What Is Southwest Unaccompanied Minor Policy?

By Author: Cooper Jones
Total Articles: 27
Comment this article

A part of Southwest unaccompanied minor policy, Southwest Airlines ensures that your child who travels alone receives top-quality service, as well as additional attention from cabin and ground staff.
In this article, you'll learn how to comply with the rules and guidelines that you must know prior to making arrangements for travel arrangements for minors, including the costs of minor travel and also the process of organizing travel as well as other details.
Southwest Unaccompanied Minors Rules and Guidelines
According to the Southwest Unaccompanied Minor rule, minors aged between 5 and 11 years old who are not traveling with a passenger that is not older than 12 years old can travel on their own and must pay the unaccompanied travel fee in addition to the cost of airfare. The same applies to the following rules: here are some additional rules to be aware of:
Before the Travel
Minors that are not accompanied are charged 50 USD per trip and 100 USD for each round trip, in addition to the cost of travel for minors that are unaccompanied Southwest.
The fees for minors who aren't accompanying can ...
... be refunded. If your travel plans are late and the minor who was not accompanied refuses to travel or doesn't want to change the date of travel, or in the event that the child is with an adult passenger (12 or older) and is no longer an unaccompanied minor call the customer service number or stop by the counter to purchase a ticket at the airport to request the refund.
The person purchasing the ticket must declare that they are the child's guardians or parents or have the power to represent parents or guardians in accordance with Southwest Airlines's unaccompanied minor policy.
They reserve the option to refuse transport to minors who do not have parents for flights that are delayed or canceled due to weather conditions or other technical problems.
To travel unaccompanied Minor Birth certificate or another identification document for the child needs to be provided as proof of their age at the counter to purchase tickets.
To check in or take any minor not accompanying a parent or guardian, the parent must present a valid government-issued photo ID to the airline's management.
Minors not being accompanied by parents or guardians can travel on nonstop flights or in the same aircraft. Parents or guardians aren't permitted to reserve connecting flights or red-eye flights for children aged 5-11 traveling independently.
The airline doesn't provide minors with no accompanying services to travelers from outside the United States.
Dropping Off the Unaccompanied Minor
Minors without a parent must be taken to the gate to depart 45 minutes before departure time. The parents or the guardians that take their child to the airport stay at the entrance for boarding until the time the plane is scheduled to take off.
A representative of an airline representative will notify passengers about the preboarding procedure for minors who have not been accompanying them prior to departure. Parents or Guardians responsible for dropping off the child are responsible to hand over the child according to the instructions given to board the plane.
When Flight Boarded by the Unaccompanied Minor
Once you have gotten to the airport The flight attendant will observe or speak to children who aren't often accompanied, and other tasks are completed by them. Children aren't always observed throughout the flight.
The person responsible for the flight isn't allowed to remove minors without parents from the airport prior to or following the departure time.
The airline does not be held responsible for the actions or the conduct of a minor who is not accompanied by a parent or guardian behavior.
The minor is being handled according to Southwest Airlines's unaccompanied minor policy
To ease the transfer process of the minor who isn't with the two adults, the parents who welcome them as well as the guardians have to be at the airport at least 45 minutes prior to the departure time scheduled and show a photo ID from a government institution to the representative of the airline.
The airlines will not allow the transfer of anyone who isn't accompanying anyone other than the parent or guardian who is named. Prior to the arrival of the child, the parent or guardian must discuss the matter with the airline's representatives at the counter. There, they can alter the greetings for the guardian or parent.
The airline is entitled to take any action it deems appropriate and reasonable in the event that the person who is designated as the representative authorized by the airline does not meet the child in a private manner upon arrival at the airport at which they are expected to meet. Parents or guardians are held accountable for the payment of airline costs of travel and administrative costs caused by the action.
Southwest Airlines ID Requirements For Minors
As per the Southwest Airlines unaccompanied minor policy, The airline generally recommends the parents and guardians looking for a minor that is not accompanied, must be present within two hours of the departure time. Do not plan to drop off your child at the entrance to the airport and/or at the counter for tickets.
Take extra time to handle delays in traffic or long lines at the desk to check in. There could be additional time to complete this form. Southwest Airline's Unaccompanied Minors form and go through security (there may be some lines) and then accompany youngsters to their gates at the appropriate time to board before.
When you arrive at the airport, comply with the process and give all the necessary information which is given below. When you check in, make sure to provide the following information.
The address, along with the contact number of parents or guardians will be used to greet the child without a parent. Parents or guardians must meet the child.
The contact number should be made available to children and parents at both points of departure and return. This is crucial since airlines have to change their contact numbers in case of flight delays or changes in schedules.
Copy of the entire itinerary of the child's trip, which includes the dates, names of airlines flight numbers, departure and return times, along with the PNR number.
Southwest Airlines ID Requirements For Minors
Documentation of age A parent or guardian must provide a copy of any of the following documents:
State federal ID card.
Birth certificate. (Send an original certificate of birth along with dates of birth to the person who will accompany them on the return flight.)
Receipts for minor fees and fees for minor charges Southwest minor charges that aren't accompanied by receipts are charged in advance when booking a flight or purchasing the flight through our customer support. Parents or guardians must be able to provide receipts for the cost of minors.
How to Book a Flight for a Minor on Southwest Airlines?
Passengers are able to make reservations for flights for minors who do not have parents via the airline's customer service center and in the airport. Make sure you are aware the Southwest Airlines' minor policy before making the UMNR reservation. You can do this by some of the methods below:
Southwest Airlines Unaccompanied Minor Booking Online
If you'd like you could book flights for minors through southwest.com.
On the checkout page, pay Southwest a small amount along with the cost of the airfare.
After you've finished your reservation following which the airline will send an email with a Southwest minor form, which isn't accompanied.
Fill out the application. The number of the contact, as well as an address for the guardianship as well as parents at the time of pickup or check-in, will be visible within the Manage Booking section.