Are you thinking about sending off an unaccompanied child with Lufthansa?
In that case, you will want to make sure you are extra familiar with the unaccompanied minor policy, also known as the “Lufthansa care service.”
Below, we will break down everything you need to know about the Lufthansa unaccompanied minor policy.
We will discuss the various fees, paperwork, and other rules that you will need to know about and also show you how to book.
Table of Contents
What is the Lufthansa unaccompanied minor policy?
Lufthansa requires unaccompanied children between ages five and 11 to use the Lufthansa care service unless they are traveling with someone who is at least 12 years old. The cost for the service will depend on the route and can range between $95 and $170 USD, per child, per route.
Lufthansa unaccompanied minor fees
The Lufthansa unaccompanied minor fee depends on the length and destination of your flight. Below are the fees broken down by zones and listed in different currencies.
Domestic
Domestic flights include flights within DE, CH and AT and flights within Africa.
| EUR 85 | CHF 95 | USD 95 | CAD 135 | GBP 75 |
Europe
Europe fights include IATA Zone 210 and include flights within and between DE, CH and AT.
| EUR 85 | CHF 95 | USD 95 | CAD 135 | GBP 75 |
North Africa
These include North Africa and the Levant (including LB, IL, EK, JO, IQ, KZ, TM).
| EUR 95 | CHF 105 | USD 105 | CAD 145 | GBP 85 |
MiddleEast, Central Africa and the Arab region
These flights include AE, QA, IR, NG, SA, ET, BH, OM, KW.
| EUR 115 | CHF 130 | USD 130 | CAD 175 | GBP 100 |
Medium-haul intercontinental flights
These flights include US East Coast, CA East Coast, IN, GQ, KE, TZ, AO, MV.
| EUR 125 | CHF 140 | USD 140 | CAD 190 | GBP 110 |
Long-haul intercontinental flights
Long-haul intercontinental flights would include flights to the US West Coast, CA West Coast, South America, JP, CN, KR, TH, SG, ZA, SC.
| EUR 150 | CHF 170 | USD 170 | CAD 230 | GBP 130 |
Each fee is applied per route and per child.
So unlike other airlines that allow you to pay a single fee for a pair of siblings, Lufthansa will require you to pay individual fees every time.
Lufthansa unaccompanied minor rules
Minimum age
Any child age between five and 11 can only fly unaccompanied if they are using the Lufthansa care service or traveling with someone who is at least 12 years old.
The requisite accompanying passenger age limit of 12 is on the lower side which is helpful for families that have responsible young children. But keep in mind that some airlines set that age much higher, including at 18 years.
So if you plan on sending a child between five and 11 with a 12-year-old, make sure you truly trust that the 12 year old is responsible enough for the occasion.
The unaccompanied minor service can also be used for unaccompanied children aged 12 through 17.
If your child has never flown before, using the unaccompanied minor service even when they are 12 or older can make them a lot more comfortable and give them a good first experience with air travel.
Connections
Lufthansa only provides the care service for direct flights only and they do not deal with connecting flights.
It’s not uncommon for airlines to not allow connections for unaccompanied minors because of the mess that connections can lead to. So when searching flights, be sure to put a filter on for avoiding connecting flights.
Baggage
The same baggage fees that would apply to an adult would apply to an unaccompanied minor.
One thing to note is that the child is expected to be able to easily carry the bag without help.
It would be a good idea to do a practice run and have your child carry around his or her luggage to see how they do before you take them to the airport. You may need to reduce the weight if they are struggling to carry it.
Check out the baggage calculator
Paperwork
You may have to deal with your fair share of paperwork when sending an unaccompanied minor with Lufthansa.
The documents and paperwork you may need include:
- passport or child ID
- valid visa for the destination country
- travel insurance certificate
- information regarding any allergies the child has
- receipt for prepaid charges if needed
- declaration of consent from the parents or legal guardians
- the completed Lufthansa care service form (downloads PDF)
It’s worth noting that all of these documents may not always be necessary. For example, you may only need the following when flying to specific countries:
- valid visa for the destination country
- travel insurance certificate
- declaration of consent
However, Lufthansa does recommend that you always provide information on any allergies the child may have if applicable.
You can always save time at the airport and allow yourself to arrive earlier if you print out the form and fill it out at home which is what they recommend.
It’s a good idea to make three copies of the form so that you can have one, your child can have one, and the airlines can have one.
At the airport, all of these documents will be placed into a small yellow Lufthansa bag which your child will be expected to keep with them at all times.
Related: Unaccompanied Minor Policy Ultimate Guide
Check-in
If you are checking in at Frankfurt, there are dedicated check-in counters that you can find in departure hall A, counters 41 to 44. And if you are checking in at Munich Airport, counter 417 in the departure hall on Level 4 is where you want to go.
At Frankfurt, you may drop off your unaccompanied minor at the check-in counter but at other airports you may have to accompany the child to the gate yourself.
This will be worked out at check-in and you will be issued a pass to get you through security if needed.
Most airlines in the US say that the parent or guardian needs to remain at the gate until the flight has departed.
But, perhaps because there are so many international flights, Lufthansa just says that the individual bringing the child to the airport must be “available” at the airport and contactable by phone until the booked flight departs.
So you could be sitting in a cell phone parking lot just waiting for departure.
Related: Can You Text On A Plane?
The flying experience
Lufthansa does not explicitly mention that the child will get preboarding although that is typically the case for unaccompanied minors.
The airline did state that they will seat the child close to a flight attendant, which will make it easier for the flight attendant to assist if there are any issues.
(Keep in mind that flight attendants are not designed to be babysitters).
It would be a good idea to provide the child with some snacks but Lufthansa does have a children’s menu put together by top chef Alexander Herrmann.
On the menu, you can find fun dishes like “rice pudding mouse,” “dragon feet” or “hen house.”
Reportedly, these dishes were voted on by actual children so you can count on them to not only be well balanced meals, but attractive to your child.
These children menu items can be ordered whenever you book your flight and they come at no extra cost on all Lufthansa long-haul flights and various European flights.
If you don’t order anything off the menu at the time of booking, you can still make an order online up to 24 hours before departure.
Pick up
Once the child lands at the destination, they will be handed over to a staff member who will then take the child over to meet the person collecting them.
Lufthansa will require that person to provide a valid ID or passport.
Typically, on international flights you are not permitted to meet the child at the gate so you will likely be picking up the child from a specific area.
If you are picking up the child from Frankfurt airport then you can collect them from FRACares care service which is located in the corridor between departure halls A and B in Terminal 1.
At Munich Airport the pick-up service area is located in front of the exit at baggage reclaim.
Be aware Lufthansa states that “the individual bringing the child to the airport and collecting the child from the destination airport must be at least 18 years of age.”
How to book Lufthansa unaccompanied minor reservation
You cannot book an unaccompanied minor ticket online. Instead, you have to use the Lufthansa Service Center or at your travel agency.
Tips for having a successful flight for your unaccompanied minor
Arrive extra early
You never know how long the lines will be or what type of hiccup you might encounter when sending off an unaccompanied minor.
So be sure that you arrive extra early for check-in so that you can handle all of your paperwork without stressing.
Pay attention to the weather
If the weather is not looking great on the day and time of departure then pay close attention to the flight status and weather patterns. You could end up dealing with a delayed flight or cancellation.
Also, make sure you are aware of the weather at the destination because if the weather is bad, there could be a chance of a flight diversion.
Plan out the food situation
Lufthansa is one of the airlines that provides a special food service for children so it might be worth taking advantage of that. But often the best strategy is to fill up your child before the flight and then just provide them with light snacks for the flight.
However, given how long some of these flights might be, it could be easier to put more trust into Lufthansa dining.
Give your child some entertainment
You know the unaccompanied child better than anyone else so provide them with things that they will enjoy playing with during the flight. These could be toys, tablets, gaming devices, etc.
It does sound like Lufthansa will provide some things like toys, drawing equipment, and a special children’s entertainment program but you may want to check with them to see exactly what they can offer your child on the flight.
Also, make sure that you inquire about power outlets at your child’s seat.
Try to limit the baggage
If you can, try to limit the carry-on for your child to one single bag if possible. This will be especially helpful for smaller children who may struggle to deal with two bags.
Track the flight
Since you, the guardian or parent, will no doubt be interested in keeping track of the flight status, I would recommend downloading an app like FlightAware. That will help you stay up-to-date on the flight status but you can also check the Lufthansa app.
Final word
Lufthansa has a pretty standard unaccompanied minor policy.
They go further than some airlines do by providing a special children’s menu, toys and other items for children, and by placing them close to a flight attendant. The dedicated check-in desks are also an upgrade for a many airlines.
The fees also are not that bad although they do not allow you to combine related children together under one fee which is a drawback.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, and CNBC. Read my bio.
What a mess!
We’ve been using the unaccompanied children service for about 18 years, when our kids of different ages started traveling alone due to our life situation working abroad. We had no other choice. Today hopefully was the last time we used this service, as my youngest is old enough now to fly on his own. This service is not recommendable at all.
FRANKFURT international Airport
No Information about service/check in counter, as it changes every time our kids fly (now it is B 336, not A anymore)
no trained personnel (qiute unfriendly and incapable)
not customer friendly, but expensive
The personnel in charge to check in the kids seems to be more interested in their extralong fingernails than in knowing how to check in a child . Why don’t they get any training so thye’d know how to check in a child?
So, at arrival it starts already with losing time searching the right counter.
When finally arrived at the counter, this morning, shortly before Christmas, there were only 3 desks open, although really many people waiting for check in – most of them disabled in wheelchairs and older people, just a few kids. What about trying to separate the disabled from the unaccompanied? Of course it takes time to organize a wheelchair, when there are just 5 pieces for the whole airport! Why dont’t they ask somebody to sponsor some more wheelchakirs, if Lufthansa cant afford more?
I guess I don’t have to explain the situation.
What I don’t understand: When it is well known that there would be many passangers, as they have already booked the service !!!! why don’t you have staff and wheelchairs there?
The waitress didn’t even seem to realize that she was the one to serve at the “Unaccompanied children services” She had no idea about documents, passport yes, no visa needed, no extra insurance needed, he is an EU-citizen, even seeing the Austrian passport, the ticket was from Frankfurt to Linz (Austria) and a 12 year old boy in front of her superlong eyelashes, she kept on asking why he’s not speaking other languages than German (why is this important for an unaccompanied child to speak more languages????). Of course he speaks German and a bit of English, he is 12, but he is not a native English speaker. However in Austria, where he flied to, they all speak German, so no need for him to speak English or any other language than German! Austria is a German speaking country. And his language skills are not important.
Anyway, we have booked the service, so we expect the personnel to do their job, just check in the child, nothing more! , not asking about encourageing the passengers, but not to discourage them.
Next point: This lady at the front desk kept on calling her colleagues, we didn’t know whom and why, she then disappeared and let us wait for around 15 minutes. Then we found out, nobody answered her calls, so she had to go and search a colleague to accompany my son to the gate.
Then she came back with another colleague, we asked what the matter was, why we had to wait, and she told me that we are late – of course, meanwhile we were late, the lady before didn’t check my child in, didn’t send the luggage, didn’t find a person to pick him and bring him to the gate. She was upset and accused me we should be at the check in desk much time earlier, as they don’t have enough persons to bring the kids to the aircraft! So, why they don’t plan themselves, as they know they would have passengers?
Why no information about the check in desk? Why they let people wait for so long time, as they already know these people need extra service and paid for it?
Resume: We have paid (again and many times) 170,- € for this “service” on a return flight and we are so completely disappointed that we can’t just accept, but had to write it down here. It seems, this price is extra high, maybe to keep custumers from booking it… It is not the first time, it was always a mess, so why does Lufthansa offer if not able to deliver? We really expect an excuse. This young lady was a mess and a bad start into holidays for my son.