A guide to unaccompanied minor travel with Cathay Pacific

Travelling solo is an adventure, but it comes with its challenges – especially for a child flying for the first time without a parent or legal guardian. That’s why Cathay Pacific offers a dedicated service that keeps unaccompanied minors safe throughout their journey. If your child or dependent is flying without you – whether to study or visit relatives – registering them as an unaccompanied minor ensures that they’re cared for by our trained team every step of the way, from check-in and boarding through to arrival. 

Who should register as an unaccompanied minor?

• Any child aged 6 –12 at the time of travel must register as an unaccompanied minor unless accompanied by a passenger aged 18 or above.

• Children aged 12–18 are not legally required to be registered as unaccompanied minors, but you are welcome to do so for peace of mind as unaccompanied minors receive extra attention throughout their journey.

Before you book

Check country regulations

Different countries have different legal requirements for unaccompanied minors travelling on commercial flights. Depending on your points of departure and arrival, you may need to seek special travel authorisation for the unaccompanied minor from a competent authority or prepare additional documentation, such as the child’s birth certificate or a letter of consent from the parent or legal guardian. See our list of selected country-specific regulations; if your departure or destination country isn’t included, please check with the relevant government authorities.

Have required documents ready

Our unaccompanied minor service involves rigorous checks to help ensure the safety of your child or dependent, as well as smooth passage through immigration, security, boarding and arrival. To enable a seamless journey, you’ll need:

• a valid passport or travel document, along with any applicable visas and travel authorisations for your child or dependent

• the unaccompanied minor’s flight ticket or booking confirmation

• a printed copy of your completed unaccompanied minor form, which is accessible through Manage Booking on our website

• identification for the adult guardians designated for drop-off and pick-up at the departure and destination airports

• any other documents required by law at your points of departure or arrival.

What it’s like to fly as an unaccompanied minor

We’ll take care of your child or dependent at every stage of their journey.

Before the flight

Head to one of our counters at the departure airport with your child or dependent. We’ll help them check in, verify the required documents and provide them with an Assistance Badge for easy identification. Around 90 minutes before departure, we’ll escort them through security and immigration, then to the boarding gate. Please remain at the airport until their flight has departed. 

Boarding, inflight service and connections

We’ll escort your child or dependent onboard and to their seat, and our friendly cabin crew will check on them regularly during the flight to ensure they’re comfortable. For connecting flights involving a change of aircraft, we’ll accompany them throughout the entire transfer. Unaccompanied minors are given priority when boarding and disembarking the aircraft, ensuring a smooth and stress-free experience. 

Arrival

The adult guardian nominated to meet your child at the destination airport, as specified in your unaccompanied minor service form, will need to provide proof of identification before we release your child or dependent into their care. If the person attempting to collect the unaccompanied minor is not the person nominated in the form, we will contact you to verify their identity.

What about connections and stopovers?

We offer this service to unaccompanied minors travelling on connecting flights as long as they are operated by Cathay Pacific and connect at the same airport within five hours. If the connection time stated in your original booking is within five hours but exceeds this due to flight delays on our end, we will remain with your child or dependent as arranged. The service is unavailable for unaccompanied minors transferring between flights operated by us to other airlines.

For flights arriving at and departing from different airports, or with a connection time of 24 hours or more, unaccompanied minor service must be arranged separately for each journey with the respective operating airlines. Please contact the airline directly for details on their unaccompanied minor policy before booking.

Booking the unaccompanied minor 

Our unaccompanied minor service cannot be requested online. Please book this service through Customer Care or your travel agent at least 24 hours before the scheduled flight departure, and provide the following information:

• full name of the unaccompanied minor’s adult guardian accompanying them at the point of departure

• full name of the adult guardian nominated to collect the unaccompanied minor at the destination airport

• contact information, including mobile phone numbers, for adult guardians at points of departure and arrival.

As we only accept a limited number of unaccompanied minors per flight, early booking is recommended.

You’ll need to pay a fee for this service at the time of booking, as outlined below. 

^The fee is paid in the local currency equivalent based on the exchange rate on the date of purchase. Any applicable taxes will be collected in addition to the fees stated above.

Tips for parents and legal guardians

• Book early. You’ll want to leave plenty of time to get your paperwork in order before the date of departure.

• Fly direct if possible – the simpler the journey, the happier the child.

• Inform us of any special requirements ahead of time – we’re here to help make the child’s journey as comfortable as possible.

• Give your child or dependent a carry-on bag that they can easily manage on their own, preferably with compartments to keep their snacks and personal items organised.

• Stay reachable for the duration of the child’s journey in case we need to contact you.