Boarding school
Flights - traveling
repatexpat · 10/03/2023 16:34
How do you manage the flights of the children (age 11) from abroad going to England?
If you accompany them, do you book a single one way?
How does unaccompanied minor work - does any one have experience with Gulf Air?
incognitodorrito · 10/03/2023 16:40
i only have experience with Lufthansa, but guessing it’s pretty similar. You need to book and pay for the service in advance. You take kid(s) to check in. They are then collected at check in and accompanied through security until they are sat on plane and handed over to crew staff. I always booked business to ensure they had space around them on the flight and crew could keep a better eye on them. They are then handed over by crew to airport staff in uk, accompanied through security, baggage etc and then handed over to designated person at the airport. Designated person needs to carry ID, however school will know process well. My now 12 year old loves flying on her own as she’s always in business and not slumming it with me in economy !
incognitodorrito · 10/03/2023 16:42
Ps if you travel with them, you could book their return flight to coincide with next school holiday as better value than one way each time.
repatexpat · 10/03/2023 18:25
That's great thanks...
...so does this work:-
My son and I travel together 25 March on the same out-bounds/going flight.
Can this be made as one booking or two (one for me and one for my son who is going to be classed as an unaccompanied minor)?
I return back in April 10th
He returns back in 31 May (I assume this return will be as an unaccompanied minor?)
incognitodorrito · 10/03/2023 20:32
Call the airline to book - as you have different return dates, the airline will v likely class this as two separate bookings. You’ll need to book the airport escort for your son over the phone anyway for the 31st May so best sort it all out in one call.
CatOnTheChair · 10/03/2023 20:54
You can't book them as a pair with different return dates, ime.
IIRC, Gulf will be ok. KLM insist on paying for supervision. BA won't accept under 14.
Do Gulf still have an office in Seef Mall?
repatexpat · 11/03/2023 09:26
Yes...! I will check it with Gulf Air.... @CatOnTheChair are you an expat in Bahrain?! 
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