Avianca offers special services to children between 5 – 17 years of age on who are travelling alone domestic and international flights. The Unaccompanied Minors service is:
- Mandatory for children between 5 – 11 years (included) if they are travelling alone.
(except for flights within Ecuador)
- Optional for children between 12 – 17 years.
Children below 5 years of age must travel with a parent or legal adult guardian.
The Unaccompanied Minors service begins at the airport and ends after the Unaccompanied Minor has been handed over to the designated to receive the child at the final destination.
You can reserve the service at the airport, but same-day reservations are not guaranteed. For this reason, you should reserve and pay for the service in advance at an Avianca sales office, call center, or travel agent.
Avianca Airlines will Unaccompanied Minor Policy
- At the departure airport
- Provide documentation assistance and help your child to check in at the check-in counter.
- Accompany your child to the boarding lounge.
- Escort your child to his/her seat on the aircraft.
- During the flight
- At the destination airport
- Guide your child to the conveyor belt and help remove the suitcases.
- Accompany your child from the aircraft and through immigration.
- Hand over your child to the adult guardian authorized by you.
What terms and conditions must I be aware of when booking the Unaccompanied Minors service?
- Service fee. The Unaccompanied Minors service fee applies on a per-trip basis for each child. You may be eligible for a discount if you purchase the service in advance by calling Avianca’s sales office or call center.
- Confirmed booking. Your child’s flight booking and service request must be confirmed for each leg of the journey, as there is a limit to the number of minors accepted per flight.
- Document review. You must ensure that your child’s documents are in order, as you will asked to show them at the airport.
- Pre-assignment of seats. If you book a ticket at an Avianca call center or sales office, you can choose your child’s seat. Seat pre-assignments are done from the rear to the front to ensure that Unaccompanied Minors are placed as close to the crew as possible.
- At the airport. Unaccompanied Minors must follow the airline’s instructions. Parents/guardians are required to fill out and sign an Unaccompanied Minors Transportation Form.
- Connecting flights. Unaccompanied Minors can be booked on flights operated by Avianca, TACA, Avianca Peru, Avianca Costarica, and Avianca Ecuador. The Unaccompanied Minors service does not apply to connections with codeshare/interline agreements with other airlines.
- COVID-19 regulations for Unaccompanied Minors
- Unaccompanied Minors must have their own bio-security kit, such as a face mask (mandatory), antibacterial gel, and gloves. Single-use masks must be changed every 4 hours and fabric masks every 8 hours.
- Unaccompanied Minor must bring their own entertainment as Avianca’s entertainment systems are not available in the current situation.
- The parent/adult legal guardian must ensure that all documentation requirements of the destination country are complied with.
Avianca will not accept Unaccompanied Minors in the following cases:
- Children below 5 years of age.
- Unaccompanied Minors under medical treatment or a disability condition, as the crew is not allowed to provide medical assistance or medication.
- If the information on the Unaccompanied Minors Transportation Form is found to be incomplete at the airport.
- If the flight is delayed and the Unaccompanied Minor may risk the connecting flight.
- Unaccompanied Minors travelling with more luggage than permitted, as unaccompanied minors are not allowed to travel with excess baggage.
- Unaccompanied Minors traveling with pets, unless they are disabled and need the pet’s assistance during the flight.
- If an Unaccompanied Minor between 12 – 17 year of age is travelling with a minor below 12 years of age, unless the former is a parent of the latter. If so, the parent must be able to demonstrate the relationship, and travel without booking the Unaccompanied Minors service.
Note. The Unaccompanied Minor will be sent back to the airport of origin:
- If there is any inconsistency in the documentation.
- The person authorized to pick up the minor does not show up at the final destination.
- There are at least 2 connections and the Unaccompanied Minor has to spend the night at the airport.
Tips for Unaccompanied Minors and Their Guardians
- Unaccompanied Minors must:
- Be able to look after their carry-on baggage, electronic items, and valuables.
- Follow the baggage regulations for the trip.
- Wait on their seats at the final destination till a crew member guides them.
- Wait at the airport until a crew member helps with the luggage and escorts them to the airport exit.
- Reach the airport at least 3 hours before departure for a domestic or international flight.
- The Unaccompanied Minor’s parent/legal adult guardian must:
- Check the departure and entry requirements of minors with the respective authorities of both countries. Bring an additional authenticated copy of the authorization as it may be required by the entrance/exit country.
- Stay abreast of the documentation requirements to avoid inconvenience during travel.
- Reach the departure airport’s check-in counter with the Unaccompanied Minor and provide the name, address, phone number, and identification number of the person who will be dropping and picking up the child at each airport.
- Stay at the airport until the flight departs.
- Be at the arrival airport when the flight lands.
Unaccompanied Minors Fees
What is Avianca Airlines Unaccompanied Minors fee like?
Unaccompanied minor fares
Route | Unaccompanied Minors Service Fee |
Within Colombia | COP 115,000 |
Within Ecuador | USD 40 |
United States/Canada ↔ Central America | USD 165 |
United States/Canada ↔ South America |
Central America ↔ South America | USD 160 |
Between Central American Countries | USD 125 |
Between South American Countries |
Mexico ↔ Latin America | USD 155 |
The Caribbean ↔ Latin America |
To/from Europe | EUR 125/GBP 110 |
Notes • The above-mentioned fees are based on airport rates and do not include taxes (except Ecuador). • The fees will vary by season. ◦ High season dates: Jun. 15 – Sep. 15 | Dec. 15 – Jan. 10. ◦ Low season dates: Sep. 16 – Dec. 14 | Jan. 11 – Jun. 14. • The service fee applies on a per-trip, per-child basis for children travelling in Economy and Business Class. • Discounts are available if your purchase the service in advance from a Avianca’s call center or sales office. |
Country Restrictions for Unaccompanied Minors
- From Brazil
- Unaccompanied Minors travelling from Brazil must carry an international travel authorization form expressing the approval of both parents, along with their full names, ID numbers, and signatures.
- From Colombia/Ecuador
- Per Act No. 1098 of 2006 on the Children and Adolescents Code (article 110, paragraph 1), children leaving the country with a parent or person other than a legal representative must obtain permission from the person with whom the Unaccompanied Minor is not travelling or the person duly authenticated before a notary or consular authority.
- The permit must include the destination city, date of departure and re-entry, and the purpose of the trip.
- For additional information, refer to Migration Colombia and the Format of authorization for the exit of minors from the country.
- If you’re travelling to another country with a child up to 7 years of age, you must carry an original copy of the Minor’s Civil Registry to the airport, or you may be denied boarding. Photocopies will not be accepted. The original copy has no expiry date, and must have been issued by the National Registry of Civil Status in notaries or consulates.
- From Chile
- If the Unaccompanied Minor’s custody has not been granted to one of the parents/third party by a judge, the Unaccompanied Minor will only be allowed to travel with the permission of both parents.
- If the Unaccompanied Minor’s custody has been granted by a judge to one of the parents/third party, the Unaccompanied Minor cannot leave the country without the permission of the parent/third party who has been granted the minor’s care.
- The permit can be issued by a public or private deed and:
- Granted before a local notary.
- Endorsed by the internal legislation establishing authority.
- Legalized by the Chilean Consulate and then by Secretariat of State.
- Submitted in Spanish or translated.
- From Spain
- Per Law 27337 of Article 111 of the Code for Children and Adolescents, it is mandatory for children and adolescents travelling out of Spain alone or accompanied by a parent to present an authorization from both parents in the form of a notarial certification.
- For domestic trips within Spain, an authorization of any one parent will suffice.
- Documents required. Unaccompanied Spanish Minors are required to carry a valid ID card if they are travelling outside the Spanish national territory and within the EU/European Economic Area, and a valid passport if they are travelling outside of these territories (third states).
- Foreign minors departing from the national territory of Spain must carry a valid travel document or passport of their state/country.
- Unaccompanied Minors below 18 years of age travelling on non-domestic flights must carry a signed declaration of permission in addition to their passport/ID card. You can obtain the form from Operational Units of the General Directorate of Police notaries, courts, and offices of mayors.
- The Authorization Form for the departure of minors abroad as a reference is not required for minors travelling with parents or legal guardians. For minors travelling alone or with third parties (other than parents/legal guardians), the presence of a legal representative of the Spanish State Security Forces and Corps is mandatory.
- The legal representatives of Spain-residing foreign minors must obtain the required documentation from their consular authorities, as required under their national legislation.
- Foreign minors who are nationals of non-EU countries/European Economic Area and residing in a member state of the EU who requiring collective authorisations on school trips that are regulated by Circular 12/1995 of August 28 of the Secretary of State for the Interior require individual authorisations signed by their legal representatives.
- From Mexico
- From Peru
- Per Law 27337 of Article 111 of the Code for Children and Adolescents, children/adolescents who are travelling out of Peru (alone or accompanied by a parent) must carry an authorization from both parents with notarial certification.
- If travelling within Peru, the authorization of any one parent is sufficient.
- To/from the United Kingdom
- If you flying with an under-18-year-old child and you’re not the parent/have a different last name, you will need to why the child is accompanying you and validate the relationship with the child, such as with:
- A birth/adoption certificate showing your relationship to the child.
- Marriage/divorce certificate if you are the father and have a different last name.
- An authorization letter from the parents that allows the child to travel with you, along with their complete contact details.
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