This guidance explains how travel for minor children works when they travel in the care of the airline. We do not work with IOM so it is the airline that provides assistance for young children on the journey.
To note:
Each airline has their own process to follow, this may mean that booking flights for children can take a little longer. Please do not make any arrangements until everything is confirmed by your casework.
The requirements for children can vary depending on the departure country and nationality of the passengers.
Before we book a flight
We will need to confirm that we can get permission from both parents. This is due to the requirements of immigration authorities. We understand that it is not always possible to do this so please tell us if not and we will do what we can with the documentation you have.
We will need some additional information from you on the languages spoken by the children, who will be taking them to the airport and who will be meeting them on arrival.
We check that it will be possible for us to book for your children. In some cases, with young children or certain airlines we can’t book for unaccompanied children.
Your booking
No booking is complete before we have confirmed the unaccompanied minor assistance. If you are not sure please ask your caseworker. The usual process is that we book a ticket and then the assistance afterwards so you may receive a booking confirmation before the assistance is confirmed.
There will be more documentation related to the assistance. This will usually include; booking confirmation, e-tickets, letters from parents with consent to travel and handling forms for the airline.
Your booking may also take longer to make due to these additional requirements and processes.
Your child’s journey
We don’t provide the escort for the journey. We book assistance from the airline staff.
Your child and their guardian will need to go to the check in desk for their flight, with everyone else who is travelling. At this point the guardian will tell the staff they are travelling as unaccompanied children and the staff will advise on what they should do. They will want to see copies of the paperwork.
After your child is checked in they will likely wait for someone to come and take them through immigration to the plane. This person will leave them on the plane with the flight staff.
On the flight the staff will be aware they are travelling alone and will look after them. They can ask if they need anything, food, drink or blankets.
If they have a transit stop a member of the airport staff will meet them from the plane. Depending on how long they are waiting they may be taken to a lounge to wait or straight to the next gate. Someone will then take them to the next plane and hand them over to the flight staff.
At the arrival airport a member of airport staff will meet them from the plane and bring them through immigration, to collect their baggage and through to meet you at arrivals. You will need to sign some paperwork to hand them over to you.
The airline takes their responsibility to children very seriously and we have supported many families to travel this way. However, if you have questions or want to speak to another parent who’s children have travelled previously please ask your caseworker. We want you to be happy with all the arrangements.
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