Ryanair Definition Of A 'guardian

[ILLUC IVI ILLUD FECI]

Any Ryanair folks out there able to offer guidance on what constitues a 'guardian'?

My 15 year old daughter and friend want to fly out (from UK) to stay with the in-laws in France. The Ryanair website offers lots of guidance for non-uk requirements but is rather unhelpful about UK rules, stating only that a 'guardian' is required to check-in the teenagers.

Does this need to be a Parent, both parents or just any adult? Are letters required stating parental permission to travel?

Grateful for any advice.

[Michael SWS]

Ryanair's website states:Ryanair carry unaccompanied minors aged 14 or 15 years ONLY upon completion and signature of a form of indemnity at check-in of EACH departure airport, by a parent or guardian.

The parent or guardian of the unaccompanied minors are required to remain in the airport until the flight has departed.Thus it appears merely that a responsible adult will have to sign indemnity forms at check-in for each flight and then hang around until the flight has departed. As the girls are going to visit family, who will presumably accompany them to the airport for their flight back, that should not be a problem.

But note that their website also states thatRyanair will no longer be accepting unaccompanied minors under the age of 16 for travel from the 1st October 2009 onwards.

[XSBaggage]

Regardless of the definition Ryanair have of a "guardian" you may need to get a letter signed by the girl's parents or something stating they are okay for your in-laws to accept her into their care. French Immigration may need it.

[ImPlaneCrazy]

When you arrive at the check in desk, it doesn't hurt to have a letter (doesn't need to be from both parents / guardians, one is fine) stating that you give the 'UNMIN' - unaccompanied minor - permission to travel without an adult.

You will then be asked to fill in a Form of Indemnity which removes any responsibility from Ryanair's side of things, including a signature from parent / guardian.

Obviously if there is 2 UNMINs travelling, you should bring a letter from the friends parent as well, not sure if their parent / guardian will need to be there to sign the FOID as well? But I'm sure if the check in agent can see the girls are friends and travelling together you may be able sign for both UNMINs... to be clarified though.

Hope that helps! :ok:

[virginblue]

I seriously doubt that "guardian" can be anybody dropping them of at the airport - which might be a problem for the return flight. At least where I live, not every relative is a guardian, and it would be quite strange if more or less every adult dropping off a child at the airport could bindingly waive liability on the child's behalf (that is what Ryanair is interested in). I suspect that the policy is more or less tailored to the needs of divorced parents sending their kids by plane to meet the other parent, with one parent around at each end of the flight. Maybe it works as well if a third person has some sort of letter of attorney from both parents.

[ImPlaneCrazy]

When the parent / guardian signs the form of indemnity, they have to fill out the flight details for both outbound and the inbound sectors.

When the UNMIN arrives at their destination they then have to be signed for by the recieving party i.e. the in laws.

As virginblue says, the more documents that you have the better.