Flying with children and babies on a private jet
Every child needs their own passport, and taking a child abroad needs the permission of everyone with parental responsibility. On board, children aged 2 and over need their own seat, while a baby under 2 can travel on an adult's lap with a loop belt or in an approved child seat. Children flying without a parent need more paperwork.
Seats for babies and children
Under the rules for charter flights, everyone aged 2 or over needs their own seat. A baby under 2 can share a seat with an adult, secured by a loop belt or another approved restraint, with one baby per adult, and the aircraft must carry a restraint for every baby on board.
That shapes the aircraft you need. Four adults and three children aged 2 or over need seven seats; a baby on a parent's lap doesn't need one of them.
If you'd like your child to use their own car seat, the operator has to accept it and it has to fit the aircraft seat, so tell us the make and model.
Passports and permission
- Every child needs their own passport. A British child passport lasts 5 years, so check its expiry against the rule for Europe: valid for at least 3 months after you leave.
- Taking a child abroad needs the permission of everyone with parental responsibility, or of a court. Doing it without permission is child abduction.
- A parent named in a child arrangements order as the person the child lives with can take them abroad for up to 28 days without that permission, unless a court order says otherwise.
- A letter from the other parent, with their contact details and the details of the trip, is usually enough. Border officers in the UK or abroad may ask to see it.
- If your family name is different from your child's, carry their birth or adoption certificate, and your marriage or divorce certificate if that explains the difference.
- Some countries ask for proof that the other parent agrees when a child travels with only one of them.
Children flying without their parents
- With grandparents, a nanny or friends, the adult taking the child abroad needs the permission of everyone with parental responsibility, so carry the signed letter and the child's birth certificate.
- Whether a child can fly with no adult at all is the operator's decision, so we confirm it before booking.
- A child who lives in France and leaves the country without a parent needs an exit authorisation (AST): form Cerfa 15646 signed by a parent, carried with a copy of that parent's ID and the child's own passport or ID card. It applies even within the EU.
- Children visiting the UK who aren't British or Irish need their own ETA, babies included.
Baby milk and food
You can take enough baby food, baby milk and sterilised water for the journey; there is no legal limit, though the airport can check it. Breast milk can go in hand luggage in containers of up to 2 litres, even without the baby, but frozen breast milk has to go in the hold.
Tell us about pushchairs and travel cots so we allow space for them alongside the rest of the luggage.
What you do
- Check every child's passport expiry date, and renew in good time.
- If only one parent is travelling, carry a signed letter from the other with their contact details, and the child's birth certificate.
- For a child who lives in France flying without a parent, complete the AST form.
- Tell us every child's age when you ask for a quote, and about car seats, pushchairs and cots.
What we handle
- Size the aircraft by the seats you need: one for everyone aged 2 or over.
- Confirm the operator carries a restraint for every baby, and accepts your own car seat if you're bringing one.
- Check with the operator before booking if a child is flying without an adult.
- Pass on what the children need, from meals to warm milk, to the crew.
Questions
Does a baby need its own seat on a private jet?
No. A baby under 2 can share an adult's seat, secured by a loop belt or another approved restraint, one baby per adult. Children aged 2 and over need their own seat.
Can I take my child abroad without the other parent?
You need the permission of everyone with parental responsibility, or of a court. A letter from the other parent with their contact details and the trip details is usually enough.
Can a child fly on a private jet without a parent?
With another adult, yes, with written permission from the parents. With no adult at all, it is the operator's decision. A child who lives in France also needs a signed exit authorisation (AST).
How much baby milk can I take?
Enough baby food, milk and sterilised water for the journey; there is no legal limit. Breast milk can go in hand luggage in containers of up to 2 litres.
Do children need an ETA to visit the UK?
Yes, if they aren't British or Irish. Every traveller needs their own ETA, babies and children included.
Related guides
Flying between the UK and Europe since Brexit
Passports, the EU's new border checks, ETIAS, the UK's ETA and customs allowances for private flights between the UK and Europe, from official sources.
LuggageLuggage on a private jet: how much fits and what you can bring
No fixed allowance: it depends on the aircraft's hold and weight. Typical baggage space by class, and the safety rules on batteries, vapes and alcohol.
PetsFlying with your dog or cat on a private jet
Pets can fly into the UK in the cabin on an approved private charter, not as cargo. The rules, the paperwork and the UK airports that accept them.
Sources
- Get permission to take a child abroad (gov.uk)
- Get a passport for your child (gov.uk)
- UK Air Operations Regulation, CAT.IDE.A.205 and CAT.OP.MPA.225: seats and child restraints (legislation.gov.uk)
- Hand luggage restrictions: baby food and baby milk (gov.uk)
- Autorisation de sortie du territoire (AST) pour les mineurs (French customs)
- Electronic Travel Authorisation (gov.uk)
Checked against these sources on 20 October 2026. Rules change, and this is a guide, not legal or veterinary advice; we confirm the current rules for your flight.
