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GUIDE: British Airways Unaccompanied Minor Policy

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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.

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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 .

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British Airways Unaccompanied Minors Policy

The minimum age of a person permitted to travel alone on British Airways is 14 years of age. If the young flyer is accompanied by someone who is aged 16 or over (on the same or a linked booking), British Airways will still allow them to travel.

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 online from British Airways website. A copy of the parent/guardian’s current passport (or other form of photographic identification showing a signature) must be attached to this form. If you would like to make a booking for a person under the age of 16 who is travelling on their own, this cannot be made on ba.com. Please contact British Airways to make the booking. The British Airways partner airlines may have different regulations, age limits and charges so please check these with them directly. If a young flyer is travelling on their own, please be aware that they will be booked to travel as an adult, and therefore will be making their way through departure and arrival airports and boarding their flight(s) without a chaperone. British Airways cannot accept parental responsibility for the young person. British Airways recommend that the parent or guardian accompanying the young flyer to the airport waits until their flight departs before leaving the terminal. If you are allowing your child to fly alone as an unaccompanied minor, be sure to take every necessary precaution to ensure his or her safety. For further information on Unaccompanied Minors Policy, please contact British Airways contact centre at 0344 493 0787 from within the UK, or +44 (0)203 250 0145 from abroad. The UK contact centre opening hours are 08:00 - 20:00 Monday to Friday, and 09:00 - 1700 Saturday and Sunday GMT.

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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.

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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.

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Practical Traveler

When Teenagers Fly Alone

By Jennifer Conlin

• Aug. 24, 2011

IT was with a sense of relief that I set out to book my two teenage children’s airfares to camp last month. With Florence now 15, I knew I would no longer have to pay the $200 round-trip fee required by airlines like Delta and US Airways for children younger than 15 traveling without an adult. I also assumed that because Florence would be flying with Charles, her 14-year-old brother, from Detroit to Boston, he, too, would be exempt from the fee since she would be accompanying him.

But to my dismay, I learned that Delta, which offered one of the cheapest fares, would still require me to pay the $200 in fees for Charles to travel as an unaccompanied minor because his sister was not yet 18.

Frantic, I began searching other airlines, happy to discover that American Airlines allows children 12 and older to travel without an adult, but disappointed that the airfare was much higher than the others. Thankfully, further research revealed that they could fly on Spirit Airlines, which allows a child to fly with someone who is at least 15. I quickly booked two round-trip tickets.

For years I had happily paid the fees that most airlines charge for children to fly as unaccompanied minors. After all, when my children were preteenagers and too young to handle last-minute flight cancellations or heavy turbulence on their own, the programs offered considerable peace of mind. But now, with my youngest a responsible teenager and as comfortable on planes as in cars, paying up to $100 each way for a baby sitter on a less than two-hour flight didn’t just feel unnecessary, but also financially outrageous.

United States airlines generally require children between the ages of 5 and their early teenage years to fly in unaccompanied minor programs. Airline employees not only escort the children on and off the plane, but also care for them between connecting flights (that is, if the airline allows them to take connecting flights). Airline personnel also ensure that the child is safely delivered to the appropriate person on arriving. The fee for this service ranges from $50 each way on Southwest Airlines to $100 on most other airlines.

After age 11, however, airline policies differ widely. United, Continental and American allow children to travel alone from the age of 12, while JetBlue lets them travel solo from 14. Delta, Spirit and US Airways, however, all require children under 15 to travel in the unaccompanied minor programs. For parents of well-traveled, confident teenagers, this rankles. “I think by the age of 14 many children have traveled pretty extensively with their parents and probably don’t need to be baby sat when they fly,” said Charlotte Wathey, who, rather than pay Delta’s unaccompanied minor fee when her 14-year-old son, William, flew from London to Michigan in July, booked him on a British Airways flight to Toronto, a few hours’ drive away. British Airways does not require children over 12 to fly in its Skyflyer Solo program.

The fees may be the most pressing concern for parents, but for the teenagers, the issue is independence. While many children are not ready to travel alone at 13 or 14, others are eager to show their self-sufficiency.

I wasn’t the only one to breathe a sigh of relief when I booked the Spirit flight to Boston. Charles found the prospect of being treated like a child — escorted on and off the plane by airline personnel and checked on during the flight — demoralizing. He grew up taking long-haul flights from Europe and the Middle East. “It’s not like I can’t buckle my seat belt or find my gate,” he said.

Donna Hardiman, whose two daughters frequently traveled between New York and London, recalls her children’s complaints about the minors programs. “My girls were 11 and 14 and felt like they were treated like infants,” she said. “If they left the flight attendant’s side, they were screamed at like toddlers,” said Mrs. Hardiman, who thinks parents should be given a choice of whether to enroll children in this age group in such programs, depending on their level of travel experience and confidence.

Some airlines, in fact, seem to understand the dynamics of this changing family market. “Today, many kids are so well traveled; we felt it was important to give parents control over what they think is best for their young teens,” said Stacey Frantz, director of corporate communications for American Airlines, which a year ago lowered its age limit. “We trust parents to make the best decision for their teens, ages 12 and up, when it comes to traveling alone, and we believe parents value this control.”

But Susan Elliott, a spokeswoman for Delta, which is among those airlines with a higher upper age limit (children cannot fly alone until age 15), says she believes the airline’s age parameters are appropriate. “There are many travel scenarios that can crop up that are complicated for adults, let alone young teens, so we feel it is best to require even this older age group to be in the program,” she said.

Ms. Elliott did note, however, that the airline occasionally had difficulties handling teenagers. “I think they are embarrassed to be in the program, and so they tend to tear off their identifying wristbands and try to race off the plane rather than wait to be escorted,” she said.

But it is not only teenagers who try to skirt the program. Some parents don’t check in their children as unaccompanied minors at the airport even though they have had to reserve an unaccompanied minor ticket. It is during the check-in process that parents must usually pay the service fee, provide documentation about the pickup person, and obtain a gate pass (parents are supposed to stay with the child until he boards and then remain until the flight has taken off).

“We find these kids daily in transit, and not just young teens,” Ms. Elliott said. “Usually, we discover them when they approach airline personnel confused about something or with a question,” she said, adding that these young people have obtained their own boarding pass at the kiosk, gone through security alone and found their gate, allowing them to bypass the official check-in process if their parents have dropped them at the curb. “Once we find them, we quickly transition them into the program, but it is alarming that their parents have not understood that they have to check them in with us,” she said.

Perhaps the best solution is to explain to teenagers who are required to be in the unaccompanied program that rules are rules and that part of being a responsible adult is complying with the regulations.

But if you have a teenager who feels that having an airline employee walk him to his seat is akin to a perp walk, try to find a more lenient airline as I did, and you might even save some money.

“If parents have to pay extra for their young teen to fly on one airline versus another, they will choose the cheaper flight,” said Tina Wells, author of “Chasing Youth Culture and Getting It Right.”

“And while it is fine to ask the kids to follow an airline’s rules,” she added, “teens will still invent their own. If they wanted to, they could probably reinvent the unaccompanied minor policy through a Twitter campaign.”

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Children travelling alone

• The minimum age of a person permitted to travel alone on British Airways is 14 years of age  (except on flights operated by SUN-AIR of Scandinavia) .
• 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.
• 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 other form of photographic identification showing a signature) must be attached to this form.
• If you would like to make a booking for a person under the age of 16 who is travelling on their own, this cannot be made on ba.com. Please  contact British Airways  to make the booking. Our partner airlines may have different regulations, age limits and charges so please check these with them directly.

* Except flights operated by SUN-AIR, where children over 5 years of age will be able to travel alone.

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 British Airways 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.
• 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. Please note that on short-haul flights British Airways offers a drink service and refreshments from Marks & Spencer which are payable only by debit or credit card or Avios.

If a young flyer is travelling on their own, please be aware that they will be booked to travel as an adult, and therefore will be making their way through departure and arrival airports and boarding their flight(s) without a chaperone. British Airways cannot accept parental responsibility for the young person. We recommend that the parent or guardian accompanying the young flyer to the airport waits until their flight departs before leaving the terminal.

Children travelling alone on SUN-AIR operated flights

SUN-AIR allows young children between the ages of 5 - 11 years to travel without a parent or legal guardian provided you contact the airline in advance. Children over the age of 12 can travel unaccompanied on SUN-AIR operated flights, although young flyers between 12 - 16 years can use the SUN-AIR Unaccompanied Minor service if requested.

There is a service fee for the SUN-AIR Unaccompanied Minor service. This cannot be booked online and must be booked and paid for in advance.

Please contact  SUN-AIR  for more information.

SUN-AIR routes

Different legal requirements by country

Some countries' immigration departments require additional documentation for all children travelling into, out of or transiting through their country. In addition, some countries have specific requirements for unaccompanied children, children travelling with another person other than their parent or guardian and those accompanied by only one parent/guardian.

The extra documentation that you may require varies depending on the country, so please check with the relevant country authorities to make sure you have everything you need before you travel.

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.

Check the IATA Travel centre for documentation required when travelling with children

You may find the following links useful for travel within Europe:

Requirements for children travelling within Europe can be found on website

Further information about taking your child out of the UK

• 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

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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

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• British Airways

British Airways Makes It Even Harder For Minors To Travel Alone

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Back in February 2016 British Airways announced that it was scrapping the “Skyflyer Solo” program which was the airline’s name for its unaccompanied minor service. At the time the airline blamed a decline in demand for the closure of the service (which was nonsense) but confirmed that it would continue to take bookings for 12 – 18 year-olds “ who wish to fly independently ”

Now, as we approach the 2 year anniversary of the scrapping of the Skyflyer Solo program, British Airways has announced that it’s about to make another parent-unfriendly change.

Here’s the latest announcement from BA:

As part of British Airways’ commitment to child safeguarding, from 1 May 2018, the minimum age of a person permitted to travel alone on British Airways will increase from 12 to 14 years of age . This applies to all new bookings made from this date. We will continue to permit children under the age of 14 to travel accompanied (with someone aged 16 or older on the same or a linked booking) and bookings made prior to this date will be unaffected.

I’m not sure how increasing the age limit for solo travel has anything to do with a “ commitment to child safeguarding ” so I’m just going to put this excuse down to yet more nonsense coming out of Waterside.

Not satisfied with increasing the age at which minors can travel alone, the airline is also introducing more paperwork:

[All] customers under 16 and travelling alone from 1 May 2018 (including for bookings made prior to this date) should have a completed parental/guardian consent form prior to travel. The form will be available on ba.com from early April 2018.  Parents/guardians will need to download, print and complete the form prior to travel . The young flyer must ensure they bring the form with them and carry it at all times during their trip. British Airways requires this consent form in order to provide the young flyer with the help and care they may need during unexpected disruption.

I can’t see this second requirement being particularly onerous but, as it applies to all bookings for those under 16 (including those made before this announcement), I hope British Airways does a good job of updating parents whose children already have reservations.

There are two things that annoy me here:

• This is yet another unfriendly move by BA and I can’t see the reasoning. Then again I couldn’t see the reasoning behind the closure of the Skyflyer Solo program either so I’m clearly not very good at working out how the airline hierarchy thinks.
• Using the airline’s “ commitment to child safeguarding ” as an excuse for the latest rule-change is pathetic – if the airline really cared about child safeguarding it wouldn’t have closed down the Skyflyer Solo program in the first place!

Bottom Line

Expats sending their children back to the UK are going to be the people hit hardest here and who will have to look to make alternative arrangements going forward.

I can’t see how this can be a sensible business decision for BA as, if I was a parent who found himself inconvenienced by this (and the closure of the Skyflyer Solo program), I’d go out of my way to make sure that my family and I avoided flying with BA whenever possible – this doesn’t make for good PR.

Still, no doubt the bean counters over at BA towers think they know what they’re doing and, as they have shown little sign of caring what flyers think so far, I guess we shouldn’t expect any more of them now.

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• 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

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Young people travelling alone

The minimum age limit for solo flyers is  14 years* , at the time of travel.

The health, safety and security of our customers always comes first, and this policy guarantees that customers and their parents or legal guardians have clear expectations about their journey, ensuring a smooth experience at all stages.  

We ask that a consent form is completed for each young person travelling alone age 14 – 16 years. 

All information, including the consent form, and what to do if the customer has medical conditions can be found  here .

Please note that we will not accept young people travelling alone unless all requirements are met. Failure to have the relevant documents will result in denied boarding.

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 the booking and enable their travel, but please check updates that are required to the booking and a consent form now required  here .

*The unaccompanied minors service, for children 0 – 11 years of age, was suspended in 2020.

Updating bookings

The YPTA SSR and the customers Secure Flight Data (including their date of birth) must be added at PNR creation

Download and print the  consent form , which must be completed by the parent/guardian and taken to the airport on the day of travel

The following OSI information must be added at PNR creation or no later than 14 days prior to departure, which must match the signed consent form

WBBB VSFLT/DDMMM LHR LASTNAME/FIRSTNAME 

WBBB VSFLT/DDMMM H/M/W +44 12345 67890

WBMB VSFLT/DDMMM JFK LASTNAME/FIRSTNAME

WBMB VSFLT/DDMMM H/M/W +1 222 222 222

Repeat the entry for the return sector 

Failure to add the above information may result in customers being denied boarding.

Separate bookings for adults and children

We know that sometimes there are scenarios that require separate bookings to be made for adults and children. To ensure these aren’t mistaken as young people traveling alone or unaccompanied minors, please add the below OSI to both PNRs.

TCP W/ followed by VS booking ref

e.g. TCP W/ABCDEF for multiple PNRs TCP W/ABCDEF/GHIJKExisting PNRs created on or before 24 November 2022

Please ensure that any existing bookings have had the below updated: 

Update all existing PNRs with the YPTA SSR and the customers Secure Flight Data, including their date of birth

Update all existing PNRs with the following OSI information, which must match the signed consent form

Customers unable to travel due to our change in policy

If a young person travelling alone is no longer able to travel due to our new policy, please process a refund in the normal way and ensure the SI field is updated with:

UNMIN booking error

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Children travelling alone

• The minimum age of a person permitted to travel alone on British Airways is 14 years of age  (except on flights operated by SUN-AIR of Scandinavia) .
• 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.
• 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 other form of photographic identification showing a signature) must be attached to this form.
• If you would like to make a booking for a person under the age of 16 who is travelling on their own, this cannot be made on ba.com. Please  contact British Airways  to make the booking. Our partner airlines may have different regulations, age limits and charges so please check these with them directly.

* Except flights operated by SUN-AIR, where children over 5 years of age will be able to travel alone.

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 British Airways 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.
• 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. Please note that on short-haul flights British Airways offers a drink service and refreshments from Marks & Spencer which are payable only by debit or credit card or Avios.

If a young flyer is travelling on their own, please be aware that they will be booked to travel as an adult, and therefore will be making their way through departure and arrival airports and boarding their flight(s) without a chaperone. British Airways cannot accept parental responsibility for the young person. We recommend that the parent or guardian accompanying the young flyer to the airport waits until their flight departs before leaving the terminal.

Children travelling alone on SUN-AIR operated flights

SUN-AIR allows young children between the ages of 5 - 11 years to travel without a parent or legal guardian provided you contact the airline in advance. Children over the age of 12 can travel unaccompanied on SUN-AIR operated flights, although young flyers between 12 - 16 years can use the SUN-AIR Unaccompanied Minor service if requested.

There is a service fee for the SUN-AIR Unaccompanied Minor service. This cannot be booked online and must be booked and paid for in advance.

Please contact  SUN-AIR  for more information.

SUN-AIR routes

Different legal requirements by country

Some countries' immigration departments require additional documentation for all children travelling into, out of or transiting through their country. In addition, some countries have specific requirements for unaccompanied children, children travelling with another person other than their parent or guardian and those accompanied by only one parent/guardian.

The extra documentation that you may require varies depending on the country, so please check with the relevant country authorities to make sure you have everything you need before you travel.

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.

Check the IATA Travel centre for documentation required when travelling with children

You may find the following links useful for travel within Europe:

Requirements for children travelling within Europe can be found on website

Further information about taking your child out of the UK