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British Airways has introduced two important policy changes regarding children flying alone on the airline which apply from Tuesday 1 May 2018.
1. Minimum age for unaccompanied children
BA has, with effect from Tuesday 1 May 2018, increased the minimum age at which a child is allowed to fly alone from 12 to 14 years.
No bookings for children under 14 years flying alone can be made after Tuesday 1 May 2018. Bookings can continue to be made before this date and will be honoured.
BA withdrew its “Skyflyer Solo” service which provided a chaperone for unaccompanied minors on 31 January 2017.
2. New procedures affecting all unaccompanied children under the age of 16
In addition, all children under 16 and travelling alone from Tuesday 1 May 2018 must have a completed parental/guardian consent form prior to travel. This change applies regardless of when the booking was made.
The form will be available on ba.com from early April 2018. Parents/guardians will need to download, print and complete the form prior to travel. Unaccompanied children must ensure they bring the form with them and carry it at all times.
Based on guidance provided by BA to the travel trade, this change is driven by BA requiring a consent form in order to provide children with assistance during unexpected disruption, such as the diversion of an aircraft or cancellation of a flight.
There’s more guidance on children flying alone on ba.com
Update April 2018: The form referred to above is now available on ba.com
Honestly, BA. First you abolish support for Unaccompanied Minors under 12. Then you also raise the minimum age to 14. Really, what kind of a global airline do you want to be? Even some of the “budget” small airlines provide UM support, as do major airlines like Emirates and Turkish.
In general, BAs level of support has been diminishing year by year – both my husband and I fly BA 95% of the time since we arrived in UK, 19 years ago. On one hand, prices are growing continuously, especially to some cities and yet the true service is being lost on the other hand. From purchasing food on board within EU territory to loosing services such as unaccompanied minor service. It is sad to watch because there is a disillusion of being grand and yet except for the prices the customers have to pay, past grandness is gradually slipping away. BA does not play prim anymore and I can say from personal experience that it is difficult to explain my loyalty to this airline, even to myself