Travelling with Children

Bassinets

Children's Meals

Children Travelling Alone

Groups of Children

Travelling with Children with a Different Surname

Kids Packs

Safety and Wellbeing

Seating for Children and Infants

Strollers

Bassinets

On international fights, bassinets may be installed on Air New Zealand Boeing 747, 777 and 767 and Airbus A320 aircraft. Currently there are no facilities for bassinets on board B737 aircraft. These bassinets are designed for infants of average size up to 8 months old. The bassinets are made up with sheets, a pillow and blankets.

There are only a limited number of bassinet positions on any aircraft so it is important to request a bassinet seat when making your booking. If you are travelling Business Class on an A320 aircraft, please be aware that currently there are no facilities for bassinets. Please note that because the bassinets are designed for infants up to 8 months old (and weighing a maximum of 11.8kgs/26lbs), pre-allocation of bassinet seats is only available for infants up to that age on a first come, first served basis. If you are travelling with an infant aged between 8 months and 15 months (and weighing a maximum of 11.8kgs/26lbs), a bassinet seat may be allocated to you if one is available at the time you check in on the day of travel.

Children's Meals

On our long-haul flights including services to and from Perth, Noumea and Papeete, special meals are available for children (suitable for children aged 2-5) and for infants. For travel from 18 August 10 our Tasman/Pacific services will have children’s meals available (suitable for children 2-12 years). Meals must be selected online or requested through our contact centre or your travel agent at the time of booking. Where possible, the cabin crew serve children's meals before serving adults, so you can feed your child before relaxing and enjoying your own meal.

Children's meals will not be available on Tasman/Pacific services (except Perth, Noumea and Papeete) up until 18 August 10.

Please note that meals are not available on Air New Zealand Domestic New Zealand services. 

You're welcome to bring your own pre-packed snacks for your children, however our Cabin Crew are unable to refrigerate, heat or add water to any food items you bring on board. Our crew are happy to prepare, heat and wash bottles whenever needed. Please remember that all food taken on board must be either eaten or destroyed prior to landing in another country due to quarantine regulations. Air New Zealand can also cater for children with special dietary needs on long-haul flights including flights to and from Perth, Noumea and Papeete. Please see special meals.

On our long-haul flights (including Perth, Noumea and Papeete), disposable diapers, drinking cups and formula are available. Pre-prepared baby food is also carried on board. Due to limited aircraft space, only a small amount of these products are loaded for emergency use.

Children Travelling Alone

Children may travel unaccompanied, provided the child does not require additional care such as toileting, feeding or administering of medicine. If you are concerned that your child has a medical condition that may be affected by the flight please seek medical advice. Our staff will do all they can to ensure a safe and comfortable journey however they cannot administer medication or be responsible for ensuring your child takes medication at a specific time.

For their safety children travelling in a different cabin to their caregiver are required to be classified as unaccompanied minors.

Air New Zealand only permits unaccompanied minors on Air New Zealand operated flights. Please contact the operating carrier for travel on another carrier, including Air New Zealand codeshare flights.

Unaccompanied Minor Travel Procedure

An Unaccompanied Minor will be escorted by airline staff from check-in to their seat on the aircraft. If travelling on an international flight, the child will be escorted and assisted through the departure formalities of passport control, and security screening to the departure gate.

At the departure gate the Unaccompanied Minor is escorted onto the aircraft, introduced to the cabin crew who then assist the child to their seat.

Supervision and assistance will also be provided if your child is making connecting flights on the same day. This applies to transit stops less than two hours on domestic services and three hours on international services. On arrival your child will be escorted from the aircraft, through the arrival formalities and handed to the person you have nominated.

In order that we can take the best possible care of your child, you will need to provide information including contact details of guardians at both ends of the journey and for any person meeting your child at stopover points. Should any of these details change it is important to let Air New Zealand know prior to dropping off or picking up of the child. You must present a completed Unaccompanied Minor form at check-in at the airport.

Children Travelling Alone

Please refer to the Unaccompanied Minors Age Limits chart for permitted routes based on your child's age on the date on commencement of travel.

Booking / Pricing

Travel as an unaccompanied minor is charged at the best available adult fare. For travel within New Zealand, Trans Tasman and within the Pacific islands Unaccompanied Minors can be booked online. For other destinations our Contact Centre is able to offer you the best available adult fare at the time of booking. Travel as an unaccompanied minor does not attract any additional charges.

Groups of Children

School trips, sports tournaments, and family reunions are just some of the occasions when groups of children travel with Air New Zealand. Whatever the reason, and whatever the size of the group, it is always a very exciting adventure for children, however, it is important that there is adequate adult supervision to ensure their safety and well-being.

For this reason, we strongly recommend that there should be at least one adult for every five children travelling.

Travelling with Children with a Different Surname

Border authorities recommended that persons travelling with a child (under 18 years of age) of a different surname, carry a consent document or letter (signed by both parents) as well as a copy of the child's birth certificate, to prove that the child has the permission of the absent lawful parent(s) or guardian.

KidsPacks

Travelling is a wonderful experience to share with your child. But we also know how tiring it can be for your both. So we've developed an exciting Kids Pack with a wide range of activities and entertainment to keep the little ones occupied.

These specially designed packs feature native New Zealand characters Kerry the Kiwi, Phizz the Fantail and Ted the Tuatara, who help kids learn a little about New Zealand in a fun way. The colourful bags contain a range of items including an activity book, colouring pencils, magic slate and stickers.

Please note that Kids Packs are not available on Domestic New Zealand, Tasman or Pacific services (except for services to and from Perth, Noumea and Papeete).

Safety and Well-being

The safety of your children is our first concern when you are travelling with us. So it is important that you follow any instructions from your Cabin Crew.

Please also note that international safety and hygiene regulations do not allow Cabin Crew to feed children, administer medication, take children to the toilet, change nappies, or allow children to run through the aircraft.

While Cabin Crew cannot administer medication, they do have eucalyptus sachets available to help children suffering from ear-ache during take off or descent. To assist your infant during take off and landing we suggest you have a bottle to give your baby to help their ears adjust to the change in air pressure. Children do seem to be more susceptible than adults to the changes in air pressure, and this is especially so if they are suffering from a cold, or have tonsil or adenoid problems. If your child has these problems, it is advisable to see a doctor before travelling.

Seating for Children and Infants

Children under the age of 2, not occupying a seat and accompanied by an adult, may travel on an infant fare. A child travelling on an infant fare must be held by the accompanying adult. For safety reasons an adult can hold only one infant, and children under the age of 15 may not hold infants.

If you are the only adult travelling with more than one infant you will need to reserve a seat for the additional infant and pay a child's fare (available for children up to and including 11 years of age). The additional infant must be restrained in an approved infant car seat, which you must provide.

The age of a child that can be restrained in a car seat is up to 4 years, provided the child does not exceed the weight limit for the restraint system of the car seat.

The car seat must have its own inbuilt restraint system and be of a type approved for use in motor vehicles. Please refer to the chart below. It must also be in good, safe working condition and should not exceed the given dimensions.

An alternative to using a car seat inflight is the CARES child restraint system. CARES has been approved for use on Air New Zealand flights by the New Zealand CAA (Civil Aviation Authority).

Please note: the Business Premier lie-flat seat is sideways facing therefore the seatbelt has an airbag in it. This means infant car seats and the CARES restraint system are not able to be used in the Business Premier lie-flat seats on our refitted B747 and B777 aircraft as it would impede the deployment of the airbag in the event of an emergency. Infants under the age of 2 years are still able to be seated on their parent/guardian's lap and will be provided with a specially designed infant's seat belt which will not inhibit the safety features of the airbag seat belt.

Depending on the age and size of your child, the type of child seat may be aft (rear) or forward facing. A child seat may only be used in an aft (rear) facing position if it doesn't interfere when the seat in front reclines.

These dimensions apply to B747, B777, B767, B737 and A320 aircraft.

The child restraint should display one of the following manufacturing standards marks:

Please note, for your child's safety, child booster seats cannot be used on board.

Graphics courtesy of Transportation Safety Training Center, Virginia Commonwealth University.

Strollers

Infants are entitled to the same baggage allowance as the accompanying passenger, including car seats and strollers. Safety requirements mean that strollers must be stowed in the overhead lockers of the aircraft. If your stroller will not fit in an overhead locker, it will need to be checked-in with your other baggage. If the flight you are travelling on is full, airport staff may request that your stroller is checked-in.

On Air New Zealand Link aircraft there is very limited cabin stowage space so your stroller will need to be checked-in.

On Boeing 747, 777, 767, 737 and the Airbus A320 aircraft, strollers with a completely collapsible frame and seating will fit in the overhead lockers. Other strollers do not fit, including the three-wheeled 'jogger' style and those which do not fold inwards when collapsed.

OK on board

This style of stroller can be stowed in the overhead locker of Boeing 747, 777, 767, 737 and A320 aircraft.

Must be checked-in

These larger styles of stroller do not fit in the overhead locker of any aircraft and must be checked-in with your baggage.