It is certainly possible for a 17 year old to travel alone through Europe. With the right preparation and research, it can be an incredibly rewarding experience. However, there are some important considerations that should be taken into account before embarking on such a journey.
How old does a child have to be to fly alone? We allow children aged 14 or older to travel alone with us on domestic or international British Airways flights. Children under 13 years old cannot travel alone with us. They must be accompanied by someone aged 16 or over on the same or a linked booking to travel with us.
Any persons under 18 travelling without their parents or guardian are required to present an international travel permission declaration form signed by their father, mother or guardian at the check-in desks.
Children under the age of 14 may, as long as they are in possession of their own identification document, travel with persons who are neither their parents nor legal guardians, while children between the ages of 14 and 17 years of age may travel without an accompanying adult.
To help prevent child trafficking, all young people under the age of 18 travelling to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) now need authorisation from their parent or legal guardian to travel. This is important, as you won't be able to fly without it, even if you're travelling with another family member or friend.
Ryanair does not carry unaccompanied minors under 16 years. Escort and special facilities are not available. To enable a child passenger to travel with an adult (aged 16 and over) booked on an existing reservation, a new reservation for the child (as an adult) must be made and then linked to the existing reservation.
On arrival your child will be escorted to a parent or guardian waiting to collect them (ID will be required). Children aged 12 and above: Children over 12 (15 for some airlines) can travel alone but the Unaccompanied Minor Service is available for an extra charge. stating what medication they are taking and why.
The letter should say I acknowledge that my son/daughter is traveling outside the country with [the name of the adult] with my permission. If one parent has sole custody of the child, a copy of the custody document can take the place of the other parent's letter.
All children, including infants, must have their own passport or Trusted Traveler Program document for U.S. entry. Carry documents for traveling with minor children. If you are escorting a minor child without the parents, have a letter from both parents indicating that you have permission to travel with the minor.
If you travel or are going to travel with a child, consider taking the following documents: If the child is traveling with only one of their custodial parents, they must have a letter of consent, preferably in English and notarized, from the other parent or signed by both parents.
What is Ryanair's Family Seat Policy? For family bookings, children (aged 2 to 11 years) receive free reserved seating so they can sit beside a parent. When an adult purchases a reserved seat they can select up to 4 children's seats beside them free of charge.
We ask that a consent form is completed for each young person travelling alone age 14 – 16 years. All information, including the consent form, and what to do if the customer has medical conditions can be found here. Please note that we will not accept young people travelling alone unless all requirements are met.
At what age can I travel abroad on my own? If you are 18 or over – You will be able to travel abroad on your own without the consent of your parents. If you are under the age of 18 – It is up to the airline or travel operator whether you can travel abroad.
U.S. citizen children traveling abroadYou may also need a letter of permission from the other parent for your child to travel. If your child travels alone, depending on the country, they may be required to present a notarized letter from both parents or their legal guardian.