Air Canada Unaccompanied Minor Policy

Air Canada caters to over 100,000 unaccompanied every year. With Air Canada unaccompanied minor program, every child receives great attention and travel support from the highly-trained airline’s staff from the moment they check-in up until the arrival. 

Here’s in-depth details on the rules, and age restrictions for the minors travelling alone. Add to that, we have covered a comprehensive view on the unaccompanied minor’s travel journey, airline’s service fee, and more.

Air Canada Rules for Minors Travel Alone

Under the Air Canada unaccompanied minor policy, the airline charges a service fee of 118 USD/CAD per child per way, when departing from Canada or the US. In addition – 

• Unaccompanied minors must be ticketed on the adult fare.
• Unaccompanied minors can only connect to the Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge or Air Canada Express.
• Children between 8 and 17 years of age who are travelling as unaccompanied minors are entitled for Air Canada Bistro service. Under this, the price of the meal is included in the Air Canada unaccompanied minor fee. 
• Unaccompanied minors are not allowed to travel with pets in the cabin.
• Only adults who are 16 years or older are permitted to accompany minors that are under the age of 12.
• Travel is permitted on domestic and international travel.
• Travel for unaccompanied minors is not permitted on the last connection/leg of the day.
• Under the unaccompanied minors program, the booking for the minor is not permitted on the red-eye flight. Exceptions apply if – 
  • Travelling on an international flight
  • Domestic short haul/non-stop flight, and the flight duration must be less than 2 hours.
  • Flights within Canada

Age Restrictions for Unaccompanied Minor 

Air Canada minor policy applies age the restrictions to the minors travelling alone, and consider the following clauses – 

Under 8 years of age – 

• Children under 8 years of age must be accompanied by an adult who is at least 16 years of age. 
• The child must be placed next to the accompanying adult, who must sit in the same cabin.

Between 8 and 11 years of age – 

• The Air Canada minor travel alone service is mandatory for children aged between 8 and 11 years. 

Between 12 and 17 years of age – 

• The service is optional for the passengers between 12 and 17 years of age.
• Please be careful to check the Air Canada unaccompanied minor age restriction policy before flying to avoid any hassles.

Travel Journey for Unaccompanied Minors on Air Canada

When  the child travels alone, the Air Canada unaccompanied minor service program takes every step to ensure that the child is safe and travelling hassle-free. Explore the unaccompanied minor journey eight from the booking to the check-in. Review the process below that help your child prepare for the flight if he/she has an upcoming unaccompanied travel – 

How to Book Unaccompanied Minors on Air Canada?

To determine the eligibility or book an unaccompanied minor travel you must contact Air Canada to ensure that the travel is permitted and accurately documented. 

Preparing to Fly

When it’s time to depart, we advise discussing with your child about the trip and reminding them to only contact Air Canada staff members if they have any questions. Notify the airlines if your child has any special needs, and remind them not to ever leave the gate area. Parents/legal guardian must pack the following items for the unaccompanied minors – 

• Video Games, novels, magazines, snacks, or other forms of entertainment.
• Small backpack that packs the essentials.
• Larger items can be transported in a checked bag, which the  accompanying adult can pick up after touchdown.
• A contact card and ID card attached to your child’s outerwear or carry-on bag.

Required Documents to Fly Alone on Air Canada

Please ask the Air Canada airport support desk for details on drop-off and pick-up for unaccompanied minor travel. Your child will be given a LAN ID to wear on the journey. Passengers must keep a pack of documents including the boarding passes and identification handy while travelling. The accompanying adult must present the following information at check-in:

• Photo ID such as driver’s licence or passport
• Provide address and contact details
• A copy of unaccompanied minor’s birth certificate or passport
• Air Canada unaccompanied minor consent form. 
• Name, location, and contact information for the adult who will be greeting the unaccompanied minor at their destination.

Boarding and Take-off

The unaccompanied minor must be brought to the departure gate by a parent or legal guardian who must stay until the child is airborne.  Air Canada crew members will escort the minor if they have a connection. To ensure their safety, Air Canada advises that young passengers must sit in the back of the plane, close to a flight attendant.

Unaccompanied Minor Pick Up

Parents/legal guarding who would be picking up the child must present the valid government-issued photo ID. Parents/legal guardians need to arrive at the airport at least 2 hours prior to the flight arrival. Please ensure – 

• If the pick-person at the destination changes, passengers must call Air Canada to provide the new information. You need to notify the airline up to 2 hours before the scheduled arrival.
• Upon arrival if the other person would be picking up the child, Air Canada will contact the original accompanying adult to verify the identification.  
• The greeting parent/person at the destination airport must obtain a gate pass to escort the unaccompanied minor at the gate.

Fee for Air Canada Unaccompanied Minor

As per the Air Canada minor travel policy, a service fee of 100-118 USD/CAD each way per child would be applied, regardless of the class of service and fare type you select. Here is the overview of service with each age group – 

In short, parents of a minor must make arrangements for the care and transport of their children before accepting the flight company’s consent to travel alone. Make sure to check out all these rules and regulations about the unaccompanied minor program for Air Canada. Your family member will surely feel safe after you make the necessary arrangements.

Air Canada Minor Policy – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)