Lufthansa Unaccompanied Minor Policy

About Lufthansa Airlines

If your child is to travel alone, there are certain things you must be worried about. Which airline to choose, which airline has the best benefits, and whatnot. Fortunately with Lufthansa Airline, you can stay assured that your child will reach the destination safely. That said, the Lufthansa Unaccompanied minor policy offers special support to children between the ages of 5 and 11 years traveling alone. Also there are certain regulations and conditions that you need to know before booking the flight. 

Lufthansa Unaccompanied Minor Rules 

There are many cases when minors of age under 12 are bound to travel alone, without their accompanied guardian / parent. Lufthansa Airlines will take utmost care of your child and will also make sure they enjoy their journey. As long as you and the kid comply with Lufthansa Airlines unaccompanied minor rules, you’re good to go! Here are some quick guidelines explaining the policy: 

• As per the airline, children between the ages of 5 and 11 years can travel alone, provided they use the unaccompanied minor service or travel with a passenger who is at least 12 years old. 
• Unaccompanied minor service is not available for connecting flights if he / she is booked on the final flight schedule. The exception would be applied, if the scheduled flight is the only flight available from the departure or connecting point.
• Minors traveling alone are not allowed to carry pets.
• For safety and security of children, the airline limits carriage of the unaccompanied minors to 10 seats on each flight.
• Lufthansa will not accept the unaccompanied minors if weather or other factors are likely to interrupt the travel. The guardian will be asked to approve rebooking in the event of an unforeseen travel interruption.
• At the time of travel if the child becomes seriously ill, medical personnel will be contacted. Unaccompanied minors suffering from a special medical condition will not be permitted, unless they provide a “doctor consent form” authorizing the travel. 
• Person who would be escorting the child must produce a valid photo ID to validate that he / she is the same person as identified on the form.

Age Restrictions for Unaccompanied Minors

• As per the Lufthansa unaccompanied minor policy, passengers aged between 5 and 11 years who are not traveling with an adult of age 18 and above are considered as ‘unaccompanied minors’.
• However, the unaccompanied minors Lufthansa service can also be booked for unaccompanied children from the age of 12 to 17 years. This ensures that the child receives support, especially in the event of a disruption to their flight, such as  a delay or cancellation.

Here are the conditions of traveling for unaccompanied minors with Lufthansa Airlines for the following age groups – 

Country-specific Regulations for Lufthansa Unaccompanied Minor

Some countries (Italy, Brazil, Spain, and Mexico) have added regulations for Lufthansa Unaccompanied Minor so read about the guidelines and follow the required regulations. You may also need to comply with the health advice for some destinations—such as vaccinations and medicine requirements. Here are some country-specific guidelines:

Italy

All children under the age of 14 traveling out of Italy:

• Must be accompanied by an adult who is at least 18 years old.
• Must carry a passport.
• Must carry a sworn and signed statement by both parents / legal guardian. 

Note: The statement must include the airline’s name in which the child is traveling and it must be authenticated by the local police headquarters. 

Brazil

If your child is traveling alone or with only 1 parent, the child must carry a birth certificate, a notarized travel authorization from both parents (authenticated by the Brazilian embassy). For details, refer to the guidelines of the Brazilian National Council of Justice.

Spain

If your child is studying abroad, fill out the Mandatory Disclaimer Form, and ask the school to sign and stamp it, especially if your child is departing from Boston or London, as per Lufthansa unaccompanied minor guidelines.

Mexico

• Minors traveling alone to / from Mexico, or accompanied by a non-parent or non-legal guardian, must carry a document—either signed by both parents or guardian. 
• The legal document must be attached with a notary attesting that the child can leave the country and then provided to Lufthansa airline’s representative.
• If the document is issued abroad, it must either be apostilled, or authorized and translated in Spanish. If traveling to / from Spain, the local police there can provide a document of authorization for such cases.

Unaccompanied Minor Travel Guide

Before you proceed to let your kid travel alone in the aircraft, it’s crucial that you go through certain terms and guidelines to avoid unnecessary chaos. Find details about required documents and the significant steps you must take prior boarding of your sweet little child. Find more details about Lufthansa unaccompanied minor rule below: 

How To Book 

Unaccompanied minors flight tickets can only be purchased by calling the customer service number or by the airline’s ticket counter. You must book at least 24 hours before your departure to ensure that you receive the service. Here are some details for booking:

• It is recommended that you pay the Lufthansa unaccompanied minor fee at the time of booking. However you can also pay the fee up to 24 hours before the scheduled departure.
• You can order a seat and/or a special children’s meal up to 24 hours before departure.
• Parents / guardians need to provide contact details so Lufthansa can notify in case of any flight disruption.
• After you retrieve your booking online, it is essential to update your details via ‘Lufthansa Manage Booking’ section.
• Simply go to the passenger’s section, and click on ‘Edit Contact Details’ to update your number and the email address.

Dropping Off

• Reach the airport early to allow enough buffer time for parking, getting a pass, and completing other formalities.
• Collect the small yellow Lufthansa bag that the Unaccompanied Minor must keep fully visible with them during the entire journey. The yellow bag contains the following travel documents:
  • Passport or ID card with age (mandatory)
  • The duly completed special service form (mandatory)
  • Destination country’s visa (if required) 
  • Travel insurance certificate (if required)
  • Details regarding allergies (if any)
  • Pre-paid receipt for the special service (if applicable)
  • Consent declaration by parent or legal guardian
• Reach out to a Lufthansa staff member at the gate and tell them you are dropping off an Unaccompanied Minor.
• Be sure to carry your valid ID and present it to the airline’s representative, in accordance with Lufthansa Airlines unaccompanied minor policy.
• Inform the parent or guardian who will pick up the Unaccompanied Minor at the destination, that the flight has taken off.

During Flight

• Lufthansa’s flight attendants will welcome the Unaccompanied Minor and will check on them from time to time.
• The Unaccompanied Minor will be seated close to the flight attendants, so that they are secured. 
• The parent or guardian who will pick up the Unaccompanied Minor must be available to answer phone calls during the flight (in case there’s any flight irregularity).
• If the Unaccompanied Minor has to transfer, they will be met by a staff member and taken to the connecting flight’s departure gate.

Check-in For Unaccompanied Minors

• You can complete the check-in process for your unaccompanied minor online or by calling the Lufthansa customer service starting 24 hours before the scheduled departure.
• Alternatively, you can complete check-in for the Lufthansa Unaccompanied minor at the airport desk at least 2 hours before the scheduled departure.
• Parents / guardians need to stay at the airport until the child’s aircraft has taken off. This assures, that if the flight is canceled at the last minute, you will be able to reclaim custody of your child.

Required Travel Documents

As stated in the policy, you need to present the following documents at the time of check-in – 

• Boarding pass.
• A print out of e-ticket or booking confirmation.
• Receipt of the unaccompanied minor fee.
• Duplicate copy of completed Lufthansa unaccompanied minor form. 
• A valid ID card or child’s passport
• All the documents related to travel such as visa, vaccination, and birth certificate.
• A valid photo ID card of the person who is escorting the minor to check-in

Unaccompanied Minor Baggage allowance

All unaccompanied minors are allowed to take one piece of carry-on bag. They should be able to carry the hand luggage comfortably. The weight must be within 17 lbs and the dimension must not exceed 55 x 40 x 23 cm. In accordance with Lufthansa Airlines baggage policy, the child’s carry-on luggage must contain the following –

• Warm clothing
• A favorite toy
• A small amount of cash 
• Medications that need to be taken during the flight or at the destination, if necessary.
• Free checked baggage allowance and is included in the price of the ticket.

Pick up

• As per the Lufthansa unaccompanied minor policy, the person listed on the unaccompanied minor form under the section ‘Escort on arrival’, must be the person who will pick up the child at their destination. 
• A person who would be picking up the child must present a valid photo ID before the child is released into their care. 
• Unaccompanied children are normally picked up near the ‘Baggage Reclaim’ area for the applicable flight, at the destination airport.
• Reach the arrival airport at least 1 hour before the flight’s arrival and wait at the gate. 
• Collect a pass from Lufthansa’s ticket counter to go through the security checkpoint. Carry a valid ID for meeting the Unaccompanied Minor child at the gate.
• The Unaccompanied Minor will be escorted from the plane and to meet the designated parent or guardian.
• Call the parent or guardian at the drop off city and tell them that you have picked up the Unaccompanied Minor.

Lufthansa Airlines Unaccompanied Minor Fees 

As per the Lufthansa unaccompanied minor policy, in addition to the adult ticketed fare, the service fee is for the children traveling alone applies per child per route, such as:

Lufthansa is one of the very few airlines in the world that offers a service for unaccompanied minors traveling alone. To be able to avail the Lufthansa unaccompanied minor service, inform the airline in advance. You also need to fill out the legal consent form and follow all the guidelines mentioned above. This way, your child can have hassle-free travel.

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