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Air India Unaccompanied Minor Policy 2025 | Booking & Eligibility Info

Air India Unaccompanied Minor Policy

The Air India Unaccompanied Minor Policy states that now children can travel alone and can easily fly with the airline under specific guidelines to ensure their safety and absolute comfort. Children between the ages of 5 and 12 years can travel without an adult, domestically or internationally, with airlines that consider them unaccompanied minors. The airline prioritizes the safety and comfort of children; however, it does not allow children under 5 years old. So, if a group of children aged 5-18 years is travelling together, then the children who are aged 5-12 years will be considered as ‘unaccompanied minors’ only. Make sure that for a smooth journey, an adult will drop off and pick up the child in the Unaccompanied Minor form. Here are the key points of the policy, as mentioned below:

Special Services for Air India Unaccompanied Minors

  • Unaccompanied Service is compulsory for children aged 5-12 years to travel alone. 
  • An airline staff member will escort the minor throughout the journey, starting from check-in to the boarding, and through all the customs and immigration at the desired destination. 
  • The parents or guardians are usually updated when the minor has safely arrived at the destination. 
  • Air India Unaccompanied Minor Fee will be like the full charges of an adult in both domestic and international destinations. 

Some Travel Restrictions

  • The minors travelling alone cannot fly on the connecting flights that require an overnight stay or have long layovers. 
  • The Air India UMNR Policy service is not available for international flights that require multiple connections.
  • Documentation and Safety
  • Parents and guardians must fill out a proper consent form before the flight. This will also include emergency contact details and the person who is authorised to receive the child from the destination. 
  • The minor should have all the necessary documentation handy to avoid any last-minute problems. 
  • A child traveling alone has to baer the cost of the Air India Unaccompanied Minor Fee like the complete ticket charges of an adult traveling with Air India. 

Plan Your Child's Solo Adventure With Air India

Air India aims to make travel easy and accessible for everyone, including children. However, children require assistance when they are traveling alone. Air India provides this assistance through their UNMR service. Before your child is ready to fly with Air India, certain terms and conditions under the Air India Unaccompanied Minor Policy must be met. To understand this set of rules, review the points below: 

  • Air India asks the parents to submit four copies of the filled-in Unaccompanied Minor form to the nearest Air India ticketing office. The passengers are asked to submit the form at least three days prior to the scheduled departure. Further, the passengers can proceed directly to the check-in counter with the required documents for international flights. 
  • On the date of travel, the parents are required to bring their child at least three hours before the scheduled departure with complete documents to complete all the formalities. 
  • Air India's ticket prices for children will remain the same as those for adults for both domestic and international flights. Additionally, an Air India Unaccompanied Minor Fee must be paid to add the UNMR service for the minor. The fee is shown in the table below: 

Location

Charges

Far East Asia, South-East Asia, Middle East, SAARC

USD 100

United Kingdom, Europe, Israel, Australia

USD 120

India

USD 57

America

USD 150

Canada

CAD 210

Note: Each travel you take with Air India will incur the unaccompanied minor (UMNR) handling fees. For instance, you will be billed twice the Air India Unaccompanied Minor Fee if you are traveling with us round-trip.

What is Air India Infant Policy?

  • For the parents and guardians, Air India’s infant policy covers children who are under 2 years old and also offers certain benefits for safety, comfort, and travel for every young passenger. 
  • Age Limitations- the infants are considered children who are less than 2 years old.
  • Seating- the children who are under 2 years of age are typically not assigned a separate seat. However, if you pay the infant fare, you are allowed to use a separate infant seat.
  • Know that no separate seat is required if the infant is seated on the lap of the parent; here, an infant fare is charged.

Baggage Allowances

Infants are allowed to carry a small cabin bag with all the essential items like food, diapers, and toys. Know that the infants are entitled to 1 piece of checked baggage with a weight limit, which is often upto 10kgs, along with the adult’s baggage allowances. 

Infant Meals

When doing your infant bookings, you can request special meals at least 48 hours before the scheduled departure. 

What are the Documents Required for Minor Travel? 

When a child is traveling alone, Air India asks for certain documents that must be submitted at the time of boarding the flight: 

  • A consent form that both parents sign. In case one of the parents has died, you will have to submit a copy of the death certificate along with the consent form. 
  • Give a photocopy of both parents’ passports. 
  • Bring the original passports of the parents to ensure the signature matches on the passport and the consent form. 
  • According to the Air India Unaccompanied Minor Policyplease submit the birth certificate if the child’s last name differs from that of the parents. 
  • If the child is under 18 and is leaving the country for educational purposes, they must submit additional documents. 

Ensuring your child’s safety:

  • The designated parent or guardian is required to take their child to the airport and be there to meet them when they arrive.
  • When dropping off and picking up their child, the designated parent or guardian must show a legitimate photo ID. 

How Does Air India Care for Minors On The Flight?

The Air India unaccompanied minor policy provides the assurance of full assistance and comfort during the in-flight process. The special care starts with safety checks, the highly receptive cabin crew, through to catering to the individual needs on board the flight. A variety of extra assistance, such as child meals, assistance with seating, and travel necessities, helps children and parents feel safe and worry-free.  

  • Dedicated Cabin Crew Support: Trained personnel serve as the on-flight guardian of your children, assisting them with matters such as seatbelts, cabin baggage, and water closets.  
  • Comfort on Board: Airplane travel can get cold or make your child feel restless; packing a favorite toy or blanket in your backpack could make the flight much easier.  
  • Child-Friendly Meals: There are options of special child meals, giving consideration to the meal preferences and dietary needs of a child. Parents may preorder these meals during booking or later, under the Manage Booking page, up to 24 hours before departure.  
  • Safety Seating Plan: In regard to safety rules, the child who travels alone will not be seated in emergency exit aisles.  

Can a 12-year-old fly alone on Air India?

According to the Air India Unaccompanied Minor Policy, a 12-year-old is allowed to fly alone on Air India, but they have to fly as an ‘unaccompanied minor (UM)’. The airline offers services for children between 5 and 12 years. For the safety of the child and the concern of the parents/guardians, the child is continuously monitored throughout the journey, starting from check-in to arrival. 

Care And Concern On the Flight

  • In the sky, our cabin crew is the concierge for your child. From the fastening of the seatbelts to putting up the hand baggage and also aiding in timely lavatory visits, Air India has it all under control. 
  • If the child is flying for the first time, then the air travel can sometimes bring a nip in the air and queasiness. The parents have to be really sure that they have packed the child’s easy-to-grab essentials in their backpack. 
  • The airlines do not allow the kids to be seated in the emergency exit row. 
  • Also, other than the safety, another concern that worries the parents is the meal. We have a child's meal option, which can be booked as per the dietary needs of the child. While booking the tickets, one can either add the preferred meal option or visit the ‘manage my booking’ section on the Air India mobile app/website as well. Please make sure that you make the changes 24 hours before the departure of the flight. 

Read More: MEA Unaccompanied Minor Program: Age Limits, Fees & Travel Assistance

What’s Next When the Children Are Landed?

After the child has landed, the designated Air India staff members will guide your little one through all the formalities that are needed at the airport, including immigration and customs, which are required for international journeys as well. After the formalities are complete, our airline staff will safely bring your child to you or to the guardian, as you have mentioned in the unaccompanied minor online form.

When the Minor is in a different class of travel

Air India UMNR Policy states that if the designated adult is traveling on the same flight but has been seated in a different class, then one has to carry along the filled form of the unaccompanied minor to ensure the safety of the child. Through this, one ensures that the child receives the same care and protection as an unaccompanied minor. The child will take their seat on the plane before the other passengers have boarded the flight. Please know that Air India staff will reunite you with your little one at the airport. 

Is Your Child on a Multi-city flight?

The multi-city flights can feel like a whirlwind, but while our crew members are there to assist your child, the airline needs your support with the following:

  • You have to complete and sign four copies of the form of the UMNR for each of the departure airport before the journey begins. 
  • One has to make sure that there has to be a parent/guardian present at the airport before time, allowing us to complete all the much-needed formalities in time for a smooth journey. 

Conclusion

Air India Unaccompanied Minor Policy is for the parents and guardians who are worried about their children traveling alone. In the above paragraphs, all the information are stated well to help you book the flight for your infant without any problem, but if you have any confusion, then feel free to get in touch with the airline officials at the earliest.