How the unaccompanied minor service is requested, what it includes, and how to request special assistance for adult passengers.
A child travelling alone, or an adult passenger with a special need, requires something more than an ordinary booking made at the last minute. Here is what to watch for so the trip goes smoothly without surprises.
When a child travels alone
The airline, not the agency, sets the age bands and the conditions under which a child may travel without an accompanying adult. The agency cannot replace or work around those conditions — it operates strictly within whatever the airline has set, and every airline has its own policy on this.
How it is requested
The unaccompanied minor service is requested at the time of booking, or well ahead of the travel date, never at the gate at the last moment. Confirmation comes from the airline or its ground handling, not simply from the booking existing in the system — one does not automatically imply the other.
What the service includes
At its core, the service means a handover of the child from one authorised person to another at the far end of the journey, named contacts at both ends, and the child’s documents prepared before departure. Every link in that chain is only predictable if it was requested in time and confirmed in writing.
Special requests for adult passengers
A wheelchair, medical needs, or dietary needs should be announced in advance, not after check-in. Some of these requests need the airline’s own clearance based on its internal rules, and that clearance is not something the agency can grant on the airline’s behalf, however much it wants to help.
The most common mistake
The most common mistake is announcing the request too late, or assuming the booking alone already carries the request with it, without separate confirmation. The booking and the special request are two separate steps, and each needs its own attention and its own confirmation.
When you are travelling with an unaccompanied child, or with an adult who needs special assistance, bring the agency in at the planning stage, not only at the moment the ticket is bought — that leaves enough time for the request to reach the airline and be confirmed before departure.
For more detail, see the special assistance page and our article on travelling with children and infants. If you are planning this kind of trip, contact us as soon as possible.