Unaccompanied minors
UM Service: ensuring your child arrives safely
The Unaccompanied Minor Service (UM Service) for children travelling alone is intended for children between the ages of 5 and 12, but can also be booked for children up to the age of 17. By the time our crew welcomes your child on board, they will have already passed through all the airport stations in good hands. Your child will receive a shoulder bag at the check-in desk, which contains all the important travel documents they need for the flight. They are not left alone to go through customs and security checks; they are accompanied by a member of the ground staff. We also pamper our young guests on board. When they arrive at their destination, the ground staff will be waiting to meet them and will hand them over to the designated caregiver. Your child will never be left on their own for a moment and can count on a friendly companion. Even in the event of unforeseen flight changes, your child will be well looked after and the contact persons will be informed immediately.
Charges in all travel classes per child and per segment
| Flights to / from | Price |
|---|---|
| Europe (incl. Morocco and Tunisia) | CHF 95.- / EUR 85.- / GBP 90.- / USD 95.- / CAD 135.- |
| Levant and Egypt | CHF 105.- / EUR 95.- / GBP 100.- / USD 105.- / CAD 145.- |
| Short-haul intercontinental | CHF 130.- / EUR 115.- / GBP 120.- / USD 130.- / CAD 175.- |
| Medium-haul intercontinental | CHF 140.- / EUR 125.- / GBP 130.- / USD 140.- / CAD 190.- |
| Long-haul intercontinental | CHF 170.- / EUR 150.- / GBP 155.- / USD 170.- / CAD 230.- |
How our service works for your child travelling alone
With our childcare service, your child will be in good hands at all times. Below you’ll find all the information about our childcare service before, during, and after the flight.
The following age requirements apply for our childcare service for children travelling alone (UM Service). Some countries, however, have different age requirements. We kindly ask you as a parent or guardian to check the relevant regulations well in advance.
| Age | Requirement |
|---|---|
| 0 – 2 years | May only travel in the company of an adult (at least 18 years old). Our UM Service is therefore not possible. |
| 2 – 4 years | May only travel in the company of an adult (at least 18 years old) or in the company of an at least 16-year-old sibling. Our UM Service is therefore not possible. |
| 5 – 11 years | The UM Service is mandatory for children travelling alone unless they are accompanied by a person over 12 years of age. In this case, the UM Service can be waived.* |
| 12 – 17 years | The UM Service is optional and can be booked, but is not mandatory. |
It is not possible to book the flight or the UM Service for children travelling alone online. This must be done by telephone with our Service Center or through your travel agency. The UM Service must be booked with our Service Center by telephone at +41848333593 at least 96 hours before departure.
When making your booking, please specify the adults who will hand over and collect the child. The costs for the ticket and service are charged together. The service is charged per segment of the journey.
For free seat reservations for unaccompanied children, please also contact the Service Centre by telephone +41848333593 or using the contact form.
Please be sure to have all the required travel documents. Fill out the childcare form below on the computer and print out sufficient copies. Your child will need two copies of the form per flight segment. For example, if your child is travelling the route Zurich-Marrakesh-Zurich, they will need four copies. By signing this form, you confirm that you will pay the costs for food, accommodation, or transfer if the person collecting the child does not arrive at the destination and the child has to fly back.
For travel to/from Skopje and Ohrid, children travelling alone with North Macedonian citizenship up to the age of 13 must carry a legally valid power of attorney from their parents.
Please note that special entry requirements apply to children travelling alone who are citizens of South Africa, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic.
At Zurich Airport, your first step is to go to Special Assistance counter no. 122 in Check-in 1 North. Children travelling alone will be checked in there. The ground staff will then arrange a meeting point and time for collecting your child or children by telephone with Checkport.
Abroad, please go to the normal check-in counters.
Your child will be collected by a supervising member of ground staff and brought safely through passport and security control to the gate. As the person dropping off the child, you must remain at the airport until the aircraft has taken off. Good to know: At Zurich Airport, you have the option to bring your child to the gate personally, even if you are not flying yourself. To do so requires that you are the legal guardian and that you have your passport with you. Please register this directly at the check-in counter.
A member of our cabin crew will welcome your child on board and look after them throughout the flight. And thanks to our puzzle book and digital inflight entertainment, the time on board will literally fly by.
Once the plane has landed, the cabin crew will hand over your child to the escort staff at the destination. Your child will be taken through passport control and customs. Any checked baggage will also be collected together. Afterwards, the child is handed over to the person responsible for picking them up. This person must arrive punctually at the arrivals terminal, be of legal age, and be able to identify themselves.
No, children travelling alone (under 12 years) are not allowed to take an animal into the cabin.
Travel fun for children
Questions and answers