An unforeseen situation can happen to everyone when it becomes necessary to send a child on vacation or to relatives by plane, but for certain reasons you cannot accompany him. Do not worry - today, all over the world, underage children can fly on airplanes without their parents. However, the legal age and rules differ depending on the airline.

There are two options for the flight of children without parents:

● unaccompanied when the child flies independently;

● accompanied by a representative of the airline.

The main thing is to know from what age children can fly on their own, and when it is necessary to order an escort service - Unaccompanied Minor (UM).

Let's consider the basic rules of different air carriers:

Wizz air

The airline allows independent flights from the age of 14. From the age of 16, an air passenger as an adult can accompany a child up to the age of 14. Tickets for the child and the accompanying person must be issued as a single booking. If tickets have been booked separately, you must contact the call center staff, who will link both bookings free of charge. If a child under the age of 14 does not have an accompanying adult, then his flight is not possible, since Wizz Air does not provide an accompanying service for children.

Ryanair

The airline allows independent flights only from the age of 16. A single booking of the child and the accompanying person is mandatory. If you have different bookings, you need to link them. You can do this by chatting on the Ryanair website for free at least four hours before departure. There are no escort services in the company.

UIA

It is allowed to fly independently on domestic flights from 14, and international from 16 years. It is prohibited to fly under 5 years old without an adult. But children from 5 years old can order an escort from the airline on all flights: domestic and international. The cost of the service is 35-150 € per flight.

SkyUp / Bees Airline

Similar rules for the flight of children with the SkyUp and Bees Airline low-cost airlines. From the age of 14, teenagers are allowed to fly unaccompanied on domestic flights and from 16 to fly abroad. From the age of 5, airlines provide escort on all flights, the cost of which is $ 60 per flight.

Windrose

Independent flights are allowed on domestic flights from 14 years old, and on international flights from 18 years old. There must be an escort up to this age. This service can be ordered from the airline for $ 56 per flight.

Lufthansa Group

Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Swiss International Airlines, Brussels Airlines have similar rules for traveling for children and teenagers. From 5 to 12 years old, an adult or an employee from the airline must be accompanied. Escort cost from 85 € per flight. From the age of 12, children are allowed to fly independently.

Air France

Children from 5 to 15 years old must be accompanied on international Air France flights. It is already included in the ticket price. From the age of 15, children can fly themselves as adults.

KLM

Mandatory escort from the airline must be for passengers from 5 to 15 years old, who fly on their own. The cost of an escort is 100-300 € per flight. From 15 years old it is allowed to fly independently.

LOT

From the age of 12, children are allowed to fly independently. From 5 to 12 years old, if the child flies himself, there must be an escort. The cost of escort from the airline is 30-90 € per flight.

El Al

From the age of 16, teenagers can fly as adults, independently. From the age of 5 to 16, children themselves can fly only when accompanied by an airline employee. This service costs $ 100 per flight. Children up to 5 years old can fly with their parents or adults from the age of 16.

Air Astana

Children from 6 to 16 years old can fly themselves only if accompanied by an airline employee. The service is included in the ticket price, the tariff of which ranges from 50% to 100% of the adult price. A passenger over 16 years of age is considered an adult.

AirBaltic

From the age of 12, the child can fly by himself. From 5 to 12 years old, an independent flight is possible only if accompanied by an airline employee. The cost of an escort is 60 € for a direct flight and 80 € for a connecting flight.

Pegasus Airlines

With Pegasus Airlines, passengers can fly independently from the age of 12. Children from 2 to 12 years old flying on their own can buy a ticket only through the company's call center.

Turkish Airlines

It is allowed to fly by adolescents themselves, starting from the age of 12. From 7 to 12 years old, you must order free escort from the airline. Also, if necessary, you can order an escort for a child from 12 years old to the age of majority by submitting a request to the airline.

For an independent flight of a child abroad, the permission of the mother and father or guardians is required. When ordering an escort from an airline, a permit for the removal of a child is issued to the representatives of this air carrier.

In most cases, children traveling with airline employees need to purchase an adult ticket. The rules for the route are specified directly with the air carrier before booking tickets. And learn about the rules of entry to different countries of the world at VisitUkraine.Today.