We take the safety of children very seriously and take every measure possible to ensure they have a comfortable and enjoyable flight.

To ensure the highest level of care, we only accept a limited number of bookings for unaccompanied minors on Virgin Australia domestic and short-haul international flights.

Virgin Australia considers a child to be an Unaccompanied Minor if the child is travelling without the supervision of:

• the child's parent or guardian; or
• another person aged 15 years or older

(including if the child is travelling in a different class or cabin to that person).

Any child aged 5-11 years (inclusive) must be booked as an Unaccompanied Minor. If your child is not listed as an Unaccompanied Minor, they will not be accepted for travel alone and will be denied travel at the airport.

• Any child aged 12-15 years (inclusive) may also travel as an Unaccompanied Minor if requested by the parent/legal guardian.
• Children aged between 12-14 years (inclusive) travelling on a Delta Airlines operated flight must be booked as an Unaccompanied Minor by contacting Delta Airlines directly.

To make a booking for an unaccompanied minor, please call our Guest Contact Centre.

You will be asked to provide the following information:

• Booking password (must be quoted by any caller wishing to make future changes to the flight details, or drop-off, and pick-up details)
• Child’s name, age and gender
• The name and contact details of the child's parent or legal guardian
• Sender’s name, phone number and relationship to child (and if the Sender is not the parent or legal guardian, their age)
• Receiver’s name, phone number and relationship to child (and if the Receiver is not the parent or legal guardian, their age)
• Any special instructions (e.g. allergies, medical conditions, fear of flying)

Our Guest Contact Centre will endeavour to answer any further questions you may have about the travel arrangements.

Fees and Charges

Fees are payable upon booking and are chargeable per sector, per child.

Note: The unaccompanied minor fee is refundable only upon cancellation of your booking for any reason.

Conditions of Carriage & Medication

Please be aware that the following conditions apply to all Unaccompanied Minor bookings:

• To ensure the highest level of service is delivered to all guests, we carry a maximum of eight Unaccompanied Minors per flight - six in Economy and two in Business/Premium Economy class.
• Unaccompanied minors cannot be booked on connecting flights.
• If the child suffers from any medical conditions which may affect their travel the child must satisfy our Medical Clearance Guidelines (PDF, 131KB). Our cabin crew are unable to administer medication.
• If the child is unable to satisfy our Independent Travel Criteria they are required to travel with a Carer.
• If the child wants or needs to perform any of the following tasks during a flight but cannot do so without assistance, then they are required to travel with a Carer:
  • Consume food and beverages (cabin crew can assist with opening any packaging);
  • Attend the toilet (including getting to and from the toilet onboard); or
  • Administer any medication (including Epi Pens).
• Booking details can only be changed by callers who are able to quote the Booking Reference and booking password advised at the time of making the Unaccompanied Minor booking. For that reason it is important to protect the secrecy of the password, and ensure that it is only disclosed to those people authorised to amend the booking.
• A Sender (who will check in the child) and a Receiver (who will collect the child) must be nominated at the time of making the booking. The Sender and Receiver must be the parent/legal guardian OR someone nominated by the parent/legal guardian who is 18 years of age or older. They cannot be an airline representative.
• Unaccompanied Minor (UMNR) forms (PDF) must be completed and signed by the child’s parent/legal guardian. The form must be presented by the Sender when checking in the child.
• Personal information of the Sender and Receiver will need to be documented on the UMNR form, and therefore may be viewed by any person picking up the child.
• The child may be required to show proof of age (e.g. a birth certificate) on request at check-in. Boarding may be refused if this is not provided.
• The parent’s/guardian’s name and signature on the form must match the details in the Unaccompanied Minor’s booking.
• Food and drinks are available onboard for purchase by the child; alternatively, food and drinks may be packed and carried onboard. Children travelling in Business Class or Premium Economy will be offered items free of charge from the respective menus.    

Note: If the Unaccompanied Minor is not collected at the destination and we cannot contact the Receiver meeting the Unaccompanied Minor on arrival, the Sender escorting the Unaccompanied Minor on departure, or the Unaccompanied Minor’s parent/legal guardian, we will then be forced to contact the police.

On the day of travel

To ensure we have all necessary information on the day of travel, please download the Unaccompanied Minor (UMNR) form (PDF) and present the completed form at the check-in counter.The 'Declarations of Parent/Legal Guardian must only be signed by the child's parent or legal guardian. 

Unaccompanied minors travelling in Business Class domestically or on our International Short Haul network will be able to check-in using the Priority Check-In desks.

On domestic Business Class flights, unaccompanied minors will also be offered lounge access along with one guest who must be their sender or parent/legal guardian.  

Return Flight 

If booked on a return flight, please note all unaccompanied minors must have an Unaccompanied Minor (UMNR) (PDF) form signed and completed for both journeys. In the case that the Receiver is not a Parent/Legal Guardian the return form should be completed prior to the first journey and carried by the minor to their destination as the Declarations of Parent/Legal Guardian must only be signed by the child's parent or legal guardian.

In-flight

Please note, we will endeavour to seat unaccompanied minors together in close proximity to the cabin crew work areas. Where possible, we will also aim to seat unaccompanied minors next to a vacant seat, however this will be determined by operational factors on the day of travel.

Virgin Australia offers a variety of in-flight entertainment (IFE) options dependent on the route flown, aircraft type and availability - find out more about our entertainment options.

The following rules apply to IFE and Unaccompanied Minors:

• IFE may be offered to an Unaccompanied Minor – subject to availability and parent/guardian permission.
• It is the parent/guardian’s responsibility to determine whether or not the viewing material available on the IFE system is suitable for the Unaccompanied Minor, and to indicate on the Unaccompanied Minor (UMNR) form (PDF) whether their child has permission to access IFE;
• The parent/guardian must acknowledge that:
  (a) on aircraft equipped with seat-back entertainment, footage may be displayed on all screens during the flight;
  (b) viewing of footage on other guests’ screens (seat-back or portable) cannot be prevented; and
  (c) we accept no responsibility for any footage or audio viewed or heard by the child.
  (d) IFE content accessible may include MA 15+ films.
  (e) If the guest is under 15, the parent/guardian who makes the booking for the guest consents to the under 15 accessing our IFE.
  (g) If the under 15 guest’s parent/guardian is not prepared to give this consent, the parent/guardian acknowledges that they will ensure that if the under 15 guest travels with a device, then that device is either disabled so it cannot receive the Content, or they will make our cabin crew aware that the under 15 cannot view the Content and authorise our cabin crew to enable the parental controls on the device. If the UMNR travels on a flight where seat-back technology is available, the parent/guardian consents to our cabin crew enabling the parental controls on the seat back system.
  (g) If we make the IFE Content available to an under 15 on the under 15’s device, the parent/guardian who makes the guest’s booking agrees that we are making the content available on behalf of, and as the parent/guardian’s agent. 
  (h) I acknowledge that the Child may be given access to the IFE facilities on the flights including MA15+ content. I consent to the Child accessing the IFE and to the cabin crew using their best endeavours to enable the parental controls at the level specified in the UMNR form. If you do not check a box, no parental controls will be activated. I agree that neither the Child nor anyone claiming through or on behalf of the Child will have any claim against the carrier or any of its officers, agents and employees in respect of the IFEt that is viewed (or not viewed) by the Child.