Children travelling alone
Unaccompanied children are in safe hands with us. We look after them throughout their entire journey, from the moment you say goodbye at the airport until family or friends pick them up at their final destination.
From what age are children allowed to travel alone?
Children between 5 and 11 years may travel alone if they are using our special service or if they are travelling with someone who is at least 12 years old. At the request of the parent(s) or appointed guardian, teenagers between 12 and 18 years can also be looked after. Please note that unaccompanied children under 12 years old are not allowed to bring a pet into the cabin.
Is there a fee for children travelling alone?
A special service fee is charged in addition to the price of the flight. The fee mentioned below is applicable on flights operated by Brussels Airlines only, per segment and per child. Different fees might apply on partner airlines.
Examples of calculation of the charges
How do I book assistance for my child?
You can book assistance for your child directly via our Service Centre. Make sure to comply with all the necessary documents.
Which documents are required to make use of this service?
- Valid passport / child’s ID card
- Recent and easily recognizable portrait picture of your child
- Visa for the destination country, if applicable
- Health certification, if required
- A completed form* for your child to travel alone
* Please print three copies of the form and bring them with you to the airport: one for you, one to go into your child’s small bag (which he/she will receive at the check-in desk) and one for us. For flights with multiple legs, three copies of the form are needed for each individual flight to the destination.
Extra requirements
In addition to the required documents, minors also need to be in possession of:
- A valid ID card or a valid passport and a visa if required for travel to the country of destination.
- A copy of a valid ID card or passport of one parent or legal guardian. Copies of identity documents that have expired within 5 years are only accepted if the parents are French.
- An additional form to be filled out and signed by one parent or legal guardian.
- The minor needs to bring his/her own identity card
- A signed parental permission if required (always inquire about the immigration conditions)
Italian children under 14 years old must travel with a fully completed declaration 'Dichiarazione di affido' (Law No. 1185/67) if:
They are travelling alone with Unaccompanied Minor service (this service is mandatory under 14 years)
They are travelling with someone who isn't their parent or legal guardian
The 'Dichiarazione di affido' can be obtained from the local police station (Questura), not from the airport police. It must be carried together with the child’s passport. If the documentation is incomplete, the minor may be refused boarding.
All Spanish minors travelling out of Spain must have a parental consent, even when they carry an ID or passport. This consent can be obtained in one of the following offices:
Police station
Guardia Civil
Courts
Notaries
Mayor’s office
What will the day of my child’s travel be like?
Your child is in the best of hands: we look after their needs with great sensitivity – at the airport, during the flight and after landing.
Your child will receive a bracelet with his/her name, flight number and destination. This bracelet can’t be removed and should stay around the child's wrist during the entire trip. Our assistance staff will accompany your child through passport control and security and bring him/her to the departure gate.
You must remain at the airport until the flight has taken off.
A member of the cabin crew will look after your child during the entire flight. On short-haul flights, a drink and a snack will be offered, while on long-haul flights, a child meal will be served to children up to the age of 9 years. For children between ages 9 and 11, you can request a child meal during the booking of this special service. Children aged 12 years and older will receive a standard meal.
After landing we will guide your child through the airport, go through customs as applicable and pick up his/her baggage if needed. When all identification is correct, we will hand over your child to the care of the parent, legal guardian or to the connecting airline. Arrive on time at the airport to pick up your child and to avoid additional costs (e.g. meals, return transportation, accommodation, etc.)
Good to know
You can choose a seat for your child via our Service Centre. However, your child can’t be seated in emergency exit rows, nor in the row immediately behind the emergency exits.
An unaccompanied minors service is only available for connecting flights in Zurich, Geneva and Brussels. The service is unfortunately not yet available for connecting flights in Vienna, Munich and Frankfurt.
Please note that, for children travelling alone on connecting flights, the service is available in Brussels only if the connecting time between the fights is not exceeding the maximum of 6 hours.
We offer the service for unaccompanied minors only if the child’s entire journey is booked on one ticket and under the same flight ticket number. If a child is travelling with several tickets, we cannot guarantee the connecting flights and so are unable to provide this service.
Talk to your child about the planned trip, explain exactly what will happen on the journey and encourage him/her to look forward to this adventure. A well-prepared child means a relaxed parent.
If your child is travelling in a different travel class than you as a parent or accompanying adult, then you remain responsible for his/her well-being and behaviour.
