Our daughter regularly clocks up air miles travelling as an unaccompanied minor (UM) between her two families who are replete with parents, step parents, half siblings and a zoo of family pets. Our experiences over the past four years amount to a litany of circus side shows; but less entertaining.

At the age of eight our daughter boarded her first flight as an UM, from Cape Town via Johannesburg to Hong Kong; around her waist a colourful airline UM moon bag filled with key travel documents: passport, ticket, luggage sticker and airline UM form.

During this flight she was harassed by an intoxicated male passenger inappropriately seated next to her. On her return flight the airline personnel mislaid her passport and consequently she was temporarily denied entry into South Africa. Take it from us — you need to move past airline policy and procedures, glossy UM airline brochure blurb and beaming on-board kiddie photos and travel-wise your children.

'Travel-wising' your child — your precious cargo — is about giving them the essential life skills to enable them to confidently negotiate travel procedures and people. Three-year through to fifteen year olds and parents need to 'travel-wise' regularly, and certainly before every flight.

Making travel fun

We began travel-wising our then three-year-old daughter when she starting flying with us. Initial rustic lessons included her carrying a pretend passport-a-la-Republic of Hout Bay for teddy which we and she requested immigration officers to stamp.

Most have happily gone along with it, but the Turkish officials were rather grim about it, whilst in Israel this request set in motion an intense security check of our bags and travel arrangements. Not to be dissuaded we finally settled on drawing our own pencil crayon rainbow stamps in her pretend passport.

This has turned into a great in-flight activity and as our daughter has gotten older we have set her travel activities to further develop her understanding of immigration procedures, awareness of travel details, ability to engage officials and to look after her passport.

A key activity involves her reading her ticket and then giving us the low down on her travel itinerary. Other activities include locating and listening to flight information at the airport; engaging the check-in counter official; and being involved in the planning of trips.

Be prepared for disaster

Parents also need to have a disaster response plan in place. A good idea for unaccompanied minors is to send an envelope — packed in your child's carry-on luggage — containing copies of their passport and ticket, emergency contact information etc. Furthermore, parents should take time to discuss travel plans and even role-play airport and flight scenarios with their child.

According to three airlines who fly local and international routes from South Africa, UM travel is governed by their UM airline policy, which includes the following points to remember:

  • Booking must be made with a travel agent or the airline directly.
  • There are a limited number of UM seats which are only located on certain flights. Bookings are confirmed once the airline confirms UM seat and flight availability. Age restrictions also apply.
  • Documentation regarding who will be checking your child in and who will be meeting your child as well as any transit information needs to be completed before the ticket will be issued.
  • Some airlines charge an additional UM fee for each outbound and inbound leg of the journey.
  • Authorised personnel who accompany your child should: introduce themselves to you and your child; have some form of clear identification and check all travel documentation. They are authorised to take your child through security, immigration, customs and transit routes as well as on board the flight. Aboard the flight they 'hand-over' your child to the flight personnel.
  • Flight personnel should be aware that UMs are not seated next to male passengers and are, where possible, seated with one seat free between them and a female passenger or alternatively seated next to other UMs
  • Flight personnel should be monitoring your child through-out the flight and attending to his/her needs as a priority.
  • UMs disembark a flight with an authorised personnel member, once all able passengers have disembarked. Your child is then escorted to the airport building and assisted with entry procedures. Once they enter the baggage collection area the personnel member will usually bring your child to meet you in the UM collection area in Arrivals, before collecting their luggage.

    At this point you or whoever meets your child will be required to provide proof of identity and to sign collection forms. Following which you are invited to enter the baggage collection area with your child.

UM travel should be exciting and filled with thrilling anticipation. 'Travel-wising' yourselves and your children can make the difference between a confident UM and an insecure one. Bon voyage!