Harry Harry

Hello - looking for some help.

I have found myself stuck in hospital in London. My wife came to help me out and brought two of our kids. Our 10 year old asked to stay so he could still go to school.

This was OK when we thought I would only be in hospital for a couple of days.

We now need to get our 10 year old here. I can have someone accompany him to Heathrow but not through customs and immigration - she doesn't have a UK visa.

Does anyone know how we can get him through customs and immigration? Or can my wife somehow get airside to meet him off the plane?

thanks!

tinkicker

Hi Sorry to hear about this.

BA no longer carry unaccompanied minors below 14. However, for your route I think Virgin Atlantic and Air India still do so you may be best looking at them.

jerry a. laska

corporate-wage-slave

I'm wholly unconvinced this is a good way of proceeding, however the obvious thing to do is for your wife to book a flight to anywhere (domestic probably best), take the transit to T5C, stay on, return to T5A and meet up by the seats to the right of the UK Border, past Flight Connections, there are a set of seats in the main corridor there. Once through the UK Border you should tell BA in Baggage Enquiries that you have offloaded yourself.

There is provision for priority visas which can take a few days, but note that the child's guardian - presumably travelling with the child - may need a visa even to transit in the UK. Furthermore if this doesn't attract the attention of the Border Force's child trafficking agents then something has gone wrong.

highpeaklad

andrelux

Leaving two small children behind?

highpeaklad

Andriyko

VS will transport an unaccompanied minor to London.

Tafflyer

Often1

I don't like any of the "handoff" from nanny to parent options as they are fraught with risks and that strands a 10 YOA in no man's land. Not that he won't be taken care of, but it is traumatic in a situation which ought not to be.

If you are satisfied that your son is mature enough to travel UM, the VS option seems workable. If not, I would find someone who has or can obtain a UK visa to handle the trip. Consulates can be quite helpful in family emergency situations and the question then arises as to whether the individual without a visa could obtain one or whether they are inadmissible for some reason.

C-W-S' point is key. This is likely to trigger every human trafficking red flag there is to be had and makes it a bad idea in and of its own.

Harry Harry

thanks for your thoughts guys. Here's a few responses.

The adult accompanying him is flying to the US - she has a valid visa for there but not the UK.

I know the BA UM age restriction.

My concerns are him getting into the airport in Mubai as a UM - you can't just walk into an Indian airport

The other obvious problem is getting through Immigration in London.

I think the VS flight is a codeshare with Jet on Jet metal - I'm not willing to trust them.

jeremyBA

I dont quite follow.

Someone is transiting the UK on the way to the USA and will then drop him? I am not sure where getting him into Mumbai comes into play as he would be with the adult?

So he is then taken to immigration ( possibly with the adult who does not want to enter who then turns round and goes off to their USA flight?).

So the final piece of the puzzle seems to be if the UK will let him in unaccompanied ( not a clue - but I assume it is binary - he has the required docs or he does not - and assuming he does they will let him in unless they have some overriding child welfare issue).

Alternatively just use the Virgin Unacompanied minor service ?

He then has to navigate from customs, collect his bag ( if any) and then exit to his mother.

Would Heathrow Meet and Assist help with this last part?

https://www.heathrow.com/airport-gui...cierge-service

It costs Ł125, but it seems to have him accompanied through the airport. The other alternative is that the accompanying adult gets a visa?

flatlander

Yes, "Virgin" to Mumbai is a Jet Airways codeshare (https://www.virginatlantic.com/gb/en...sia/india.html) Jet do carry UMs but you don't want to trust them (a point I am not disputing).

Air India also does UM service on direct flights, but do need 3 days notice: Unaccompanied children - Air India - how do you feel about them?

Tafflyer

simons1

Emirates do an unaccompanied minor service.

Basically all your escort needs to do is deliver the traveller to the EK desk in Mumbai and they will do the rest until you are reunited at Heathrow.