Airlines run formal unaccompanied minor programmes, with wristbands, handover forms and staff at each end. Private charter does not work that way. There is no standard programme: each operator sets its own policy, and everything depends on documents and on the adults at both ends of the flight.
The first thing to understand
The operator decides, not the broker. Some will carry a minor without an accompanying adult under conditions they set; others will not carry one at all. The answer is specific to the operator and the route, and we get it in writing before anything is booked. The activity is booked with and run by the local operator; we only fly you there.
The crew are not chaperones. They are flying the aircraft. A child who needs supervision needs an adult travelling with them, and on a small aircraft that is the practical answer in most cases.
The documents, which are the real obstacle
Several countries in this region require notarised parental authorisation for a minor to leave the country, sometimes from both parents, sometimes with additional legalisation.
The requirement belongs to the country, not to us, and it applies whether the flight is private or scheduled. Check with the immigration authority or a lawyer, not with a travel article. We do not advise on visas; we do tell you the formalities at each end of the flight.
Allow more time than you think. Notarisation and any apostille are the slow part, not the flight.
Domestic sectors are simpler, but not automatic
On a domestic sector, such as San José to Liberia at 86.9 nautical miles or San José to Drake Bay at 83.5, there is no border and no exit paperwork.
The operator's own policy still applies, and so does identification for the minor.
And the ground arrangements matter more, because several regional strips have no terminal, no staff and nowhere to wait.
The part people plan last and should plan first
Who receives the child at the far end. Name, identification, telephone number, confirmed in advance and present before the aircraft lands.
What happens if that person is not there. There is no airline desk to hand a child to, and a crew with a return sector cannot wait indefinitely.
And who to call. One responsible adult, contactable throughout, on both sides of the flight.
What we do
We ask the operator first, not last, and tell you plainly if the answer is no.
We put the conditions in writing with the booking, including documents required and the receiving adult.
And we will say when the safer answer is a scheduled flight with a formal unaccompanied minor service, because on this particular question the airlines have a structure that charter does not.
Frequently asked questions
Can a child fly alone on a charter?
It depends entirely on the operator's policy. Some carry minors under set conditions, others do not. We confirm the answer in writing before booking.
Is there an unaccompanied minor service like the airlines?
No. Private charter has no standard programme, and the crew are not chaperones.
What documents does a minor need to leave the country?
Several countries require notarised parental authorisation, sometimes from both parents. Check with the immigration authority or a lawyer well in advance.
Is a domestic flight simpler?
Yes, with no border formalities, but the operator's policy and identification still apply, and small strips have no staff or waiting area.
Who meets the child on arrival?
A named adult with identification and a telephone number, confirmed in advance and present before landing.
When is a scheduled flight better?
When the child genuinely needs supervision end to end. Airlines have a formal service for that; charter does not.
The questions we ask on your behalf
Does the operator carry minors on this route, and from what age?
Is a signed parental declaration required in addition to the country's own documents?
Who signs for the child at each end, and what happens if plans change mid-day?
And is there a waiting area at the arrival field, because on several strips there is not, and that alone can decide the schedule.
Let's plan it together
We do not advise on visas; we do tell you the formalities at each end of the flight.