Can children travel on their own? If so, from what age is this option possible? Find out more about which air carriers provide the service of accompanying minor passengers

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Independent air travel for minors is called UM (Unaccompanied Minor). This special service from the airline means that the child will be accompanied by an airport employee or flight attendant from departure to arrival. 

Which airlines allow unaccompanied minors to fly?

We've collected all the most important information from airlines about the transportation of underage passengers. Find out which airlines allow unaccompanied minors to fly.

Wizz Air

The rules for the transportation of children by the low-cost carrier Wizz Air stipulate that children can travel independently from the age of 14. However, from the age of 16, an adult can accompany a child under the age of 14. It is important to keep in mind that tickets for an adult and a child must be issued as part of the same reservation.

If the tickets were booked separately, they can be linked by calling the Wizz Air call center at +38 089 320 25 33 in Ukraine. Employees will help you combine your reservations free of charge. It is recommended to check in for flights online to avoid additional check-in fees at the airport.

It is important to note that Wizz Air does not provide an accompaniment service for children under the age of 14 during travel. Therefore, children of this age will not be able to fly out of the country unaccompanied. 

Ryanair

Ryanair does not allow children under 16 years of age to travel unaccompanied by an adult or person over 16 years of age. A child and an adult must have tickets within the same reservation.

If passengers have booked tickets separately, they can be contacted via chat on the official Ryanair website. This service is free within a day from the moment the first reservation is created. If you need to link the reservation later, the low-cost airline will charge a fee of 30 euros.

An important condition is to link the reservation no later than 4 hours before departure. This cannot be done at the airport. Once the reservation has been linked, the adult passenger must check in online to avoid additional check-in fees at the airport. A child with a separate reservation can be checked in free of charge at the airport, provided that the reservation was linked to the adult's reservation in advance.

Earlier, we also reported that Chisinau Airport will change its access rules starting May 1 to improve security.

UIA

UIA allows children to fly independently from the age of 14 on domestic flights and from the age of 16 on international flights. For passengers aged 5 to 14 on domestic routes and under 16 on international routes, it is necessary to purchase an adult fare ticket and order an airline escort service, which costs from 35 to 150 euros for a one-way flight. 

Children under 5 years old cannot travel unaccompanied by an adult.

SkyUp / Bees Airline

Flight rules for children on SkyUp and Bees Airline are very similar. Children over the age of 14 can travel unaccompanied on domestic flights, and from the age of 16 - on international flights.

For passengers aged 5 to 14 on domestic flights and 5 to 16 on international flights traveling without an adult, it is necessary to arrange an airline escort service. The cost of this service is $60 for a one-way flight. 

Windrose

Windrose provides escorts for children under 14 years old on domestic flights and under 18 years old on international flights. The cost of a one-way escort is $50 plus a $6 fee. 

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Lufthansa Group

Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, and Brussels Airlines have common rules for the transportation of unaccompanied children. 

Children aged 5 to 12 years must be accompanied by an adult or use the airline's escort service for a one-way fee of 85 euros. Children aged 12 and older can fly under the same rules as adult passengers without the need for an escort. 

In our previous article, we reported that one of the EU airports has made traveling easier by lifting restrictions on the transportation of liquids on the plane.

Air France

On international flights, Air France provides an escort service for children aged 5 to 15. This service is already included in the ticket price. Passengers who are 15 years old can travel independently without being accompanied.

KLM

On international flights, KLM provides compulsory escorts for passengers aged 5 to 15 years. This service is available at an additional cost, which ranges from 100 to 300 euros per flight. 

Passengers who are 15 years old and older have the right to fly independently without an airline escort.

El Al

Children aged 5 to 16 can travel alone on El Al flights if they purchase an escort service, which costs $100 per flight. 

For passengers over 16, this service is not required and they are allowed to fly unaccompanied. Children under the age of 5 can only fly if accompanied by a parent or a passenger who is at least 16 years old. 

Pegasus Airlines

Children from 2 to 12 years old traveling without an adult must purchase a ticket through the airline's call center. Starting from the age of 12, children can fly on Pegasus Airlines flights on their own without the need for an escort. 

Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines allows children aged 12 and older to fly unaccompanied. Children aged 7 to 12 can use the airline's free escort service. 

It is also possible to arrange an escort service for children aged 12 years and older by submitting a request to the airline. 

What documents are required for a child to travel alone?

If a child is to fly abroad on his/her own, permission from both parents or a guardian is required. If the child is accompanied by an airline, permission to take the child out of the country must be provided to the company's representatives. Sometimes, when traveling with airline representatives from the UM (Unaccompanied Minor) program, you may need to issue an adult ticket.

It is worth checking the exact conditions of a particular route before booking tickets with the chosen carrier. Each airline may have its own requirements and policies regarding the transportation of unaccompanied minors, so it is important to get all the necessary information in advance.

Remember that one of the prerequisites for staying abroad is to have health insurance. Thanks to insurance, you will be able to receive high-quality medical care without having to pay for it.

You can buy insurance online in a few clicks here. A ready-made insurance policy will be sent to your email in a few minutes.

We remind you! In May, a new wave of strikes in rail and air transportation will cover Europe. Flight delays and cancellations are expected. Find out more about which countries and on what dates transportation disruptions are possible.

Want to know more? Read the latest news and useful materials about Ukraine and the world in the News section.

Ihor Usyk is the Head of Legal Department at Visit Ukraine

On the Visit Ukraine portal, you can get legal advice on migration law. Our lawyers will answer all your questions and, if necessary, help you collect, submit and receive the documents you need. You can order a specialist consultation or full legal support by following this link.