Travelling (with) children
There are various services available to children as passengers. One of these is our ‘unaccompanied minor service’. If your child is 5 to 11 years old and will be travelling without you or another escort who would have to be at least 18 years old, reserving this service is even mandatory. Children younger than 5 years of age, however, cannot travel unaccompanied by an adult. There are also special rules applying to baggage.
On this page:
Unaccompanied minors
Children younger than 5 years old: may only travel if accompanied by one or both parents or by a person at least 18 years of age who is capable of taking full responsibility of the child during the journey.
Children 5 to 11 years old: our ‘unaccompanied minor service’ is required for children in this age group who will be travelling unescorted by an adult. We should point out that your child will be denied boarding if the unaccompanied minor service has not been reserved. Booking a ticket or the unaccompanied minor service cannot be done at our website. Read more about the unaccompanied minor service and how you can reserve it.
Children 12 to 17 years old: may travel independently on flights operated by AIR FRANCE and KLM but are still entitled to make use of the unaccompanied minor service. Stricter rules may apply on KLM flights operated by Northwest Airlines and other airlines. Be sure to check with your travel agent or contact the airline operating the flight about these rules.
Junior Jet Service
Our Junior Jet Service was especially designed with our youngest passengers in mind. Young children – and their parents – can always count on KLM to provide them with extra attention and special extras. Available on all intercontinental flights operated by KLM are special plaything packages and various items for babies. Special children’s meals can be ordered in advance by contacting KLM Reservations Office.
Travelling with children younger than 2
A child younger than two years of age can travel sitting on your lap. Although an adult may accompany more than one baby, only one baby can sit on his/her lap. Any other baby will require a seat of its own. Any child who has reached the age of two by the travel date must have a reserved seat.
Cradles can be reserved for babies on international flights. These cradles are suitable for babies are no longer than 65 cm and weighing no more than 10 kg on the day of the trip.
Baggage, buggies and child seats
For a child younger than two years of age who will be travelling on your lap, you are entitled to:
- bring one piece of hand baggage weighing no more than 10 kg and measuring no larger than 55 x 35 x 25 cm
- bring a small, collapsible buggy. If the buggy will not fit under the seat or in the overhead baggage compartment, it can be checked into the hold at no extra charge
- check one piece of baggage weighing no more than 10 kg into the hold
If a seat has been reserved for your child, you may bring your own car/child seat aboard on the condition that it fits between the armrests of the aircraft seat (42 cm/16.5 inches). Only child seats that display no defects and that carry a visible seal of approval awarded by the European Union or an official government agency may be taken aboard. A seat for a second baby or the use of a car/child seat should be reserved in advance by contacting KLM Reservations or your local KLM ticket office.
Seats with the following seals of approval will be accepted aboard:
- UN Standard ECE R44-03 and 44-04
- US FMVSS no. 213
- Canadian CMVSS 213/123.1
- German TUV/958-01/2001
- Types marked approved by Transport Canada
- Types marked approved by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
- Types marked approved by Joint Civil Aviation Authority (JAA)