When Kids Fly Alone
Your little one is in command! From check-in to landing, we are your young explorer's trusted co-pilot.
Who is an unaccompanied minor?
Children between the ages of 5 and 12 travelling alone, domestically or internationally with us, are considered as unaccompanied minors.
We adore our youngest travellers. However, to prioritise their safety and comfort, we do not extend our unaccompanied minor services to children under five years. We request they remain in the comfort of their guardians throughout the journey.
Booking your child's solo adventure
There are a few formalities that need to be completed before your little globetrotter sets off for the journey:
- You must print and fill out all required details and submit four copies of the 'Unaccompanied Minor Form' at the nearest Air India office. Please submit the form at least three days before the scheduled departure date.
- The check-in procedure must be completed at the airport counter to ensure all documents are verified and requirements are accommodated. Also, ensure that the check-in procedure is completed at least two hours before departure.
- Additionally, ensure your child has all the relevant forms and documents on them, including a valid photo ID.
Please note that a child travelling as an unaccompanied minor will be charged the full fare of an adult in both domestic and international sectors.
Think of the below as our commitment to your little one’s safety:
- You or a trusted guardian must escort them to and receive them at the airport.
- You (as a parent or a guardian) will need to present a valid photo ID when dropping off and picking up your child.
Assistance through the airport
Our crew member will become your child’s airport buddy. They will navigate together from the check-in gate, completing all the airport formalities, to the comfortable seat of the aircraft.
Trust us. Our staff members are not just aviation experts but also proficient at answering all those ‘Why’ and ‘How’ questions from your little one.
Care on the flight
- Our skilled cabin crew are your child’s concierge in the sky. From fastening seatbelts to stowing up hand baggage and aiding in lavatory visits, they have got it all under control.
- As for the in-flight experience, air travel can sometimes bring queasiness and a nip in the air. So, ensure you pack your kid's go-to essentials in their backpack.
- Are you concerned about your little one's meal preferences? We have a unique child meal option and are here to cater to any dietary requirements.
- Due to safety reasons, we do not allow unaccompanied minors to be seated in the emergency exit row.
After they land
On landing, a crew member will guide your little one through all the airport formalities, including immigration and customs, for international journeys.
Here, we reunite your child with you or the designated guardian, as mentioned in the 'Unaccompanied Minor' form.
Minor in different classes of travel
If your child travels in a different class but with you or a guardian on the same flight, they will receive the same care as an unaccompanied minor.
They will take their seat before the other passengers have boarded the flight. After landing, we will reunite you with your little one at the airport.
Is your child on a multi-city flight?
Multi-city flights can feel like a whirlwind. While our crew members are there to assist your child, we need your support with the following:
- Please complete and sign the necessary form copies at the check-in point for each departure airport before the journey.
- We request you or the designated guardian be at the airport well in advance, allowing us to complete all the necessary formalities in time.
- Unaccompanied minor services are provided for flights operated by Air India only.
Age policy for travel between India and Gulf countries
The age range for unaccompanied minors varies between United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other Gulf countries:
- In the UAE, children between 5 and 18 years old are considered unaccompanied minors.
- In other Gulf countries, children between 5 and 16 years are considered unaccompanied minors.
If your travel squad includes children aged 5 to 12 years and 12 to 18 years travelling together, the children aged 5 to 12 years will be considered unaccompanied minors. To ensure a smooth journey, we must know who will drop off and pick up the child.
Minors travelling to and from the UK
Minors travelling to the UK
For young travellers under 18 years jetting off without you or a designated guardian, the UK Border Force requires a consent form signed by both parents. For the latest information on the regulations, please click here.
Minors travelling from the UK
If you are travelling with a young traveller below 18, you must follow a few rules, complete some formalities, and sign a consent form before you travel abroad.
Before you travel
- You need to request permission from everyone responsible for the child.
- If you have yet to receive permission from everyone with parental responsibility for the child, you must seek court permission.
Please click 'here' to read more about the formalities and procedures.
When you travel
- Please fill out and bring the consent form with you.
- Carry a valid photo ID of both parents.
- You need to carry your child's birth certificate.
Alternatively, you can email the documents mentioned above to aitraffic.lhr@airindia.com.
Please ensure that this is done at least four hours before departure.