UNMR Policy

About UNMR

Sometimes it’s inevitable that your child has to fly without an adult. For instance, if the child’s parents are separated by long distances due to work or any other reason, or visit to see their relatives abroad. Allowing minors to board flights on their own is an option. This option might be available by the airlines. The first experience of flying solo could be nerve-wracking for a kid. So, to make the journey less nerve-wracking choose an understanding airline with friendly staff and know about their UNMR policies.

How old does a child have to be to fly alone?

The age of children who can travel without the company of an adult on flights varies per airline. Typically, an unaccompanied minor (UMNR) is any kid between the age of five and 11 who is flying without a parent, guardian, or close family member. For those kids an unaccompanied minor’s service will need to be reserved. Most airlines that offer a chaperone service don’t provide support services to children younger than five. Some airlines allow children above the age of 14 to fly alone. While some don’t allow any child under the age of 16 to fly unless with someone over 18. On Lufthansa and Norwegian Air flights, minors can travel without a grown-up from the age of 12. As the rules vary as per the airline that presents this service, if you have to choose a particular airline, it is advised that you check their rules and regulations.

How to book for an unaccompanied minor?

Check with our travel experts to see if the kid meets the UNMR age conditions. Numerous airlines limit the number of chaperoned children permitted on a flight. So, booking in advance should be a priority. With most airlines, you could choose an airline’s customer care service to book a flight directly or get it done through a travel agent, depending on the minor’s age. Make sure that the child’s passport details and the contact details of person dropping them off and meeting them when they land are clear and correct.

The service is for children of ages 5-15 traveling without a grown-up.
Children aged 16 and older are not required to travel as unaccompanied minors.
Kids under 5 years of age are not permitted to travel unless accompanied by a grown-up.
Let the airlines know at the time of booking what kind of seat and meal the kid prefers so that the required arrangements can be made.
For kids travelling alone, the airline provides separate check-in facilities on departure, along with dedicated staff to escort them to the aircraft.
Unaccompanied Young Passengers are always boarded before other onborders so that the cabin crew can make them sit comfortably.
On arrival, the airline employee will meet all unaccompanied minors at the aircraft door and aid them through formalities before handing them over to their guardian.
Unaccompanied Kids using UNMR service must fly just on a nonstop flight.

UNMR Service for various Airlines

United Airlines

If your kid will be traveling with UNMR service, it’s better to book their travel with the help of our travel expert.

When our company reserve your unaccompanied kid reservation, please get in touch with our team to ensure that essential info is entered into the system. Such details include the names of individuals bringing your kids to the airport and picking them up when they land. So, have names, addresses, and phone numbers handy to help expedite the call.

Children between 5-15 age

Minors may travel only on United flights that are direct(One flight stop without a plane change) or nonstop.
They may not travel on connecting flights but may travel on the day’s last nonstop flight.

Children aged 16 and above flying without unaccompanied minor service

It is strongly recommended that teens who are not using UNMR service be secured on flights early in the day.
If delays result in travel being completed the next day, the airline might not be able to offer overnight accommodations, since minors aged 17 or younger are not accepted in many hotels.

For more details, please visit United’s policy on minors.

Emirates

Let Emirates or our travel staff know at the time of booking what kind of meal and seat your child prefers and the party responsible will make it see-through. The airline might even prepare a cake if the kid is traveling on their birthday.
For kids traveling alone, Emirates provides individual check-in facilities on departure, with staff dedicated to accompanying them to the aircraft. Parents or guardians must present the kid for check-in at least two hours before departure.
Unaccompanied Minors are always boarded before other passengers so that the cabin crew can seat them properly.
Upon particular request, Emirates will take Polaroid photographs of your kid on board the aircraft, as time permits.
On arrival, an Emirates employee will meet all unaccompanied minors at the aircraft exit and help them through courtesies before handing them over to their entrusted guardian.
Kids under 5 years of age aren’t allowed to travel unless they are traveling with an adult who is at least 16 years of age.
Kids from 12-16 years of age(but not including their 16th birthday) are also entitled to UNMR service if especially requested by the parent or guardian.
Kids aged between 5 and 12 traveling without an adult are entitled to UNMR(Unaccompanied Minor Service).

American Airlines

Unaccompanied Children aged 5-7 must use AA’s UNMR service and fly just on a nonstop flight.
Unaccompanied Children aged 8-14 must use AA’s UNMR service and travel on a continuous flight or on an itinerary that involves a connection only through Charlotte, NC (CLT), Washington Reagan, D.C. (DCA), Dallas Forth Worth, TX (DFW), New York, NY (JFK and LGA), Los Angeles, CA (LAX), Miami, FL (MIA), Chicago, IL (ORD), Philadelphia, PA (PHL) and Phoenix, AZ (PHX) (NOTE: Connection is not permitted to the last flight of the day to the destination))
No ground or co-terminal links where the child must transfer from one local airport to another.
No travel on overnight linking flights
All minors must have a gate companion and must have parent/guardian contact details readily available.

Qatar

The service is compulsory for minors between the age of 5-12 traveling without an adult who is at least 16 years old.
Minors under 5 years of age must be escorted by a Qatar Airways escort.

Lufthansa

Minors aged between 5 and 11 may only fly unaccompanied if they are using Lufthansa’s particular service or if they are traveling with somebody who is at least 12 years old. However, kids aged from 12 up to a max of 17 years old, traveling alone, can also be looked after at the request of their parents.
Minors under 5 years of age are not permitted to travel unless attended by an adult who is at least 16 years old.
Tickets for unaccompanied minors cannot be booked online; they can only be booked through our travel agency or at the Lufthansa ticket desk at the airport.

British Airways

British Airways flight restrictions:

Kids above 5 years of age can travel alone only on a non-stop, single-sector, and direct flight.
Kids above 6 years of age can travel alone on any British Airways flight.
Complete all formalities before letting the kid board the flight.
Book Skyflyer Solo service ahead along with your child’s flight to prevent charges in case of cancellation and re-issue.
Book the Skyflyer Solo service at least 48 hours before the departure time of the flight.
Due to the prolonged process for gaining visa approval for the escort on routes of a few destinations, British Airways offers only a fixed number of bookings for unaccompanied minors on these flights.

British Airways cannot accept:

Kids traveling on journeys that include a transfer between London Heathrow and London Gatwick airports.
Kids on journeys that 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.

Delta Airline

Children between the age 5-7 years can fly on non-stop flights only.
Children of age 8-14 years can travel on non-stop flights as well as on connecting flights but the other flight should be of Delta, Delta Connection, KLM and Air France flight.
Children between 15-17 years are not required to have unaccompanied service but they can request for the same if needed.
Unaccompanied minors will not be onboarded on Red Eye flights (those departing between 9pm and 5am), except for such conditions –
A $150 fee is to be paid at check-in for one-way travel. Only one $150 is charged for up to four children traveling together.
You can easily get these services by our travel experts.

Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines has made this service mandatory for all children of age 5-14 years.
For inter-island flights, children ages 5-11 years doesn’t need unaccompanied services if they are traveling with an adult who is at least 16 years old.
For children above 15, this service is not required but can be provided by the airlines if needed and asked.
Children below 5 can only travel with adults.