China Eastern Airlines Unaccompanied Minor Policy

What is China Eastern Airlines Unaccompanied Minor policy?

Children between 5 and under 12 years of age travelling alone (i.e., unaccompanied by an adult passenger) are allowed to travel as Unaccompanied Minors on domestic and international flights. For children between 12 and 15, the service is optional. 

The Unaccompanied Minor services include being fully accompanied and attended to while boarding, disembarking, and during the flight. 

Major Highlights 

The major highlights of China Eastern Airlines Unaccompanied Minor Policy are as follows:

• Age Restrictions
  • Children between 5 and below 12 years travelling alone are accepted as Unaccompanied Minors on China Eastern flights. Children (in the same age range) travelling with adults will be considered unaccompanied if they are travelling in different classes on the same flight. 
  • For children between 12 and 15 years, the Unaccompanied Minor service is optional.
• Unaccompanied Minor Fares
  • Unaccompanied Minors travelling on international flights must pay the full adult fare. 
  • Unaccompanied Minors travelling on domestic flights will be charged 50% of the adult fare. 
• Unaccompanied Minor Reservations 

You can purchase tickets and apply for the Unaccompanied Minor service over the phone or contacting the China Eastern Airlines call center in your area. You must book the service:

• At least 96 hours before departure for international flights.
• At least 48 hours before departure for domestic flights. 

Note. After booking the Unaccompanied Minor service, you must receive consent from China Eastern Airlines to be eligible to fly.

• Connecting Flights

If the Unaccompanied Minor has to catch a connecting flight, the following rules apply: 

• You must take care of all the necessary arrangements. 
• The seats must be confirmed for all the onward segments of the journey. 
• The first connecting flight’s operating carrier must be China Eastern Airlines or Shanghai Airlines. 
• The transfer for the connecting flight must be:
  • On the same day 
  • At a transit point which is a main hub
• The connecting time between flights must be at least 150 minutes
• The departure, transit, and arrival airports must have the ability to offer special services to Unaccompanied Minors. 
• Number of Unaccompanied Minors Per Flight 

The number of Unaccompanied Minors accepted per flight ranges from 2 – 5, depending on the aircraft. 

Aircraft Type	Number of Unaccompanied Minors Accepted
A340, B777-300	5
A330, A300, A310, B767	4
A321, A320, A319, B737, MD90,	3
CRJ, EMB145	2

How it Works

• At least 7 days before departure:
  • You (the Unaccompanied Minor’s parent/guardian) must fill out the Unaccompanied Minor Requested Travel Advice form, which includes the names, addresses, and phone numbers of the adults designated by you who will be drop/receive your child at the departure and arrival points.
• China Eastern Airlines will:
  • Fax the above form to the destination airport and have the designated party’s credentials confirmed. 
  • Attach the fax and the above form to the minor’s ticket.
• On the day of travel
  • You must accompany your child to the airport’s check-in counter.
  • The check-in staff will handle the required procedures, fill in the Special Service Notification, and arrange the travel certificates in your child’s Minor’s travel certificate bag.
  • You must stay at the airport until your child’s flight takes off. 
  • China Eastern’s staff will escort your child past security, seat her/him on the aircraft, and introduce her/him to the responsible crewmember(s). 
• After your plane lands at the destination airport
  • China Eastern’s staff member will accompany your child through disembarkation and immigration procedures, and help with claiming his/her checked baggage.
  • Your child will be handed over to the designated receiving party after their credentials are checked and they sign the travel advice form.

Note. If your child is not met by the receiving party on time, the receiving party must bear additional costs resulting from the delay.

• The form will be saved and stored by China Eastern in its archives.

Frequently Asked Questions on China Eastern Airlines Unaccompanied Minor Policy