People are worried about their kids traveling and when they are traveling alone, both situations are very challenging for the parents. So to take away this burden, Southwest offers Southwest Airlines a UMNR policy in which they are prepared to take full responsibility for your child's travel.
Southwest Unaccompanied Minor Policy
Below are the details for the Unaccompanied Minor:
- Children under the age of 5-11 years traveling alone may come under unaccompanied minors. But note that they cannot travel with anyone under the age of 12.
- If a child is traveling alone and is 12 to 17, Southwest considers him or her a Young Traveler (YT). So this passenger can do his journey.
- Only the parent or guardian of the child has the authority to make the reservation and provide all valid details about them and the unaccompanied minor.
- Documents such as birth certificates and legal identity proof will be required for verification at the check-in counter.
- The parent or guardian picking up and dropping off the child must have a government-issued legal photo ID to show at the airport.
- Southwest Airlines does not allow unaccompanied minors to travel on international flights.
- Southwest Airlines allows unaccompanied minors to travel only on non-stop flights and only on connecting flights operated by Southwest.
- A parent or guardian must drop off the child at the departure gate at least 45 minutes prior.
- Parents or guardians coming to pick up the child upon arrival must reach the gate 45 minutes in advance and show valid ID proof to a Southwest representative to pick up the child.
Southwest Unaccompanied Minor Fee
The table given below gives the details of the UMNR fee structure:
- The fees for unaccompanied minors fee $ 50 USD each way traveling within the United States and $100 USD for the round trip
- If two unaccompanied minors travel together then the fee will be $ 50 USD for each child, each way.
- The fees for an unaccompanied minor who is traveling between North America and Hawaii will be $ 100 USD each way
- The unaccompanied minor who are traveling within the Hawaii states, the fee is $35 USD each way
- For the young traveler who is traveling to Hawaii, the fees are optional
Southwest UMNR services include
A passenger who is under the age of 5-11 years always need assistance, so Southwest Airline list down the number of services for an unaccompanied minor:
- The airline provides full-time assistance to the Unaccompanied Minor
- The assistant will assist in the check-in process, southwest airlines baggage rules, and other formalities
- Southwest Airlines provides Pre Boarding for Unaccompanied Minor so they can have the appropriate seat for themselves.
- The assistant is always there to supervise the child on the flight during the journey.
- If the unaccompanied minor is traveling on the connecting flight the assistant will help with the connection and retrieve the bags also.
- The assistant will deliver the child to the authority parents or guardian by checking the valid Id proof once they reach the destination.
Requirements for UMNR For connecting flights
There are some requirements for traveling with an unaccompanied minor on connecting flights:
- The unaccompanied minor can only travel on connecting flights when the connecting flight is operated by Southwest only.
- The unaccompanied minor should have the confirmed reservation and ticket number.
- If the unaccompanied minor is traveling on a connecting flight the layover should not be more than 4 hours.
- At the time of connection, the unaccompanied minors should be able to use the washroom and feed themselves.
Book a Flight for an Unaccompanied Minor with Southwest Airlines
After getting all the details about the Southwest Airlines UMNR Policy, we also need to know how can we make the bookings for unaccompanied minors, there are usually three methods to make a reservation for an unaccompanied minor:
Booking Flights Online
In this process of reservation passengers directly go to the website or the mobile application of Southwest Airlines:
- Fill in the trip details in the given space
- Choose the suitable flight according to the time and comfort of traveling for the child
- Fill in the details of the child and the information of the parents and guardians required for the reservation
- Make the payment and get the detailed Itinerary.
With phone number
In this step parents need to call directly to the customer service of Southwest Airlines at 1-800-I-FLY-SWA (1-800-435-9792) and give the information needed by the agent and the agent will help them to finish the process of reservation.
