarding the plane first and staff checking in on the child mid-flight.

Meanwhile, British Airways only allows children aged 14 and up to travel unaccompanied; it asks the parents of under-16s to contact them directly to arrange an unaccompanied minor journey (these cannot be booked on the airline’s website). They must also complete a parental/guardian consent form before travel.

On the other side of the pond, American Airlines specifies that children aged five to seven can only travel unaccompanied on nonstop flights; meanwhile, children from eight to 14 can transit through a select number of US airports.

As a rule of thumb, UNMR services are most often available on long-haul flights with larger carriers, and less often on budget and short-haul carriers.

For example, Ryanair does not allow unaccompanied flyers under 16, saying: “We cannot provide an escort or special facilities.”

On easyJet, children up to 15 cannot board a flight unless they are accompanied by an adult, which they define as 16 years or older. “EasyJet does not provide an escort service or special requirements for unaccompanied children,” says the carrier.

If you’re booking through a third party site such as Flight Centre, check to see if they have a dedicated phone number for UM bookings.

What should parents know about booking travel for an unaccompanied child?

Different countries require different documentation when it comes to children entering or transiting through their airports alone; check with the relevant country’s authorities to make sure an unaccompanied minor has everything they need before travel.

BA advises: “The Iata Travel Centre can advise you what documentation is required for entry to each country. Just make sure you use the date of birth of your child to ensure the extra requirements are displayed.”

It’s important to be organised and book this service early ‒ there’s usually a cap on the number of unaccompanied children, typically six, allowed on any given flight.

In terms of cost, unaccompanied minors are usually sold as adult air fares, sometimes with a fee for the UNMR service.

The solo child is often seated close to a crew bulkhead or galley area, close to a toilet and with empty seats beside them if available.

In most cases, airlines will demand information on and contacts for the “sender” and “receiver” - the adults who will accompany the child to the departure airport and pick them up from the arrival one. In most cases, cabin crew will not be able to hand over a child to anyone other than an official pick-up contact shared with the airline beforehand - even if they can prove they are a family member.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.

New to The Independent?

Or if you would prefer:

Want an ad-free experience?

Hi {{indy.fullName}}

• My Independent Premium
• Account details
• Help centre

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Children travelling abroad alone: the safety checks that need to be in place

D uring the recent summer holidays, 11-year-old Liam Corcoran left his home in Wythenshawe , caught a bus to Manchester airport and boarded a Jet2 flight to Rome. The tabloids had a field day, but the incident highlights a serious concern for the travel industry: child safety and protection.

Liam was escorted home on the return flight. But with millions of families jetting off on foreign holidays every year, what can the travel industry do to ensure their young charges arrive back unharmed?

Getting there

The fact that an 11-year-old could board a plane without a ticket or accompanying adult raises very specific issues. Airport security was clearly grossly inadequate. UK Border Agency rules do not permit children to fly without correct documentation or boarding pass.

Likewise, standard airline procedure requires security staff to check a child's boarding pass and passport at check-in and at the gate, as well as the boarding pass stub once the child is on board. A passenger headcount before take-off is also habitual – a procedure that Jet2 had discontinued, but has since reinstated.

Over and above these routine checks, special provisions are in place for children (generally defined as under-16) who are travelling without adults. Responsibility for these unaccompanied minors falls to the airline or their handling agent, clarifies Sarah Brookes, head of public affairs at Manchester airport.

Policies on unaccompanied minors differ from airline to airline. In the case of Jet2, it – supposedly – operates a blanket ban on children flying without an accompanying adult. Higher-end carriers are more lenient. British Airways, for instance, will carry unaccompanied children under 12 as long as they are registered under its Skyflyer Solo service.

The UK carrier insists that the child is checked-in in person, not online or at an airport kiosk, and that the adult stays in the airport until the plane has left. Other provisions include photographs of the person responsible for meeting the child at the other end.

Ferry and train companies exhibit a similar range of policies . Many ferry companies refuse to take unaccompanied children full-stop. Others have an age limit. Eurostar, for instance, will not take unaccompanied children under 12, but "will consider" taking children aged between 13-17.

Breaches are possible, but extremely rare, transport operators say. In Jet2's case, the airline undertook a thorough investigation following the Corcoran affair. "Revised procedures have now been implemented," clarifies Gaby O'Grady, a spokesperson for the airline.

Once on holiday

Travelling alone is the exception. The vast majority of children heading abroad for their holidays do so in the company of their family. Ensuring these child holidaymakers come to no harm starts with basic health and safety in their hotel or resort, insists Angela Hills, destination services manager at the UK travel trade association Abta .

Abta produces a Health and Safety Technical Guide, which includes child-specific safety measures, such as signing children in and out of the hotel, and notification of parents' contact details. Since the guide was introduced in 2003, Abta has distributed it to all its 5,500 members, plus around 40,000 suppliers.

At a facilities level, child-related risks tend to be wrapped up in general health and safety management, according to Barbara Powell, senior director of corporate social responsibility at the hotel chain Marriott International.

Where specific child protection policies kick in is to cover child violence or trafficking. Since the Madeleine McCann case in Portugal in 2007, such issues have become a top-line priority for the tourism industry, notes Abta's Hills.

Marriott follows many other large hoteliers and tour operators in having tailored training for all its employees on child protection and human rights . The training provides guidance on how to spot suspicious activity, as well as protocols on how to report it, Powell explains.

"We don't put this in the hands of an associate [hotel employee] as it's too sensitive", she states. "Instead, they are told to report it to their supervisor and then it goes through a chain of command in the hotel."

It falls to the hotel's head of security or hotel manager to then investigate and intervene if necessary. Depending on the seriousness of the case, hotel security will either approach the guest directly or put in a call to the local police.

Marriott's position keeps with the zero tolerance approach set out in the Industry Position Statement on Human Trafficking – a collective agreement drawn up by members of the International Tourism Partnership , which represents 16 global hoteliers.

Leading tour operators take a similar approach. The global travel company TUI has gone further than most. Working with children's charity NSPCC , it has set up a train-the-trainer programme that sees all its 350 childcare staff receive instruction on child protection issues. This is in addition to the child safety content of the NVQ2 qualification required of all TUI's childcare staff.

In addition, NSPCC provides a 24-hour helpline service that TUI staff can call when suspicious incidents arise. The charity's expert staff can advise them on what action to take locally, as well as dealing with social services and other agencies in the child's place of residency.

"While kids are away, we need to make sure that doesn't become a vulnerable time", clarifies Ian Chapman, director of holiday experience at the TUI brands Thomson and First Choice . "The NVQ and in-house training, plus the NSPCC partnership, means that we've been able to deal directly with the handful of cases that we've had or pass them on to the appropriate authorities."

The tourism sector cannot make the scourge of child trafficking disappear for good. That said, it is making "positive" steps to combat it when incidents occur, insists Fran Hughes, spokesperson for the International Tourism Partnership.

"We've gone from a position where child trafficking wasn't on the radar for some companies", she notes, "to one where they are developing their own policies and training."

Oliver Balch is author of India Rising: Tales from a Changing Nation , published by Faber

This content is brought to you by Guardian Professional . Become a GSB member to get more stories like this direct to your inbox

• Guardian sustainable business
• Children's rights and business

Comments (…)

Most viewed.

• Help centre
• Flying with children
• Young persons travelling alone

Young Persons Travelling Alone

We know that sometimes a young person (14-16 years) will need to travel with Virgin Atlantic alone. It’s really important that both the customer and their parent / guardian understand our policies and what’s required of them. Health, safety and security always comes first.

On this page:

Our policy and mandatory requirements

The minimum age of a person permitted to travel alone on Virgin Atlantic is 14 years of age at the time of travel. We have recently updated our policies meaning we no longer accept children aged 13 or under travelling alone, or unaccompanied minors.*

If a young person is accompanied by someone who is aged 16 or over (on the same or a linked booking), Virgin Atlantic will allow them to travel.

All young persons aged under 16 and travelling alone must have their parent or guardian complete a consent form before travel, regardless of when the booking was made. The consent form is available here . A copy of the parent/guardian’s current passport (or other form of photographic identification showing a signature) must also be attached to this form and brought to the airport.

If you would like to make a booking for a person under the age of 16 who is travelling on their own, please contact Virgin Atlantic directly to make the booking. Our partner airlines may have different regulations, age limits and charges.

When travelling with children on the same flight but in a different cabin, the following criteria must be followed:

Children aged between 14 and the day before their 16 th birthday can travel in a different cabin on the same flight as an adult aged 16+.

Children aged under 14 must travel with an adult aged 16+ in the same cabin.

*if a booking for a 12 - 13 year old travelling alone was made and ticketed on or before 24 November 2022, for future travel, we will honour this and support their travel plans. They must also have a completed consent form in order to travel. On and after 25 November 2022, we will not allow bookings for 12 - 13 year olds travelling alone.  

What to expect during the journey

A young person (14-16) travelling on their own will have the same responsibilities as an adult. This means they will need to be confident and competent in making their way through departure and arrival airports and boarding their flight(s) without a chaperone . While we maintain a duty of care for them when they fly with us, Virgin Atlantic cannot accept parental responsibility for the young person’s journey through the airport and onward destination.

The parent or guardian accompanying the young flyer to the airport is required to wait until their flight departs before leaving the terminal.

It’s very important that the young person does not leave the airport for any reason until they have reached their destination and met the designated adult collecting them, unless they’re accompanied by a Virgin Atlantic employee or uniformed police officer.

Young persons travelling along cannot check in online. They must come to the airport with a parent or legal guardian, where our airport team will check them in.

Young persons travelling alone will be met on arrival at the aircraft door by a Virgin Atlantic representative and escorted through Customs & Immigration at the following airports: • Barbados • Cape Town • New York JFK • Johannesburg • Montego Bay • Orlando • St Vincent • St Lucia

What a young person travelling alone should bring

The parent / guardian should ensure that the young person carries with them at all times:

Any necessary travel documentation such as valid passport(s), visas and proof of return travel (as required).

A signed Virgin Atlantic consent form and copy of parent/guardian’s passport or other form of photographic identification showing a signature attached to the form.

Any required medication and/or health certificates (including COVID-19 documentation if the destination requires this).

The ability to communicate with their parent/guardian and/or the person collecting them at the destination (please ensure all phones/mobile devices are fully charged, with sufficient credit and roaming is activated).

The means of payment should it be necessary for any expenses en route – ideally a credit card.  

We will not be able to accept the young person if:

They aren't checked in by a parent or legal guardian

They won't be collected directly by a parent or guardian upon arrival

They will be connecting from or onto another flight. The journey must be ‘point to point’ without a transfer

They do not have a signed Virgin Atlantic consent form and copy of parent/guardian’s passport or other form of photographic identification showing a signature attached to the form.

There is required medication and/or health certificates which don’t have pre-clearance from our Special Assistance team.

They do not have the correct documents for travel.

Young people travelling alone with medical conditions or allergies

All young persons travelling alone with medical conditions or allergies, must declare these to our Special Assistance team at least 72 hours before travel – simply complete a special assistance contact form . On some occasions, our Special Assistance team may ask for supplementary documentation to confirm fitness to fly or confirmation from a parent/guardian that the child is able to manage their condition independently.

The young person must be able to recognise their own symptoms and administer any required medication/treatment. If they are unable to recognise their own symptoms or administer medication, they must travel with a safety assistant and cannot travel unaccompanied.

If the young person travelling alone is unable to manage their condition independently, we may refuse travel without a safety assistant accompanying them, which the parent/guardian would then need to arrange themselves. 

Delays, Cancellations or Diversion

From time to time there may be disruption to our published schedule. If we have any indication that the young person’s flight may not operate as planned, we will advise the parent / guardian and suggest that you book travel for another day.

If a delay occurs en route, once the young person’s journey has started, Virgin Atlantic will contact the person at the destination who is designated to pick up the young person and/or the person listed as the emergency contact. We will continue to attempt contact until contact is made.

Under very rare circumstances, an unscheduled overnight stop may be required (e.g. if severe weather results in a diversion to another airport). In these situations, we will provide overnight accommodation and meals for the young person, please note that the Young Person will be required to stay in a hotel room unaccompanied and may need to travel to the hotel unaccompanied.

You will be contacted with pertinent information if this unusual circumstance occurs.

Young Persons travelling into Barbados

Young people (under 18 years old) entering Barbados alone or with an adult other than their parent or legal guardian must have a written consent letter from a parent or legal guardian (the legal guardian must attach official proof of guardianship), signed and sealed by a notary public.

The letter must indicate the duration of stay, identify the accompanying adult (with address and phone number) and/or authorised adult who will receive the child on arrival (with their address and phone number).

Young Persons & Children travelling into, out of, or via South Africa

Since 1 June 2016, the South African immigration department have changed the requirements for children under 18 years of age travelling into, out of, or transiting through South Africa, with or without a parent or guardian. Please make sure you have all the correct paperwork:

South African requirements for children travelling alone

 Avios

Hello 

Avios balance: 

Choose from your different Plans

Register with Iberia Plus and start enjoying all the advantages.  

 Points

Hello  On Business Customer

Level: 

Points: 

• Card management
• Invoice management
• Book flights with On Business Points

Iberia Plus access

Start session to see the exclusive promotions and use your Avios.

Country selection

Access special offers and content for your country

• Before you travel
• Plan your trip

Minors travelling alone

They may travel without a companion if a number of conditions are met..

The person responsible for the minor must personally hand them over to the airline and remain at the airport until the plane takes off.  

Unaccompanied minor service: what it is and how it works

Is your child travelling alone? Don't worry, our Unaccompanied minor service guarantees their safety and well-being from the moment we pick up them up at the departure airport, throughout the journey and until they are met at the destination. We will be with your child at all times, either on their own or with a small group of other children.

We'll also look after them if they need to take a connecting Iberia Group flight in Madrid. If any unexpected situation arises, we'll be by their side and will keep you informed at all times. While your child is waiting for the connecting flight, we'll take them to our Unaccompanied minors lounge so that they can rest, play games, watch children's films and use the free wifi connection.

Check all the other details of the service here . If you want to book this service, please do so well in advance because places are limited.

Who can use this service?

Children aged 5 to 11.

The service is mandatory for this age group.

Young flyers aged 12 to 17.

The service is optional for this age group.

How to book this service:

Up to 48 hours before the departure of the flight,.

or for bookings made on Friday evening for flights on Monday morning: Call Serviberia or our office at the airport.

Departure date at the airport.

We advise you to bring the minor to the airport around two and a half hours before departure, with all the required documentation.

Buy the ticket for the minor

You can only buy tickets for minors under the age of 12 through Serviberia, the ticket office at the airport or a travel agency.

Service provision and cost

If you book the service at the same time as your flight, you will be charged for it with the ticket. If you book it as an extra at a later date, we'll re-issue the ticket to reflect the new service and fare.

These are the rates for our unaccompanied minors service:

Cost of services for direct flights

Cost of services for connecting flights (via madrid).

Please bear in mind the fluctuation in exchange rates when you book the service. There may also be additional charges, taxes and levies depending on the legislation in each country.

VERY IMPORTANT: Release of Liability Form

This form is mandatory for children travelling alone, on both the outbound and return flights. You can fill it in and print it here: Release of Liability Form in which case you should arrive in good time because it is quite a lengthy process.

The details required are as follows:

IMPORTANT: The person responsible for the child at the departure airport and the person who collects them at the arrival airport must be the ones indicated on the form and they will be asked to show valid photo ID.

Name of the person responsible for the minor at the origin; address and contact telephone number (preferably mobile to be able receive our text messages).

Name of the person responsible for the minor at the destination; address and contact telephone number.

Documentation required for minors

All passengers over age 14 must carry a national ID card or passport.

On domestic flights, minors under the age of 14 are not obliged to carry one of these forms of identification but it will be easier for them to prove their identity if they do carry an ID card or passport.

There is no standard procedure for international flights (European and third countries) but all minors, accompanied or not and regardless of age, will need to carry their national ID card or passport (plus a consent form authorised at a police station if they are travelling alone) and meet the requirements of the country of destination

For further information, please check Documentation required for minors.

The journey: arrival at the airport

On the day of the flight, report to any check-in desk at the airport with your child approximately two and a half hours before the departure of the flight, where we'll verify all the documents and do the check-in. Mobile and online check-in are not available for children travelling alone.

Once we've completed check-in, we'll tell you where to go and at what time, and we'll give the child a neck pouch for all the documentation (ticket, passport, release of liability form, etc.), which they should keep visible at all times until they reach the destination.

When you reach the place indicated, we'll accompany the child to the plane and hand them over to the crew.

Accompaniment to the boarding gate

At some national airports, you can go with your child to the boarding gate. Ask at the Iberia check-in desk at the airport whether this service is available.

As a companion, you will need to carry your valid passport or national ID card. For certain international flights, you will also need the relevant authorisations and exit and entry visas for the country.

Departures from Madrid Airport

We recommend that you arrive at Madrid Airport two and a half hours before the departure of the flight. To check in, go to the Customer Service point next to check-in desk 850 and our agents will assist you.

The recommended times are as follows:

60 minutes for flights departing from T4 (national and Schengen destinations. Zones H, J, K and M).

90 minutes for flights departing from T4S (Non-Schengen and intercontinental destinations. Zone S, connected by train to the main building).

150 minutes if you still have to fill in the Release of Liability Form.

Departures from London-Heathrow Airport

Please report to the Special Assistance area in Zone H (Terminal 5 > Departures) two hours before the departure of the flight, where they will ask you for the following documents: Release of Liability Form, duly completed and signed; a copy of the ticket; a receipt of payment for the service; and your national ID card or passport.

Departures from Geneva

Minors travelling alone from Geneva must be accompanied to the boarding gate by the person in charge of them, so you will need to ask for a companion boarding pass at the check-in desk. You will also be required to wait until the plane has taken off.

For all other airports in the network, we recommend that you arrive 60 to 150 minutes before the departure of the flight, depending on the destination. Add another 30 minutes if you have not filled in the Release of Liability Form.

As the child's companion, you must remain at the airport and be available for contact by phone until take-off.

The journey: on board

The child will board the plane first and will be seated conveniently near the auxiliary crew, who will give them their attention throughout the flight.

On long-haul flights they can enjoy our entretenimiento a bordo system, which includes films, cartoons and audio programmes suitable for children. In any case, the crew will activate parental control.

If your child is under the age of 12, we'll serve them our children's menu on intercontinental flights. If your child is under the age of 12, we'll serve them our children's menu on intercontinental flights. Don't forget to request it when you make your booking or up to 24 hours before the date of travel.

We recommend that you tell your child not to change seats during the flight and to remain seated on arrival until a member of the crew collects them.

The journey: arrival at the destination

On arrival, the minor will disembark last. A member of our assistance staff will accompany them and hand them over to the person authorised to collect them, who will be required to show valid photo ID. Once their details have been checked, they will have to sign the consent form accepting custody of the child.

If the child has checked baggage into the hold, we'll collect it from the arrivals belt.

If the child is taking a connecting flight in Madrid, our staff will collect them and take them to our Unaccompanied minors lounge, where they will remain in our care until it is time to board their next flight.

If the flight is delayed or cancelled, we will immediately contact the people indicated on the Release of Liability Form. During this time, the child will receive constant assistance and supervision.

Children aged 5 to 11

You must book the service if your child is travelling alone or if they are travelling in a different cabin from you. A child is considered to be travelling alone if they are not accompanied by someone who is aged 16 or over.

The service is offered on flights operated by Iberia, Iberia Express and Iberia Regional Air Nostrum. All children under the age of 14 travelling on British Airways flights and under the age of 12 on flights operated by Iberia LEVEL must be accompanied by someone who is aged 16 or over. On American Airlines flights minors under the age of 15 must be accompanied by someone who is aged 18 or over.

Other airlines may have different rules, age limits and rates, so you should check with them when you make your booking.

Young flyers aged 12 to 17

Although we don't consider this age group to be minors (and the service offered is therefore optional, not mandatory), if your son or daughter is travelling alone we can accompany them from the departure to the arrival of their flight, including during transit if any connecting flights are involved. For departures from Italy, the service is mandatory for minors under the age of 14. You can find all the information you need in Documentation and special cases.

The service is offered on flights operated by Iberia, Iberia Express and Iberia Regional Air Nostrum. Iberia does not accept bookings or tickets issued for unaccompanied minors who request this service if their journey involves other airlines, including codeshare flights.

All children under the age of 14 travelling on British Airways flights and under the age of 12 on flights operated by Iberia LEVEL must be accompanied by someone who is aged 16 or over. On American Airlines flights minors under the age of 15 must be accompanied by someone who is aged 18 or over.

The fare applied to the ticket is the same as the one for an adult.

Air Shuttle Service

To access the unaccompanied minors service from the website, the minor must be travelling on a flight to/from Madrid/Barcelona. If your child is travelling alone on the Air Shuttle Service, you will need to arrange it directly at our offices at the airport on the date of travel. We recommend that you fill in the Descargo de Responsabilidad Obligatorio in advance to speed up the process.

Adults and minors travelling in different cabins

A child aged 5 to 11 is considered to be travelling alone if they are seated in a different cabin from you and are not accompanied by a person aged 16 or over. In this case, you will need to book the unaccompanied minors service and fill in the Release of Liability Form.

Flights within the USA

Within US territory, children under the age of 14 are treated as minors and you must book the unaccompanied minors service.

Minors returning from schools outside Spain

If your son or daughter is studying abroad, we advise you to fill in the Descargo de Responsabilidad Obligatorio and send it to them directly, or through the school, so that the school simply has to sign and stamp it. If the minor arrives at the airport (especially on our flights departing from London or Boston) without this form, duly completed and signed, Iberia reserves the right to deny boarding.

Flights to or from Mexico

All minors who travel alone or accompanied by a third person who is not one of their parents or legal guardian must present a document signed by both parents or by the person who has parental custody or guardianship before a notary or pertinent authority which attests that the minor is permitted to leave the national territory.

When it is a document granted abroad, it should be authorised or apostilled, depending on the case, with a translation (if in a language other than Spanish).

In the specific case of Spain, the police have an authorisation document especially for these cases.

Unaccompanied minors departing from Italy

The Italian authorities require all minors under age 14 to be accompanied at all times by a person aged 18 or over. Italian unaccompaned minors under age 14 (UMNR) must also carry a passport and a sworn statement signed by their parents or legal guardians. This document must be authenticated by the police (Questura) and must include the name of the airline with which the minor is travelling.

FAQs regarding children travelling alone

Please check our FAQs about minors, which probably covers all your questions.

And remember

• There is a special regulation for minors.
• Cots for babies on inter-continental flights.
• Adapted fares.
• If you are flying with two minors, don't forget to bring and authorised car seat..
• Find out about the documentation required to travel with minors.

See how it applies to flights operated by

You might also be interested in

Recommendations.

The groundwork for good planning for a child's trip, from check-in through to arrival at the destination.

More information

Travel documentation for minors

All the requirements you need to meet when travelling with children and infants, considering their age, size and how many children are involved.

Children and infants

All the regulations and rules for travelling with infants under 8 months and children up to the time they turn 11.

Get ready for your new family flight experience.