We know that sometimes a young person (14-16 years) will need to travel with Virgin Atlantic alone. It’s really important that both the customer and their parent / guardian understand our policies and what’s required of them. Health, safety and security always comes first.
Young Persons Travelling Alone
On this page:
Our policy and mandatory requirements
The minimum age of a person permitted to travel alone on Virgin Atlantic is 14 years of age at the time of travel. We have recently updated our policies meaning we no longer accept children aged 13 or under travelling alone, or unaccompanied minors.*
If a young person is accompanied by someone who is aged 16 or over (on the same or a linked booking), Virgin Atlantic will allow them to travel.
All young persons aged under 16 and travelling alone must have their parent or guardian complete a consent form before travel, regardless of when the booking was made. The consent form is available here. A copy of the parent/guardian’s current passport (or other form of photographic identification showing a signature) must also be attached to this form and brought to the airport.
If you would like to make a booking for a person under the age of 16 who is travelling on their own, please contact Virgin Atlantic directly to make the booking. Our partner airlines may have different regulations, age limits and charges.
When travelling with children on the same flight but in a different cabin, the following criteria must be followed:
Children aged between 14 and the day before their 16th birthday can travel in a different cabin on the same flight as an adult aged 16+.
Children aged under 14 must travel with an adult aged 16+ in the same cabin.
*if a booking for a 12 - 13 year old travelling alone was made and ticketed on or before 24 November 2022, for future travel, we will honour this and support their travel plans. They must also have a completed consent form in order to travel. On and after 25 November 2022, we will not allow bookings for 12 - 13 year olds travelling alone.
What to expect during the journey
A young person (14-16) travelling on their own will have the same responsibilities as an adult. This means they will need to be confident and competent in making their way through departure and arrival airports and boarding their flight(s) without a chaperone. While we maintain a duty of care for them when they fly with us, Virgin Atlantic cannot accept parental responsibility for the young person’s journey through the airport and onward destination.
The parent or guardian accompanying the young flyer to the airport is required to wait until their flight departs before leaving the terminal.
It’s very important that the young person does not leave the airport for any reason until they have reached their destination and met the designated adult collecting them, unless they’re accompanied by a Virgin Atlantic employee or uniformed police officer.
Young persons travelling along cannot check in online. They must come to the airport with a parent or legal guardian, where our airport team will check them in.
Young persons travelling alone will be met on arrival at the aircraft door by a Virgin Atlantic representative and escorted through Customs & Immigration at the following airports: • Barbados • Cape Town • New York JFK • Johannesburg • Montego Bay • Orlando • St Vincent • St Lucia
What a young person travelling alone should bring
The parent / guardian should ensure that the young person carries with them at all times:
Any necessary travel documentation such as valid passport(s), visas and proof of return travel (as required).
A signed Virgin Atlantic consent form and copy of parent/guardian’s passport or other form of photographic identification showing a signature attached to the form.
Any required medication and/or health certificates (including COVID-19 documentation if the destination requires this).
The ability to communicate with their parent/guardian and/or the person collecting them at the destination (please ensure all phones/mobile devices are fully charged, with sufficient credit and roaming is activated).
The means of payment should it be necessary for any expenses en route – ideally a credit card.
We will not be able to accept the young person if:
They aren't checked in by a parent or legal guardian
They won't be collected directly by a parent or guardian upon arrival
They will be connecting from or onto another flight. The journey must be ‘point to point’ without a transfer
They do not have a signed Virgin Atlantic consent form and copy of parent/guardian’s passport or other form of photographic identification showing a signature attached to the form.
There is required medication and/or health certificates which don’t have pre-clearance from our Special Assistance team.
They do not have the correct documents for travel.
Young people travelling alone with medical conditions or allergies
All young persons travelling alone with medical conditions or allergies, must declare these to our Special Assistance team at least 72 hours before travel – simply complete a special assistance contact form. On some occasions, our Special Assistance team may ask for supplementary documentation to confirm fitness to fly or confirmation from a parent/guardian that the child is able to manage their condition independently.
The young person must be able to recognise their own symptoms and administer any required medication/treatment. If they are unable to recognise their own symptoms or administer medication, they must travel with a safety assistant and cannot travel unaccompanied.
If the young person travelling alone is unable to manage their condition independently, we may refuse travel without a safety assistant accompanying them, which the parent/guardian would then need to arrange themselves.
Delays, Cancellations or Diversion
From time to time there may be disruption to our published schedule. If we have any indication that the young person’s flight may not operate as planned, we will advise the parent / guardian and suggest that you book travel for another day.
If a delay occurs en route, once the young person’s journey has started, Virgin Atlantic will contact the person at the destination who is designated to pick up the young person and/or the person listed as the emergency contact. We will continue to attempt contact until contact is made.
Under very rare circumstances, an unscheduled overnight stop may be required (e.g. if severe weather results in a diversion to another airport). In these situations, we will provide overnight accommodation and meals for the young person, please note that the Young Person will be required to stay in a hotel room unaccompanied and may need to travel to the hotel unaccompanied.
You will be contacted with pertinent information if this unusual circumstance occurs.
Young Persons travelling into Barbados
Young people (under 18 years old) entering Barbados alone or with an adult other than their parent or legal guardian must have a written consent letter from a parent or legal guardian (the legal guardian must attach official proof of guardianship), signed and sealed by a notary public.
The letter must indicate the duration of stay, identify the accompanying adult (with address and phone number) and/or authorised adult who will receive the child on arrival (with their address and phone number).
Young Persons & Children travelling into, out of, or via South Africa
Since 1 June 2016, the South African immigration department have changed the requirements for children under 18 years of age travelling into, out of, or transiting through South Africa, with or without a parent or guardian. Please make sure you have all the correct paperwork: