Travelling alone as a child is exciting but sometimes intimidating. In light of this, Royal Air Maroc (RAM) provides a full unaccompanied minor (UM) service to ensure the young passengers’ security during their whole travel. This is a comprehensive guide that looks into the nitty-gritty details of Air Maroc’s unaccompanied minor policy so parents and guardians are fully enlightened as they make travel plans for their children. Secondly, the airline upholds the highest standards of care which explains why families looking to plan independent travels for their little ones opt for this airline.
Royal Air Maroc Unaccompanied Minor Policy – Age Requirements and Service Availability
Royal Air Maroc has established policies and regulations to protect children in the wake of air travel. Children aged up to 4 years must be accompanied and taken care of by a person who must be at least 18 years old, although this can be waived in the case where the child accompanies its parent or custodian who may be less than 18 years of age. This can be because the airline understands that very young children require special care while taking flights.
Royal Air Maroc unaccompanied minor policy is mainly devised fpr children in the age bracket of 4 to 12 years who are mandated to avail themselves of this service on international flights. Children in this age group receive intensive care in the course of the journey so that they can feel protected and safe at every juncture. For children between 12 and 16 years of age, the service is no longer compulsory but optional; families assess their child’s maturity level at such an age as well as the level of independence before deciding on their use of the extra support. This flexibility shows how RAM understands that children develop at different rates when it comes to being independent.
Royal Air Maroc UM Service Limitations and Costs
To ensure the best quality of service and attention that each child may require, Royal Air Maroc enforces specific quotas on the number of unaccompanied minors per flight. The airline can take a maximum of 4 children in the range of 4 to 8 years old on any one flight at any time, thus ensuring that each child gets enough attention from the cabin crew. These quotas during booking prevent the overbooking of the same service.
The UM service charges according to the extent of the resources and attention required. Even though it imposes no cost on its services for domestic flights, the surcharge for a trip involving an international destination is added on top of a standard adult fare. The cost of a surcharge ranges between 50 and 100 euros per trip, depending on your destination. These pricing schemes help maintain good quality while keeping access doors open for families.
How to Book Royal Air Maroc Unaccompanied Minor Service?
Booking an unaccompanied minor is a task that needs great attention and should ideally be planned in advance. The process starts 48 hours before the scheduled departure date when parents or guardians must request the UM service to give the airline ample time to accomplish any preparations as well as to meet all requirements for the unaccompanied minor’s journey.
The accompanying adult who is supposed to be available at the point of departure will be asked for detailed contact information on the reservation. The person who will collect the child at the destination will also be required at this stage to provide such information. It may prove useful for the airline’s safety procedure and is checked at several stages during travel. This information is held on the UM passenger’s file, by the reservation system, so that the required details can be retrieved by any member of staff.
NOTE: It is to be kept in mind that as per Royal Air Maroc’s Unaccompanied Minor policy, the service is free of cost for domestic flights. However, for international flights, it is chargeable, with the costs being an adult fare plus 50-100 euros for each trip.
Royal Air Maroc Procedures for Check-in and Documentation
The check-ins of UM Royal Air Maroc have become very easy through separate service delivery at the Business class counters. This service ensures priority attention for UM passengers and guarantees all documentation is processed without inconvenience regarding congestion in terminals.
The “UM route form” will then be your main document of traveling. Copy of this form for every step of the journey should be returned in triplicate and contain such important information as:
- Identification information and flight reservations of the child
- Information about contact details of the caretakers both at departure and arrival
- Parental consent/authority
- Special needs while traveling, such as health issues
Additionally, all chaperones must carry identification documents. Identification photocopies shall not be allowed. The child must also have all mandatory travel documents as well, such as a valid passport, where visas may be required for entry in certain countries, and any needed health certificates for their destination.
UM Experience on A Royal Maroc Flight
Royal Air Maroc has created a great in-flight experience designed for young travelers. On boarding the aircraft, each child is given an identification pouch to be worn throughout the flight by all UM passengers on board, thus making identification easier for the crew members among UM passengers. The comfort of the young passenger comes first in all the special conditions taken by the airline:
A very sensory-specific range of dining options that offer the child’s favorite kids’ meals must be ordered 48 hours before your trip. These meals are nutrient-specific yet pleasing for a child. There are various entertainment options based on age groups and an activity pack called “Univers Magique” with toys and games to delight both the under 2 years, 3-6 years, and 7-12 years of age respectively.
During the whole flight, the cabin crew is supposed to keep observing with consideration of the little child’s autonomy. They assist the child in his meals and movement around the cabin and any other need that might arise at any given time when traveling. The in-flight entertainment system consists of movies, cartoons, and even short films that are rated for children so that on long flights they will not get bored.
Royal Air Maroc UM Policy – Transit and Arrival Procedures
For connecting flights via Casablanca airport, Royal Air Maroc has developed elaborate measures to ensure constant supervision. Its employees accompany children on the flight connections, and a special UM lounge in Casablanca awaits them during stopovers, where little ones may spend their layover in safety and entertainment. This special area is equipped with television screens, game stations, comfortable chairs, and much more to afford entertaining waiting times.
However, the airline has very tough policies that do not permit UM bookings for connections that would have an accommodation period of over 8 hours. This allows young passengers to be covered under very close observation at all times and, hence, always be in a secure environment.
It remains child-centric and safe up to the final destination. The ground staff helps the UM passenger with arrival formalities and luggage pick-up. Handing of bags of UM passengers is prioritized so that they would wait for a shorter time. The authorized person to pick up must show authentic identification and sign the UM route form before handing over the child from the collecting office.
Read Also: Royal Air Maroc Seat selection
Special Precautions and Preparation When You Have an Unaccompanied Minor Flying on Royal Maroc
Parents and guardians are encouraged to take the following preparatory steps before departure by Royal Air Maroc:
- Talk with a child about their experience beforehand, including what different members of the airline crew will do to help during the flight.
- Bring comfort items, essentials, and medication in carry-on luggage.
- Bring snacks or gum for pressure in ears from ascent/descent when flying and at takeoff and landing.
- Come to the airport early before a travel rush, especially during peak traveling seasons
- You have to stay at the airport until the flight takes off and must be available throughout the duration so that the Royal Air Maroc can contact you whenever the need arises.
Conclusion
Royal Air Maroc’s unaccompanied minor policy is an all-inclusive service that ensures safe and comfortable travel for the youngest of travelers. Careful attention to detail from booking to arrival provides parents and guardians assurance that children are safe and supported, while the airline offers the opportunity for children to travel safely and enjoyably. Dedicated staff, specialist facilities, and considered procedures underpin RAM’s commitment to maintaining the very highest standards of care for its youngest travelers. Regardless of whether family visits, educational opportunities, or a variety of other reasons make a child want to utilize RAM’s UM service, children who move expect to take a safe and comfortable journey at every point of their travel experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Children flying alone must be 4 years old; the service is mandatory for ages between 4-12 and is optional between 12-16 years.
For most airlines, the age criteria for the unaccompanied minor service is between 5 and 11. However, it varies from one airline to the other. Like, in the case of Royal Air Maroc, the age limit is 4-12. Besides this, proper documentation is needed as well to initiate the process successfully.
Children who are above 16 can fly alone without UM service since UM only applies to children up to age 16, which too isn’t mandatory.
Yes, children flying internationally with Royal Air Maroc can do so even when they are less than 16 years old. Children between the ages of 4 and age 12 are also required by law to use the UM service.