please help me with this. cant book ticket to go collect my child in los

[kranuan]

i called ebookers to book a return ticket for myself , to go collect my child 13 year old from thailand and bring child back to uk ( child has all his relevent visa in place and i have his passport ) ebookers told me today that because he is only 13 he is classed as child ? but yet any airline i booked before they charged me an adult ticket for a child ( my daughter ) because she was over 3 years old . now this is the problem, ebookers told me that i need to book a single ticket for myself outward from uk and then book 2 single return tickets for myself and child on way back, this is going to be expensive for me.

is there any advice you guys can give me on this issue. my kid is 13, his mum cannot afford to travel with me, he has been granted his visa by ukba to come to uk to live with us, i am going to collect him . i will have his passport and all relevent papers from lawyer her in uk, a letter from his mother to say im going to collect him, his teburculosis papers etc etc

please help with any advise possible. thankyou

[redcardave]

Phone emirates sure they will sort it for you. good luck.

[redcardave]

emirates phone number 02078080033

[Maybole]

All airlines have staff trained to look after unaccompanied children provided they are delivered to the checkin and collected at the other end. You must make the arrangement in advance. My daughter travelled many times unaccampanied.

[mad mary]

Are you going travelling all round Thailand in a rental car before or after you pick up your child?

[UbonOz]

Why not just book a return ticket for yourself.

On arrival in Thailand then book the child to travel with you.

Make sure your ticket can be changed just in case your return date is fully booked, then change to a date you can both travel together.

Do not book with eBookers go direct to an airline of your choice. Check several of the airlines to get the best fare and just ask about the child.

[UbonOz]

Have been thinking about your dilemma and your cheapest option is for the child to fly unaccompanied if you would feel comfortable with that situation.

Emirates websites quotes:

"Young Passengers are children from 12 years of age up to, but not including, their 16th birthday. Young Passengers are entitled to Unaccompanied Minors service if specifically requested by the parent or guardian."

You could check with other airlines and see if they offer the same service.

[djhotsox]

I fully concur with UbonOz and Maybole, my son has travelled many many times around the world as an unaccompanied minor and full service airlines like Emirates or Cathay Pacific provide the service at a very minimal extra cost.

Although online airline websites, in my opinion, are the best way to book flights (directly), you may need to contact the airlines booking agent in your case to book travel for an unaccompanied minor.

Each airlines webpage will have the necessary contact info.

Best of luck.

edit: In addition, I wanted to clarify UbonOz's post.....a child age 12 or older can travel by himself. If you are secure/happy with him going through immigration and security, making it to the aircraft and getting on the flight by himself, he legally can. BUT they will provide the UM service if you want it for children aged 12-16

Edited November 2, 2013 by djhotsox

[roamer]

Was at EVA check in at Swampy earlier this year with a UM being dropped off by her Dad, sat behind us on flight and handed over by the flight attendants to ground staff at Heathrow where she got whizzed through a crowded immigration long before us

PS. If you want to do it this way and you have all the supporting paperwork you will have to courier it over to LOS. Also my choice of airline for a UM would be EVA, Thai or BA as I would want a direct flight.

Edited November 4, 2013 by roamer