SWISS looks after children who fly without an adult through its unaccompanied minor (UM) service. The older version of this article gave one fee. SWISS now lists the charge by sales market, and the figure below comes from its US website.
The fee
On the US site SWISS charges USD 170 per child for each route, on top of the ticket price. Brothers and sisters who travel together each pay it. Other markets show their own currency and amount on swiss.com, so check the site for the country you book in.
Age rules
| Age of the child | UM service |
|---|---|
| Under 3 | Not available. An adult must travel with the child. |
| 3 to 4 | Not available for a child alone. With a travelling companion aged 12 to 17 the service is compulsory for both. With a brother or sister aged 16 or over it is available but not required. |
| 5 to 11 | Compulsory for a child alone. Optional if travelling with a companion aged 12 or over. |
| 12 to 17 | Available on request, not compulsory. |
Teenagers aged 12 to 17 who travel without the service do not receive special help if the flights are disrupted, for example if a connecting flight is cancelled.
Where it is offered
- SWISS runs the service on direct flights and on connections through Zurich, Geneva, Brussels, Munich, Frankfurt and Vienna.
- Connections in Vienna carry an extra fee: EUR 40, CHF 45, USD 50 or CAD 60.
- If part of your trip is on another airline, contact the SWISS service centre before booking, because partner airlines can have different age limits.
- A child under 12 who travels alone cannot take a pet in the cabin.
At the airport
SWISS staff look after unaccompanied children, wheelchair users and passengers with sight or hearing loss from check-in to boarding. Tell the check-in desk at least 90 minutes before check-in closes for your flight.
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