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FrDoes Emirates offer services for children traveling alone?
The Unaccompanied Minors service for children traveling alone will ensure your child will enjoy a smooth and stress-free journey from start to finish with Emirates friendly, helpful staff.
When are children traveling alone considered Unaccompanied Minors?
Children under 5 years of age are never allowed to travel as Unaccompanied Minors. Children with special needs or requiring special attention may travel on Emirates flights only accompanied by a fare-paying passenger who is 18 years of age or older.
Children above 5 and under 15 years of age who are not accompanied by an adult are eligible for the Unaccompanied Minors service. For children between the ages of 5 and 11, the Unaccompanied Minor service is mandatory.
Although any passenger aged 12 or over is considered an adult for the purposes of fares, a passenger between the ages of 12 and 17 is not eligible to accompany a child in the absence of a passenger who is 18 years or older. In such a case, both passengers are considered Unaccompanied Minors, and the applicable adult fare applies for all.
Between 12 and 15 years of age (up to, but not including, their 16th birthday), children are considered Young Passengers and entitled to Unaccompanied Minors service only if specifically requested by the parent.
Also, Emirates considers Unaccompanied Minors children under 8 years of age traveling in a different cabin class than their parents, as well as children under 11 years old traveling in a different cabin class to their parent or guardian when they have a child under 8 with them. When there are children both over and under the age of 8 traveling together in a cabin class different from their parents’ cabin class, then all the children will be considered Unaccompanied Minors.
Unaccompanied Minors Service
You must contact your local Emirates office to book your child’s flight. At the time of booking, you can inform Emirates what kind of seat and meal your child prefers so that the necessary arrangements can be made. Because Air Canada does not accept Unaccompanied Minors from other airlines, the service may be booked up to Toronto only.
When another airline is included in the itinerary, the maximum permitted connecting time is 4 hours. When the transfer point is Dubai, where the dedicated Emirates’ Special Handling Unit can take care of minors, the maximum permitted connecting time is 8 hours. Emirates will not accept Unaccompanied Minors and Young Passengers for journeys with transfer connections involving either an overnight stay at a transfer point or a transfer between two airports at the connecting point, unless arrangements (confirmed by the local Emirates office) have been made for the child to be met and cared for at the transfer point or if the minor is travelling with an adult escort.
There are separate check-in facilities where parents must present the child for check-in at least 2 hours prior departure. Emirates reserves the right to refuse travel if the applicable form (Declaration of Indemnity) is not fully completed, signed and submitted by the parent/guardian of the Unaccompanied Minor. The parent/guardian must remain at the airport until the flight has departed.
Dedicated Emirates staff will accompany the Unaccompanied Minors from check-in to the aircraft. Unaccompanied Minors and Young Passengers are always the first to board, so that the cabin crew can seat them and stow their hand baggage. On board the aircraft, as time permits and upon special request, the cabin crew will be happy to take Polaroid photographs of your child. Upon arrival, an Emirates employee will meet all Unaccompanied Minors at the aircraft door and help them through formalities before handing them over to their designated guardian. The parent/guardian collecting the Unaccompanied Minor at the airport must provide proof of identification.
Special Regulations for Unaccompanied Minors
Children traveling to Canada alone are strongly advised to hold a letter of travel consent that should contain authorization to travel, destination in Canada and length of stay, and signer’s address and telephone details. This letter must be signed by a legal guardian or parent with legal custody.
Minors up to the age of 13 years (inclusive) who are Italian nationals and traveling outside Italy unaccompanied are required to carry with them authorization (Dichiarazione di Affido) from the local police (Questura) or an Italian embassy or consulate (if their parents reside abroad). Without this authorization, which cannot be issued by the airport police, they will not be permitted to leave Italy.
French minors leaving France unaccompanied by a parent or legal guardian must have an official authorization to exit the country to present along with a copy of the identity document of the parent or guardian who signed the authorization.
Fee
Unaccompanied Minors under 12 are entitled to Unaccompanied Minors service as long as they are traveling on a full adult fare ticket (no additional fees apply). Emirates’ Unaccompanied Minor service is not available in conjunction with a child discounted ticket. A full adult fare must be purchased whenever a child is considered Unaccompanied Minors.
For children over 12 for whom the Unaccompanied Minors service has been requested, the fee is USD 50 per Unaccompanied Minor for each leg of the journey.
