Turkish Airlines Unaccompanied Minor

Travel is essential to humankind. People of all age groups do travel at some point in their life, be it for leisure or business. Like adults, kids require flight services too. At times, they need to travel by themselves. It could be to spend the summers with their grandparents or travel to school for educational/recreational pursuits. With Turkish Airlines unaccompanied minor policy, it is convenient and safer to travel for youngsters. 

Turkish Airlines Unaccompanied Minor Policy

In this post, we will provide all the key points, the eligibility criteria, and the conditions required for minors to travel alone. The service fee is associated with the service offered by Turkish Airlines and more. 


What is included in the Turkish Airlines Unaccompanied Minor Service?

Turkish Airlines caters to all young passengers who need to fly unaccompanied. To cater to this, the airlines offer two types of services :

  • Unaccompanied minor service
  • Escort assistance service

Depending upon the parents/legal guardians who want their child to be attended to during the trip, they can sign up for the aforementioned services. Let’s understand the difference between the two of them – 

Type of service offered by the airlines for kids travelling aloneEscort ServiceUnaccompanied Minor Service
Age group2-6 years7-11 years
DefinitionA dedicated crew member would be assigned to the child who assists them and accompanies them at every point of travel. If required, an end-to-end drop service will be providedAn early boarding will take place that gives the child more time to settle and get acquainted with the flight crew. A flight attendant will escort the child during connections. The child will be handed over to the designated adult who needs to pick them up when they arrive.

Eligibility and Criteria for Unaccompanied Minor Travel with Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines allows children between the ages of 4 and 12 to travel as unaccompanied minors. Or, if they’re accompanied by a person who is under the age of 18. Both the youngsters are subject to unaccompanied minor service fees. 

The following criteria would determine whether minors are allowed to travel unaccompanied or not –

  • The child must not be accompanied by an adult who is above 18 years of age.
  • The airline does not offer unaccompanied minor service on codeshare or interline agreement flights,
  • Minors are not permitted to travel on red-eye flights.
  • Flight cancellation of Turkish Airlines may occur if the flight is disrupted due to any unforeseen circumstances. 
  • All unaccompanied children between the age of 2 and 7 would be attended to by a member of the airline’s cabin staff.
  • The unaccompanied child would be ticketed on the adult ticketed fare, and baggage allowance would be the same as an adult. 
  • The service for minors flying alone with Turkish Airlines needs to be booked up to 24 hours before the scheduled departure.
  • Kids who are flying alone go to the airport at least two hours before the scheduled departure. 
  • Please be aware that young passengers are attending to separate counters at the Istanbul Airport.

Guidelines to Book the Unaccompanied Minor Service by Türk Hava Yolları

Children between 7 and 12 years of age are eligible to book Turkish Airlines unaccompanied service. Similar to this, there are other conditions that may apply – 

  • In order to allow a youngster to fly alone, the guardian or parent must sign a consent document.
  • The escort service is essential for all unaccompanied minors under 7 years of age. 
  • The unaccompanied minor service reservation must have a ticket at least 48 hours before the departure. 
  • The parent or guardian of an unaccompanied kid will be liable for paying the Turkish Airlines unaccompanied minor fee.
  • For unaccompanied intercontinental flights, the airline charges an additional 40 per child as a service fee, which you should pay at the time of booking.
  • At the Turkish Airlines check-in counter, the parents/guardians need to sign the relevant paperwork and staff will provide guidance on other requirements and documentation.
  • “Parents need to wait at the airport after the flight has taken off” according to the Turkish Airlines unaccompanied minor policy.
  • Children are assigned seats that are close to the senior cabin steward.
  • Upon arrival, the cabin crew hands over young passengers to the greeting parents.
  • An unaccompanied minor service needs to be booked by the child passenger’s parent or someone authorised by the parent.

Important Requirements If Minors Flying Alone with Turkish Airlines

When arriving at the airport, the parents/guardians need to bring the attested copy of the Turkish Airlines unaccompanied minor form. In addition, they must keep the following documents handy at the time of check-in – 

  • A valid photo ID such as a passport, or any valid government-issued photo ID. 
  • Address proof of the destination city
  • Name, Phone number, and address of the person who would be picking up the child at the destination airport. 

Turkish Airlines Unaccompanied Minor Service Fee

As per the Turkish Airlines unaccompanied minor policy, the airline charges 40 USD as a service for unaccompanied minors for travel within Turkey. However, the service fee varies with the travel routes mentioned below – 

Travel RouteDirect flight (in USD)Connecting flight (in USD)
Turkey4080
Europe125250
Asia150Not applicable
Africa150Not applicable
North & South America200300 (permitted only in the US and Canada)

Note – Turkish Airlines unaccompanied minor fee would be charged per child in each direction. 

Conclusion

The priority of the airline is your child’s safety; therefore, it has established this protocol to make sure your youngster travels in optimal conditions. The Escort service assists you with all the necessary documentation and assistance at every step during travel for your little one to ensure safety and good company!


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Turkish Airlines Minor Policy

Can a 12-year-old fly alone on Turkish Airlines?

Yes, a 12-year-old can fly alone provided the Turkish Airlines unaccompanied minor service is not mandatory if accompanied by an adult who is at least 18 years old. 

At what age can kids fly alone on TK airlines?

Yes, if they are travelling alone, children between the ages of 2 and under 7 must be booked under the Escort/Travel Companion programme. And, the child who is above 7 years through 12 years of age needs to sign up for unaccompanied minors service.  Additionally, they cannot take subsequent trips without consent from the parent, or adult guardian who is at least 18 years old.

What does a teenager need to fly with Turkish Airlines?

The adult who is travelling with the child must have proper identification, the address proof, and the mobile phone number of the person who will be picking up the child from the airport. The parents must carry the parent’s travel consent form alongside the unaccompanied minor travel form. Both need to be notarized.

How much is the minor service fee with Turkish Airlines?

As per the Turkish Airlines unaccompanied minor policy, the airline charges a service fee and it varies with the flight route and the class of service selected. For instance, the unaccompanied minor fee is 40 USD each way for direct flights, and 80 USD for any flight with a stopover. If flying to and from the US and Canada, the airline charges 200 USD each way as an unaccompanied travel fee on top of the adult ticketed fare. Similarly, for connecting flights the fee is 300 USD. 

2 thoughts on “Turkish Airlines Unaccompanied Minor Policy
  1. Katherine on Reply

    I purchased a ticket for my younger brother of 8 year old with Turkish Airlines. As the airline offers unaccompanied kids the option of flying alone. Being his first solo journey, he had no issues during the flight thanks to the nice cabin crew. Airlines collect my contact information, for which I feel quite accountable, and when it came time for departure, I picked up my brother when they called. Airlines provide my brother with assistance from their starting point to their final destination. At first, I was quite concerned, but the airline made everything very simple.

  2. Talan Awne on Reply

    Hello, I would like to use your minor traveling service for my 14yrs son who wants to travel to Amsterdam via TK, would you please provide me the guidelines?

    Thank you,
    Talan

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