I will be sending two 14 year-olds to Brisbane by themselves in April. I haven't yet booked the tickets, so am asking here before asking the airlines.

What assistance is available to them getting through immigration, to the departure lounge, transiting, through immigration & customs in Brisbane, etc. from airlines covering this route?

Some years ago I did get assistance for a 14 year-old going to Heathrow - I think with Thai.

The information on the current Thai website talks about 5-11 year-olds.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I will be sending two 14 year-olds to Brisbane by themselves in April. I haven't yet booked the tickets, so am asking here before asking the airlines.

What assistance is available to them getting through immigration, to the departure lounge, transiting, through immigration & customs in Brisbane, etc. from airlines covering this route?

Some years ago I did get assistance for a 14 year-old going to Heathrow - I think with Thai.

The information on the current Thai website talks about 5-11 year-olds.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I'd imagine that they'd be more than happy to help despite being 'over' the age on the webiste.

try ringing the airline and asking.

What nationality are the two children? Australian? Thai? Will they be met in Brisbane by a parent or guardian?

April is Songkran time - so no doubt there will be quite a few Aussies (myself included) heading back from Bangkok to the east coast of Australia. You might even get some-one from this forum.

Peter

Thai Air will look after them all the way and it is the same crew on TG991 BKK/SYD/BNE.

What nationality are the two children? Australian? Thai? Will they be met in Brisbane by a parent or guardian?

April is Songkran time - so no doubt there will be quite a few Aussies (myself included) heading back from Bangkok to the east coast of Australia. You might even get some-one from this forum.

Peter

They are Thai and will be met by school people in Brisbane. It'll be a week befor Songkran.

Thai Air will look after them all the way and it is the same crew on TG991 BKK/SYD/BNE.

Thank you. That's my feeling, too, but I wondered if someone had actually put unaccompanied kids on a plane in recent times.

Regards.

X.

You really need to contact the specific airline to get the latest on UM services. I am fairly certain that for TG, UM service is required for ages 5 - 11, unavailable for under 5, and optional for 12 and up. Not sure what the current fees are for this service on TG.

Be sure and check with Austalian Embassy as well as there is a specific form (#1229) that needs to be filed for any unaccompanied minor (under 18) wishing to enter Australia.

Be sure and check with Austalian Embassy as well as there is a specific form (#1229) that needs to be filed for any unaccompanied minor (under 18) wishing to enter Australia.

Yes, thank you. In fact, for Thai children a letter from the Amphur or Khet (Bangkok) is required for children to go to Australia unaccompanied by their parents.

You really need to contact the specific airline to get the latest on UM services. I am fairly certain that for TG, UM service is required for ages 5 - 11, unavailable for under 5, and optional for 12 and up. Not sure what the current fees are for this service on TG.

Keyword "fee" -- a few years ago, airlines flying from/to Europe didn't charge anything for unaccompanied childrens' care, except Thai International, who required a child (then 11) to have an adult ticket, whereas at the time (still today?) kids under 12 y.o. flew half-price...

Make sure you ask all the questions -- specifically fees & type-of-ticket required...

I used to have 3 kids travel a lot on airplanes as UM. The cost is around $150 each child each way (America to BKK). What I did was send one child as UM and have the others tag along. Never any problem except with United; they wouldn't let the older ones into the UM room as they hadn't paid yet.

Just make sure the two stick together (fast track through immigration) and give the passports to the older (non UM) one to hold onto. Keeps both kids together.

An 'Unaccompanied Minor' form is used by some (probably most) airline companies. This caters for kids aged between 5 - 11 years, but can still be utilized for kids up to 17 years.

The form nominates the person who will drop them off at the departure airport and who will collect them at the arrival airport. They are collected by the airline staff at the departure desk, taken on board and introduced to the hostess who will look after them whilst in flight.

Upon arrival, they are accompanied through Immigration before being handed over to the person nominated on the form as the collecting adult in the public area.

There is a fee involved.

Certain rules apply to certain airlines. For example, some airlines insist that the person dropping off the minor at the departure airport wait until the plane has taken off.

Best to check with your airline of choice for correct procedure.

Thank you to all of you for your helpful responses.

I'm sure it'll all work out OK. It turns out one of the two students (both 14) has travelled a bit, including to Australia, so that helps too.

Best wishes

Xangsamhua

I will be sending two 14 year-olds to Brisbane by themselves in April. I haven't yet booked the tickets, so am asking here before asking the airlines.

What assistance is available to them getting through immigration, to the departure lounge, transiting, through immigration & customs in Brisbane, etc. from airlines covering this route?

Some years ago I did get assistance for a 14 year-old going to Heathrow - I think with Thai.

The information on the current Thai website talks about 5-11 year-olds.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I've seen unaccompanied minors being walked thru immigration and departure on Thai International flights.....but I believe they were younger than 14 years old. My impression is they were about 10 years old or so. Probably best to check with the airline and provide them the details.

Edited March 5, 200818 yr by IMA_FARANG

I will be sending two 14 year-olds to Brisbane by themselves in April. I haven't yet booked the tickets, so am asking here before asking the airlines.

What assistance is available to them getting through immigration, to the departure lounge, transiting, through immigration & customs in Brisbane, etc. from airlines covering this route?

Some years ago I did get assistance for a 14 year-old going to Heathrow - I think with Thai.

The information on the current Thai website talks about 5-11 year-olds.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I've seen unaccompanied minors being walked thru immigration and departure on Thai International flights.....but I believe they were younger than 14 years old. My impression is they were about 10 years old or so. Probably best to check with the airline and provide them the details.

Problem solved. One of the parents had a friend in the airline so all will be attended to FOC. (It's not what you know but who.) The travel agent had told me it would be USD60 for each child.