Air travel can be both exhilarating and overwhelming, especially for young adventurers embarking on solo journeys. Recognizing the unique needs and concerns of unaccompanied minors, Qantas, Australia's flagship airline, has established a comprehensive system to ensure their safety and well-being throughout their travel experience.

Welcoming young travelers

Qantas' Unaccompanied Minor (UM) service extends a helping hand to young adventurers, offering them personalized assistance from check-in to final destination so that their flights are not only memorable but also secure.

The service is offered to children under the age of 12 who are traveling without – or in a separate cabin from – an adult or sibling of at least 15 years old. An extension of the service is also available to young passengers, aged between 12 and 15 years.

Is your child eligible?

Booking an unaccompanied minor onto a flight is simple. For domestic flights, select your flights and enter the number of children traveling. Ensure that the number of adults selected is set to zero. Those flying internationally can contact their local Qantas office or travel agent. However, before booking, it’s important to check that the child is eligible for the service:

Photo: Qantas

The child must also be able to:

• eat and drink without assistance,
• attend the toilet independently, and
• if applicable, administer their own prescribed medication

The UM service is not offered if the trip involves:

• connecting flights departing from a different terminal,
• a transit time between any two connecting flights that is more than four hours,
• the last flight of the day from the final connection city (unless it's the only flight), and
• overnight connecting flights.

The service is only available on flights operated by Qantas, and is payable for each travel sector. Pre-booked fees for domestic flights are A$50 (US$32) per child while airport fees are A$100 ($64) per child. For international flights, it will cost A$90 (US$57.70) and A$180 (US$115.40) respectively.

Before the trip

Before a child can be accepted as an unaccompanied minor, a legal parent or guardian must fill in and sign a Qantas Unaccompanied Minor travel form, available here. Flight details, including flight number, origin, and destination, are needed to complete the form – so make sure the flight is booked and confirmed.

Prior to checking in, the child should have the form (signed by their parent or guardian as well as the people bringing them to and picking them up at the airport) and valid forms of identification with them. Note that online check-in cannot be done for unaccompanied minors. Instead, check-in for children traveling alone is available at Special Assistance counters at the airport.

Photo: Thiago B Trevisan/Shutterstock

By adhering to these well-defined rules and regulations, parents and guardians can be assured that their unaccompanied minors' flights are not only marked by excitement but also a sense of security and guidance. As young travelers take to the skies with Qantas, they are embarking on more than just a flight – they are embarking on an adventure supported by a caring, dedicated team.

Source: Qantas