Unaccompanied minors

Help for children travelling alone

We're happy to take children from 5 to 11 years travelling alone.  If they're travelling on any longhaul services which involve an onward transfer to another carrier in the USA or Canada, then they'll need to be 8 to 11 years. 

We can only accept responsibility for unaccompanied children with flight itineraries issued on a single ticket with one booking reference.  This policy applies to all connecting flights (bmi to bmi, bmi to other carriers and all codeshare flights).  Passengers choosing to purchase separate tickets should make arrangements for the child to be met and cared for at the transfer point.

Cost of service

There's a supervision fee of £35 (equivalent of USD 65, depending upon exchange rate fluctuation) per flight per sector. As you can't book this online, we will honour our lowest available fare*.

*This service is only available if you book an Economy fare or higher (excludes Economy Saver fares on shorthaul routes).  Again, as this service cannot be booked online, we will waive our call centre reservations fee.

The fee only applies once if unaccompanied minors are brothers and sisters resident at the same address and travelling together.  This also applies to non-siblings, as long as the departure and arrival escort is the same for both children.

Young adults between 12-15 years travelling alone are not designated as unaccompanied children or minors within the system but are regarded as 'young passengers'.  If parents or guardians wish to opt for the unaccompanied minors service for such passengers, then the applicable supervision fee can be paid and the young passenger will be designated as an unaccompanied minor.

How to book

It is extremely important that you request this service when you book, as we can only take a limited number of unaccompanied children on individual flights.

• Phone our reservations on 1-800-788-0555 or through your travel agent (not online)
• Pay the supervision fee at the time of booking
• Give at least 24 hours notice.  (Requests within 24 hours are only accepted on a discretionary basis by bmi reservations) 
• Make sure all the appropriate documentation has been completed, including visas, vaccinations, passports and relevant flight insurance

Information required

In order for us to help plan your child's journey please let us know the following:

• Age and date of birth of your child
• The languages your child speaks if they do not speak English
• If they have any allergies or special needs
• Full name, address and contact telephone number of the parent or guardian taking your child to the airport of departure.  It is essential that this person remains at the airport until the flight has departed
• The full name, address and contact number of the parent or guardian meeting your child at the airport of arrival
• The person collecting your child from the airport must be able to provide formal identification

Exemptions

Unfortunately, we can't take children on:

• Any itineraries which involve a night-stop
• A transfer/stopover that exceeds four hours
• A transfer/connection between airports within the same city
• A standby basis
• Connecting itineraries booked on separate tickets

When to arrive at check-in

You should arrive with your child at least 60 minutes prior to departure for European flights and 90 minutes prior to longhaul flights.  Our staff will ask you for the forms to be completed at the first point departure airport, before we accept your child.