5 Travel Safety Tips for Unaccompanied Minors

04 September 2024

As a parent, letting your child travel alone can be both exciting and a little stressful. Whether they’re flying to visit relatives, or heading off on a school trip, ensuring their safety is a top priority. There are specific measures that parents can take to make the journey smoother and safer for their unaccompanied children. Here are five key steps you can follow to ensure your child is well-prepared for their solo travels.

5 Travel Safety Tips for Unaccompanied Minors

1. Prepare All Necessary Travel Documents

South Africa has strict requirements for unaccompanied minors when it comes to travel documentation. Ensure your child carries all the necessary paperwork, including their passport, unabridged birth certificate, and completed consent form from parents or legal guardians. This consent should include your contact details, as well as any specific instructions regarding custody or guardianship.

It’s a good idea to keep extra copies of these documents and send digital versions to your child, if they have a smartphone, for backup. Make sure they understand the importance of these documents and how to present them if needed.

2. Establish a Reliable Communication Plan

Maintaining regular contact with your child during their journey will give both of you peace of mind. Provide them with a fully charged mobile phone with local emergency numbers saved, including your own and that of any relatives or guardians at their destination.

You can also agree on specific check-in times—before boarding, after landing, and once they’ve reached their final destination. This way, you’ll know they’re safe throughout each leg of the journey. Additionally, ensure they know where to find Wi-Fi or that they have enough data to stay connected. 

3. Teach Your Child Safety Practices

Before your child sets off, go over the basic safety measures they should follow, especially when travelling in busy South African cities. Teach them to stay alert and be aware of their surroundings. Let them know not to share personal details with strangers or accept help unless it’s from an official person like airline staff or authorities.

It’s also important to equip your child with emergency numbers. In South Africa, the police can be reached at 10111, and medical emergencies at 10177. Discuss what to do in case they get separated or lost and reassure them that they can always ask for help from an official source.

4. Ensure They’re Packed Light and Smart

Make packing simple and manageable for your child. A small, organised suitcase or backpack they can carry without struggle is ideal. Be sure to include important items such as a travel wallet for documents, snacks, a water bottle, and some entertainment for the trip. Ensure they pack any valuables, such as electronics or money, securely in a discreet travel pouch or pocket.

Talk them through the packing process so they know where everything is and what they might need to access quickly. This will help avoid unnecessary stress when navigating airports or other travel hubs.

5. Prepare Them for Unexpected Changes

Travel plans don’t always go smoothly, especially when it comes to delays or cancellations. Most airlines in South Africa provide an unaccompanied minor service, where staff will assist your child through every stage of the journey, from check-in to being handed over at the final destination.

However, it’s still important to prepare your child for any potential travel disruptions. Ensure they understand that they can always turn to airline staff for help and that they should immediately notify you if there’s any issue with their travel arrangements. Having a clear plan in place will give both you and your child confidence if things don’t go as expected.

By following these five tips, you’ll help ensure your child’s journey as an unaccompanied minor is safe, smooth, and enjoyable. With the right preparation and safety measures in place, they’ll be ready for an exciting adventure, and you’ll have peace of mind while they’re on their way.

Five unforgettable wildlife encounters in Costa Rica

Five unforgettable wildlife encounters in Costa Rica

27 October 2025

If you’re dreaming of a journey that blends adventure, nature, and authenticity, Costa Rica deserves a spot at the top of your list. With its rainforests, striking volcanoes, and pristine coastline, this Central American gem perfectly captures the relaxed pura vida way of life. What truly sets it apart, though, is the extraordinary range of wildlife that calls it home. From sleepy sloths to migrating whales, Costa Rica offers some of the most remarkable animal encounters on Earth. Here are five you won’t want to miss…

Five dream destinations you should be booking now

Five dream destinations you should be booking now

27 October 2025

Some experiences are too good to leave to chance. The sort of trips where the timing has to be right, the seasons align, and the best places fill up long before most people even think about packing a bag. Planning early isn’t just about being organised, it’s about giving your Travel Counsellor the time to secure the view, the table, the cabin, or the front-row seat that turns a holiday into a story you’ll replay for years. Here are five destinations that almost insist on being booked over a year in advance to ensure you don’t miss a thing.

Why a Tented Camp Should Be Your Next Safari Adventure

Why a Tented Camp Should Be Your Next Safari Adventure

22 October 2025

There’s a certain kind of magic that only a tented safari camp can offer. It’s that beautiful in-between where luxury meets wilderness, and your morning soundtrack is a lilting dawn chorus rather than an alarm clock. If you’ve ever dreamed of falling asleep to the distant whoop of a hyena or sipping your coffee as the first light spills across the savannah, a tented camp might just be your perfect kind of paradise. Whether you’re craving authentic bush immersion or romantic seclusion, Claire Stier breaks down why this safari style deserves a place on your travel bucket list.

Show more

Find your personal Travel Counsellor

We have more than 2000 independent Travel Counsellors worldwide, each with the expertise and passion to create your perfect trip and take care of every detail, every step of your journey.

Find your personal Travel Counsellor