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

Children over the age of five can travel alone on some airlines (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

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.