Can Young Children Fly Unaccompanied with Air Canada?
Air Canada offers young children/minors to travel unaccompanied on their flights. If you are trying to send your kid from Canada to the USA via air transport alone, some concerns are normal. However, with Air Canada Unaccompanied Minor service, you can send them to travel without parent/guardian supervision. The airline looks after them with the utmost care from the time they reach the airport until they land and are handed over back to you or the person concerned.
But what are the rules, and do all minors have eligibility to travel unaccompanied on Air Canada? To get answers to all such questions, it’s better if you read more and understand the airline’s policy for booking flights for children alone.
Can minors fly alone on Air Canada?
Yes they can. Depending on their age and Air Canada flight restrictions, a minor can fl;y alone without any adult with the airline. Such minors are termed as Young Travelers, and they can fly without parental supervision or their legal guardians
What are the Eligible Air Canada Flights for Unaccompanied Children?
If you are planning to book a flight for your minor with Air Canada, you must know that they can not travel on all the flights. The airline does not permit them on flights with layovers and overnight stay overs. You can only book the young child on flights that are:
- Non-Stop
- Operated By Air Canada
- Air Canada Rouge
- Air Canada Express, operated by Jazz.
Remember that Air Canada does not permit unaccompanied children to travel on connecting flights. So, if you are booking flights for your dear kid, make sure it is a direct flight and not a codeshare or layover. The airline will not be responsible for the minor’s safety as it is difficult to maintain it while changing planes.
Hence, check everything before booking flights for your minors with Air Canada.
What age can you fly alone on Air Canada?
Air Canada allows children from 8 to 17 years to fly alone without an accompanying adult. But, if we discuss free will travel without any supervision, including special staff on a plane, the airline has a certain age limit.
A child between age 12 and 17 is not considered a minor but a youth. This age group of customers can travel without anyone accompanying them.
In addition, the Air Canada unaccompanied minor service reservation is optional for this age group. So, they can travel even on connecting flights if they do not follow the unaccompanied minor age restrictions.
Air Canada Unaccompanied Minor Age Chart
| Below 8 years | Not Allowed |
|---|---|
| From 8 to 11 years | Compulsory |
| 12-17-year-olds | Optional |
Additional Rules for Unaccompanied Minor Travel
- Children below 8 years should have someone 16 years old or above traveling with them on an Air Canada flight.
- The seat of accompanying adults should be adjacent to the minors.
- Anyone between ages 8 and 11 can take the mandatory unaccompanied minor service to travel without anyone.
- For 12-17-year-old children, taking this service is optional.
- Air Canada does not accept unaccompanied children traveling with in-cabin pets.
- To be an accompanying adult for any customer, one should be at least 16 years or older.
If you follow the Air Canada unaccompanied minor rules and go along with their age policy, you can ensure a properly secure journey for your child.
How to book a flight for a minor on Air Canada?
To book a flight for your minor traveling alone, you need to contact the Air Canada phone number and tell them your child will travel unaccompanied. The airline agent, on the other hand, will give you certain details about their special service requests.
Once you are familiar with the underlying procedure for booking a flight for a child alone, you can continue to fill out the Air Canada unaccompanied minor form. After that, your child will be ready to depart.
Can I book unaccompanied minor service for a Child with a Medical Condition?
No, under certain conditions, you can not make an Air Canada unaccompanied minor reservation for your child. Here are the details:
- Blind or Deaf Child
- Cats & Digs Allergies(Severe Cases)
- Peanut/peanut products, severe allergies.
- Any allergy that is severe.
- Requires special care or strict medication during the flight
- Can react negatively to air travel when he doesn’t know anyone on the plane.
Also, the airline has all the rights to deny travel for unaccompanied minors in any case. If any medical condition is there, your child can never travel without proper approval from the medics.
How much is the Air Canada Unaccompanied Minor Cost?
Air Canada charges a fee between $100 and $118 CAD/USD per way/per flight for each child traveling as an unaccompanied minor. This fee is in addition to your child’s base fare and is a mandatory thing as long as you select unaccompanied minor service.
This fee includes a meal or hot snack, complimentary non-alcoholic beverages, etc. You can also pre-purchase some select meals for your child up to one hour before their departure.
How to Prepare Young Children for their Air Canada Flight Alone?
Follow these simple points to prepare your minors for their Air Canada flights alone:
- Explain all the flight and trip details to your kid in advance to make it less stressful for them and yourself.
- Ensure that he rests well before the flight.
- Give them a carry-on bag that has their favorite snack and items to enjoy if there is a delay.
Apart from this, you need to ensure that the person picking up your Air Canada unaccompanied minor knows the flight details of your child.
This includes their flight number, arrival time, and waiting information of the flight. Also, make sure that they carry a valid photo ID with them
Can I Escort My Child for His First Alone Flight with Air Canada?
Yes, you can, but only at select airports. Not all Air Canada airports allow parents to escort their children to the boarding gate area. You can check your local Airport Authority site to view the details. However, when you check-in at the airport, you can also confirm this from the Air Canada customer service representative. Here are the simple rules to escort your child to the boarding gate:
- If allowed at the airports, only one parent or guardian can escort the unaccompanied minor to the boarding gate area.
- The airline may require parents or guardians to fill out a “Passenger Escort Form,” along with a photo ID.
- If you are unable to escort your child, Air Canada provides an escort service to the little customers.
Because of security reasons, Air Canada does not allow passengers to be escorted by their parents/guardians on international flights. In these cases, Air Canada agents will come and escort your child. However, until the flight departs, you must remain at the airport no matter you escort the child to the gate or not.
Air Canada Airport Requirements for Unaccompanied Minor Flights
After booking by phone, visit the Air Canada Airport counter and check these points.
- Give original documents as identity verification for your minors.
- For travel within Canada, a birth certificate, a passport, a health card, or other photo ID may work.
- Passport is a must for any international flights to/from the USA and other locations.
- Complete the Request of carriage form and attach it to the ticket.
- Look forward to your child’s flight.
You must remain at the airport unless your child’s boarding begins for Air Canada unaccompanied minors. Do not leave before the flight departs.
What happens after the handover of your child?
The Air Canada unaccompanied minor boarding begins first. You can check these points after an agent takes your child to board.
- Your child will have a UM lanyard for staff to identify them easily.
- The agent will take your child through security and the boarding area.
The service provider will help your child be seated on the plane and then assist in deplaning. Make sure to check with the airline whether you can accompany your dear child to the boarding security area or not.
Where will Air Canada Seat My Child on the Plane?
When you book your child’s flight through call, the airline agent on the phone tells you about choosing seats. Air Canada recommends For your child’s safety and comfort during the flight, we recommend that he or she be seated in the last three rows of the aircraft, near the cabin crew. This arrangement can help the cabin crew members keep a watchful eye on your child and attend to their needs as required. Please note that this does not apply to flights operated by Air Canada Express.
Final Words
Follow the above guidelines to make sure that you can send your child at ease. Remember to remain at the airport unless your child’s flight departs, and remind the designated pick-up person to be available before the flight lands at the destination airport. For assistance in booking Air Canada flights for minors, check with the Tripohlz team, or consult an airline expert.