What makes a baby or child passenger different from an adult when flying?

Infants and children are considered special categories of passengers on every flight. The check-in process and the necessary documents required by airlines for babies and children differ significantly from those for adult passengers. Let’s dive deeper into these differences in the article below.

How do baby or child passengers differ from adults when flying?

According to the general guidelines of airlines, babies under 14 days old are NOT ALLOWED TO FLY. However, Vietnam Airlines accepts babies as young as 7 days old for transportation. The baby's or child's age is determined based on the departure date of the flight.

1. Airfare for babies/children

Vietnam Airlines

- Babies under 2 years of age: The fare is calculated as 10% of the adult ticket price on the same flight.
- Children aged 2 to under 12 years: The fare is 90% of the adult ticket price for domestic flights within Vietnam, and 75% for international flights.

VietJet Air

- Babies under 2 years old: The airline waives the ticket fare but charges a certain fee. Specifically:
+ For domestic flights: 150,000 VND per baby per leg.
+ For international flights: 200,000 VND per baby per leg.
- For children over 2 years and under 12 years old, the fare is similar to an adult's with a 40,000 VND discount on the airport fee per child.

Jetstar Pacific

- Children under 2 years old: free fare, but will be required to pay certain fees. Specifically:
+ Domestic flights: 190,000 VND / child / one-way.
+ International flights:
For the route from Ho Chi Minh City to Singapore, Da Nang to Osaka, Hanoi to Osaka: 700,000 VND / child / one-way.
For the route from Ho Chi Minh City to Bangkok, Hanoi to Bangkok, Hanoi to Hong Kong: 300,000 VND / child / one-way.
- Children aged 2 to under 12 years old will pay an adult fare, but there will be a 40,000 VND reduction on airport taxes per child.

Bamboo Airways
- Child fare: Children aged from 2 years to under 12 years at the time of the first flight in the journey will be charged 75% of the adult fare.
- Infant fare: Infants under 2 years old (not having reached their second birthday by the time of the flight) will only need to pay the service fee of 100,000 VND / infant (excluding VAT). The infant must sit on the accompanying adult's lap, and we do not accept seat reservations for infants in the cabin.

All the above-mentioned fees do not include VAT.

Infants under 2 years old flying with VietJet Air and Jetstar Pacific are not required to purchase a ticket, but they must pay a fee according to the airline's regulations.

2. Documents required for the boarding procedure for passengers who are babies/children

As the passengers are children or infants who have not yet received their national ID cards, they are allowed to use alternative documents during the flight procedure. Specifically:

- A birth certificate in its original form or an official copy is required.
- A passport (if valid) can serve as a replacement for the birth certificate.
- Infants aged 14 days to 1 month may use a birth confirmation document (valid for one month).
- Children under the care of a social organization must provide confirmation from the organization (valid for 6 months from the date of confirmation).
- Foreign nationals must present a passport.

Since children and infants are not eligible for a national ID, they are permitted to use various other documents for the flight procedure.

3. How can children or infants travel on domestic flights?

3.1. For infants

Infants under 2 years old are allowed to fly and can sit on the lap of a parent, guardian, or accompanying adult. However, airlines allow only one infant per accompanying adult.

In some cases, babies who belong to special health groups, such as premature infants, those requiring incubators, or those with health issues, may need to complete certain procedures before flying and may not be accepted for transport by the airline.

Before deciding whether or not to bring your baby along, contact the ticket office, agency, or airline to receive necessary information and guidance to ensure the best decision for you.

A baby under 2 years old flying will sit on the lap of a parent or an accompanying adult.

3.2. For children

Children flying with Vietnam Airlines

- Children aged 2 to under 6 years old: Must register for the unaccompanied minor service and the cabin attendant service.

- Children aged 6 to under 12 years old: Must register for the unaccompanied minor service, but the cabin attendant service is not mandatory.

- Children aged 12 to under 18 years old:

+ Children aged 12 to 14 years old: Are allowed to travel alone but must provide a birth certificate and a signed commitment form (in the specified format) from a legal guardian. When checking in at the airport, a legal guardian must be present to complete the check-in process at the counter.
+ Children aged 14 to 18 years old and adults 18 and over: Do not require an accompanying person at the airport. A national ID card, citizen ID card, or passport is required when completing check-in procedures.

Note:

- Unaccompanied minor service: Passengers must book this service at least 24 hours before the flight's departure.
- Companion attendant service: Passengers must book this service at least 3 days prior to departure for domestic flights within Vietnam, and at least 5 days for international flights.
- Before the flight, parents or guardians of children must contact the airline's ticket office or agent to arrange the service, and also fill out (as per the form) necessary details such as: child's full name, age, gender, flight date, itinerary, contact information of the parent/guardian, the person accompanying the child to the airport, and the person meeting the child at the destination airport...
- Parents/guardians must ensure they have all the required documents and procedures in accordance with the airline's requirements prior to the flight date.
- On the flight day, parents/guardians should arrive at the airport at least 2 hours before departure to complete the check-in procedures. All necessary documents and records should be prepared to be presented during check-in.
- At the arrival airport, the person meeting the child must be present at least 30 minutes before the expected landing time. The person must present valid identification, and the details on the documents must match those registered for the service. 

Children Flying with VietJet Air

- Children aged 2 to under 12: VietJet Air will only accept the transportation of children under the condition that they are accompanied by a parent or an adult. The airline does not allow children aged 2 to under 12 to travel alone.
The accompanying adult must be at least 18 years old and should not be a passenger requesting special services or requiring health clearance before the flight. An adult may accompany a maximum of 1 infant and 1 child under 6 years old, or 2 children under 6 years old. There is no limit on the number of children over 6 years old.

- Children aged 12 to under 14 traveling alone:

+ VietJet Air will only accept unaccompanied children on domestic flights.
+ Parents or guardians must provide complete information on the "Unaccompanied Minor Registration Form" and sign the "Liability Waiver" for the airline.
+ The service must be booked 48 hours prior to the expected departure time.
+ There must be an individual accompanying the child to both the departure and arrival airports.

Children Flying with Jetstar Pacific

- Children aged 2 to under 12 traveling alone will not be accepted by Jetstar Pacific. The airline requires these passengers to be accompanied by an adult aged 15 or older.
- Children aged 12 to 14 traveling alone: Jetstar Pacific requires parents or guardians to sign a consent form and provide necessary identification documents such as: birth certificates, passports, etc.

Currently, Vietnam Airlines is the only domestic airline offering services for unaccompanied minors and providing attendants to accompany children on flights

We hope the information shared here will assist you in ensuring a smooth and easy flight with your little one. If you book your tickets through Mytour.vn, feel free to reach out to us for quick and effective support.

Saturday, June 10, 2022, 10:18 AM