Avianca Ends Unaccompanied Minor Service for Travelers Under 14 Years Old

Avianca Airlines announced today that beginning February 15, 2024 the carrier will no longer transport travelers under the age of 14 unless traveling with a parent or other authorized, responsible adult.

The new restriction applies to domestic and international flights.

The airline says: 

In all cases, it must be verified that all the documentation required by the immigration authority of the countries of origin, transit and destination is available. In addition, Avianca reminds that it does not provide the unaccompanied minor or minor recommended service on any of its routes.

For more details on this measure, Avianca has published the answers to several questions in its Help Center.

Unaccompanied minor travel is a service generally offered by airlines, usually for an extra fee, where airline personnel ensure safe travel for children who must travel alone. The service requires extra attention for pre-teen travelers, who generally require more care and comfort than teenagers.

In addition, Colombia, like many Latin American countries have strict documentation requirements for traveling minors, such as written and notarized authorization from both parents, even if the minor is traveling with one parent, or in the case of both parents not being available, an official court document attesting such. Airlines may not overrule these legal requirements. For example, a 17 year old foreign minor may fly to Colombia without written parental authorization, but a 17 year old Colombian could not.