Unaccompanied minors with multiple transits
#1
Original Poster
FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,337
Unaccompanied minors with multiple transits
I asked on one of the airline forums and didn't get much back. Has anyone any experience with setting up transit guides for children at multiple airports with multiple airlines?
The itin is LYS-FRA-PHL-LAX and back. The LYS-FRA is LH and the rest is US. Shouldn't I be able to get US to handle the whole thing? I'm having a very tough time getting straight answers from anyone.
The itin is LYS-FRA-PHL-LAX and back. The LYS-FRA is LH and the rest is US. Shouldn't I be able to get US to handle the whole thing? I'm having a very tough time getting straight answers from anyone.
#2




Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Wuppertal
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 428
I presume you have arranged unaccompanied minor service (UM LH calls this I think) with your ticket. In that case the instruction will be in the PNR. A LH rep will escort the kid onto the plane in LYS and again in FRA someone from LH will meet the kid from the flight, take him/her and escort him/her to the connecting flight to PHL. The same will upon arrival in PHL a US rep will make sure that the kid gets on the right flight to LAX.
I would contact the carrier (LH I assume) who issued the ticket and make sure you confirm all the arrangements with them. I have seen this done many times and heard from people with kids that this UM service is very reliable so I would not worry!
This information is from the LH website:
Kids travelling alone
Traveling "alone" can be an exciting experience for a young person. At Lufthansa, we welcome unaccompanied children and teenage passengers and we look forward to having them on our flights. In special cases this service can also be requested for teenagers between 12 and 17 years.
This internet guide contains tips an suggestions for the unaccompanied child traveler which should help to ensure a comfortable, fun and safe trip.
When making reservations, provide name, address and telephone numbers of persons responsible for dropping off and picking up your child at the airport.
The airfare for unaccompanied minors between 5 and 11 years is subject to the applicable tariff, plus a supervision fee per direction of:
35,00 for intra-german transportation only (direct flight & transit)
35,00 for nonstop/direct flight transportation
60,00 for transit transportation (applies also for other airline transportation even if the other airline has no charge)
Exception:
For flights from Brazil, no charge applies.
If unaccompanied minors are brothers or sisters with same address and surname travelling together, the charge applies only once.
When purchasing the ticket you will receive a yellow bag, which your child will carry clearly visible, for the duration of the journey. This bag will contain all necessary travel documents (ticket, UM papers, passport/minor's ID, visa for destination, travel health insurance, allergy pass, etc.).
Standard measurements apply for carry-on baggage. Security regulations do not permit electronic equipment such as Gameboys on board.
Special check-in counters for unaccompanied minors are available at the following airports: Frankfurt (Terminal A, counter 282-283), Munich (all counters) and Hamburg (Terminal A).
Who looks after your child?
A Lufthansa employee will accompany your child to the aircraft from
the check-in counter or the airport child care facility (Frankfurt and
Munich). On board a flight attendant will look after your child for the
duration of the flight. Additionally, special meals, toys, the board magazine
"Lu" and - on certain flights - a special in-flight entertainment program will
help make your child's flight a pleasant one. At the destination your child
will be picked up by another Lufthansa employee and delivered to the
designated pick-up person. Unaccompanied minors travel conveniently
and safely with Lufthansa.
For more information please contact Lufthansa Information Frankfurt:
Tel. 069 - 696 94433 (6 a.m. - 11 p.m.) or your local Reservations office.
http://cms.lufthansa.com/fly/de/en/i...780451,00.html
I would contact the carrier (LH I assume) who issued the ticket and make sure you confirm all the arrangements with them. I have seen this done many times and heard from people with kids that this UM service is very reliable so I would not worry!
This information is from the LH website:
Kids travelling alone
Traveling "alone" can be an exciting experience for a young person. At Lufthansa, we welcome unaccompanied children and teenage passengers and we look forward to having them on our flights. In special cases this service can also be requested for teenagers between 12 and 17 years.
This internet guide contains tips an suggestions for the unaccompanied child traveler which should help to ensure a comfortable, fun and safe trip.
When making reservations, provide name, address and telephone numbers of persons responsible for dropping off and picking up your child at the airport.
The airfare for unaccompanied minors between 5 and 11 years is subject to the applicable tariff, plus a supervision fee per direction of:
35,00 for intra-german transportation only (direct flight & transit)
35,00 for nonstop/direct flight transportation
60,00 for transit transportation (applies also for other airline transportation even if the other airline has no charge)
Exception:
For flights from Brazil, no charge applies.
If unaccompanied minors are brothers or sisters with same address and surname travelling together, the charge applies only once.
When purchasing the ticket you will receive a yellow bag, which your child will carry clearly visible, for the duration of the journey. This bag will contain all necessary travel documents (ticket, UM papers, passport/minor's ID, visa for destination, travel health insurance, allergy pass, etc.).
Standard measurements apply for carry-on baggage. Security regulations do not permit electronic equipment such as Gameboys on board.
Special check-in counters for unaccompanied minors are available at the following airports: Frankfurt (Terminal A, counter 282-283), Munich (all counters) and Hamburg (Terminal A).
Who looks after your child?
A Lufthansa employee will accompany your child to the aircraft from
the check-in counter or the airport child care facility (Frankfurt and
Munich). On board a flight attendant will look after your child for the
duration of the flight. Additionally, special meals, toys, the board magazine
"Lu" and - on certain flights - a special in-flight entertainment program will
help make your child's flight a pleasant one. At the destination your child
will be picked up by another Lufthansa employee and delivered to the
designated pick-up person. Unaccompanied minors travel conveniently
and safely with Lufthansa.
For more information please contact Lufthansa Information Frankfurt:
Tel. 069 - 696 94433 (6 a.m. - 11 p.m.) or your local Reservations office.
http://cms.lufthansa.com/fly/de/en/i...780451,00.html
Last edited by fm747; Mar 6, 2005 at 1:11 pm
#3
Original Poster
FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,337
Thanks. I understand the basics of the service, but I am having a hard time arranging it. I booked the ticket through UA using UA miles. They said it would be a $60 charge all the way through. Then I called UA back to book, and another agent said I had to pay $60 to LH and $75 to US. Then I called US and they said it was $75 for them and I had to call LH for their portion and by the way I could not buy this over the phone. I'll try to call LH when I get a chance, but I don't see why US can't handle both transits, FRA and PHL since they are operating the FRA-PHL and PHL-LAX flights.
BTW, the kids are 8 and 15. I was told that the 15 year-old can chaperone the 8 year old, but I don't want them to try to transit FRA and PHL alone as they know very little English and German.
BTW, the kids are 8 and 15. I was told that the 15 year-old can chaperone the 8 year old, but I don't want them to try to transit FRA and PHL alone as they know very little English and German.
#4
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Atlantic/Gulf Coast USA
Programs: Skyteam Elite, Starwood Gold, Kmart ShopYourWay Rewards
Posts: 1,361
They should be fine...I'd give each a slip of paper with French/German/English iteneraries so if they really get lost they can just show the paper to a gate agent.
Not sure about the money issues, but paying both airlines might be worth the peace of mind.
Not sure about the money issues, but paying both airlines might be worth the peace of mind.

