Children travelling alone
International travel
For international travel, it is the parent or guardian's responsibility to manage any entry requirements for the child's destination and transit. Please ensure the child carries paper copies of any travel documentation required for their destination.
How Airband™ works
When checking in at the airport, the child travelling will be given a special wristband. When they reach certain stages of their journey and their Airband is scanned by staff, text message updates will be sent to up to five nominated contacts (the parent or guardian and drop off and pick up contacts). Text messages* are sent at the following stages:
- On check-in at the airport to confirm registration
- When boarding the plane
- When their flight has landed and they are handed over to ground staff
- When they are picked up by the designated pick-up person
* Text message notifications are currently not available for travel from Niue due to limited mobile services.
Book for your child to travel alone
Children 5 to 11 years can travel alone provided they meet the unaccompanied minors conditions.
See the valid routes on the children travelling alone age chart or book a child travelling alone, enter their date of birth and we'll show you valid flight options.
Travel as a child travelling alone is charged at the best available adult fare. Children travelling unaccompanied have the same entitlements on board as adult fares based on the fare purchased. Pre-selecting seats and Skycouch™ are not available for children travelling alone.
When booking, you will need to give the name of the specific person who will be dropping off the child at the airport. This person is expected to wait at the airport with the child until the flight has departed. You will also need to provide the name of the person who, upon presentation of their ID, will collect the child at the destination.
| Child age | Eligibility |
|---|---|
| Under 5 years | No - must travel with an adult 15 years or older, except for flights to and from Canada where the adult must be 16 years or older |
| 5 - 11 years (travelling without an adult 15 years or older) | Yes - eligible on selected routes and must use Airband |
| 12 - 16 years | Yes - may travel alone or can use Airband at parent/guardian request, on selected routes |
Children travelling alone eligibility guide
Under 5 years
No - must travel with an adult 15 years or older, except for flights to and from Canada where the adult must be 16 years or older
5 - 11 years
(travelling without an adult 15 years or older)
12 - 16 years
| Journey | Per child one way | Per child one way - if booked at the airport* |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic New Zealand | AUD $30 | NZD $45 |
| International flights | AUD $80 | AUD $120 |
Children travelling alone service fees
Domestic New Zealand
AUD $30
NZD $45
International flights
AUD $80
AUD $120
* Applies if the child has not been booked as a child travelling alone prior to check-in at the airport.
Multiple children travelling alone
Children under the age of 12 years must be declared as travelling alone at the time of booking if not accompanied by a person aged 15 years or over, except for flights to and from Canada where the adult must be 16 years or older. For example:
- A 14 year old person cannot travel with an infant
- A 15 year old person can travel with a 12 year old and a 2 year old
- A 12 year old person can travel with a 8 year old, but the 8 year old must be declared as an unaccompanied minor
Refunds
If you have a fully refundable fare and wish to cancel your ticket, we will refund both the cost of your ticket and the children travelling alone service fee.
Drop off and pick up
Update contact details on your booking
If plans have changed, update drop off and pick up contact details online by managing your booking. Here you can also nominate and manage who you would like to receive text message updates. Alternatively, please contact us.
Save contact details in your Airpoints account
If you are regularly making bookings for children travelling alone, speed up the booking process next time by saving drop off and pick up contact details in your Airpoints account. Just sign into your account and update your travel preferences under My Profile to enable a Saved Contacts tab.
What to expect on the day of travel
Check-in
Check-in for children travelling alone is available at Special Assistance counters. Please allow an additional 20 minutes to complete check-in. Staff will check your ID, contact details and issue your child with an Airband. Don't forget photo ID for you and if your child is travelling internationally, their passport and any other travel documents required.
Please ensure your child carries paper copies of any travel documentation required for their international destination.
Saying goodbye
At some airports you will be able to escort your child to the departure gate. Where this is not possible, staff will escort your child through security and to the departure gate for handover to cabin crew. Please note that the adult dropping off your child must remain at the airport until the flight has departed.
During their trip
The option to select your child's seat is unavailable for children travelling alone. Your child will be seated near crew work areas so they can easily be supervised during the flight. Cabin crew are required to activate parental locks on inflight entertainment screens of all children travelling alone.
On landing, your child will be escorted through the arrivals process to collect any baggage and be handed over to the designated pick up person after ID is checked.
Delays and disrupts
We will contact you in the event of delays that will cause impact or where the flight is diverted to an alternative airport. There may be times, due to weather, where alternative road transport is offered. We will discuss this with you prior to your child departing on alternative transport.
You can also receive real-time flight information and any changes right to your phone. Simply download the Air NZ app and add your child's flight.
Food will be provided in accordance with standard delay protocols for all passengers. If an overnight stay is required, we will provide accommodation and a female team member will look after your child through the night.
We take all possible steps to find suitable accommodation for 12-16 year olds who are in a disrupt event that requires an overnight stay.
Meals
To help meet the needs of our young travellers when they're flying alone, we've put some improvements in place for our unaccompanied minor's service. When flying around New Zealand, unaccompanied minors are required to have a seat+bag booking. This helps our young travellers keep track of their belongings by putting most of them in a larger bag in the belly of the plane. Carry-on luggage can then be small enough to meet our health and safety requirements for crew and fit under the seat in front.
For our trans-Tasman and Pacific Island services, young people travelling on their own are required to book theworks. This means we can make sure they enjoy the best of Air New Zealand's service, with a meal and in-flight entertainment. If your child has special dietary needs, you can request a special meal when booking online. Options include vegan, gluten-free, and children's meals.
You are welcome to supply your child with a snack box, however please be mindful of restrictions on liquids, aerosols and gels flying internationally that apply to drinks and liquids like yoghurt. All uneaten non-packaged foods must be disposed of on landing.
Travelling with medical conditions, allergies and disabilities
Our staff will do all they can to ensure a safe and comfortable journey, however, they cannot administer medication or ensure your child takes medication at specified times.
Children with Anaphylaxis allergies who require an EpiPen are unable to fly unaccompanied, and must travel with an adult passenger (16 years, or older). Please see the table below for what you need to know when you book a child to fly alone with EpiPen medication.
If your child has a disability, we will do all we can to allow them to travel unaccompanied, however this may not be possible in all situations.
To avoid disappointment on the day of travel please contact our Paxcare Team in advance to discuss your child's requirements and if they have a medical condition that may require clearance to travel.
Email: medaclearance@airnz.co.nz
Phone: +64 9 255 7757
| Age | Requirement | MEDA form required | Approval |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5–11 years | Must travel with an adult aged 16 years or older who can administer any medication | MEDA Part 1 | Medical unit approval not required |
| 12–13 years | Must travel with an adult aged 16 years or older who can administer any medication | MEDA Part 1 | Medical unit approval not required |
| 14–15 years | May travel by themselves provided they have a doctor's letter advising that they are able to self-administer any medication | MEDA Part 1 and Part 2 | Approval of the medical unit is required and may be granted on a case-by-case basis |
| 16 years | May travel by themselves after obtaining MEDA clearance | MEDA Part 1 | Approval of the medical unit is not required unless there are other underlying medical conditions |
5–11 years
Must travel with an adult aged 16 years or older who can administer any medication
Medical unit approval not required
12–13 years
Must travel with an adult aged 16 years or older who can administer any medication
Medical unit approval not required
14–15 years
May travel by themselves provided they have a doctor's letter advising that they are able to self-administer any medication
MEDA Part 1 and Part 2
Approval of the medical unit is required and may be granted on a case-by-case basis
16 years
May travel by themselves after obtaining MEDA clearance
Approval of the medical unit is not required unless there are other underlying medical conditions
Frequently asked questions about children travelling alone
Why can I only book seat+bag or flexible fares on domestic flights?
Why can I only book theworks on flights to Australia and the Pacific Islands?
How do I get my child medical clearance?
See the Children Travelling Alone terms and conditions for details.