Child of Employee Travel Policy
This policy presents the rules governing travel privileges for children of Air Canada employees. Its purpose is to help you understand how your child can enjoy your privileges while respecting the rules and conditions.
Scope & Eligibility
This policy applies to the dependent children of active, retired, or former employees of Air Canada, AC Rouge, ACV, AC Express, Fasco, and CIIC.
In order to meet basic eligibility requirements*, the child must be:
- Natural, legally adopted or a step child of the employee, and;
- Under the age of 25, and;
- Financially dependent on the employee, and;
- Part of the employee’s family unit.
In addition, children between 18 and 25 must also meet these requirements:
- Must not be married or in a common-law relationship
- Must not be employed on a full-time basis
* Certain exceptions apply – see section further down on Exceptions and Unique Situations ↵
Important:
The employee is the sole holder of employee travel pass privileges being provided to them. It is the full responsibility and discretion of the employee to manage any/all eligible family members and partners as they see fit within our policy regulations.
The employee assumes full responsibility for any/all family members and partners (registered and non-registered), traveling on their privileges.
Useful Definitions
- Boarding priority:
- The order in which eligible dependent children will be awarded seats (See Boarding Priority policy).
- Deadheading:
- When cabin or flight deck crew are flying for business reasons.
Rules & Limitations
Your children are members of the Air Canada family by extension and we want them to enjoy your travel privileges as much as possible. To do so, it’s important that you understand and follow the guidelines featured below.
Rules
For personal use only.
For leisure travel only.
The employee, retiree or widow(er) must inform the Employee Care Team or Travel Care Team as soon as their child no longer meets eligibility requirements or of any changes that may disqualify the child for travel privileges.
Must comply with AC non-revenue dress code.
Must comply with AC non-revenue baggage policy.
Limitations
See Employee Travel Policy for general guidelines
Rules
A child under the age of 2 must be accompanied by one of the following persons:
- Employee
- Employee’s spouse
- Parent registered on employee’s profile
- Dependent sibling age 18 to 24
An infant is not required to occupy a seat. If a seat is required, list yourself and others traveling with you (except the infant) on the Employee Travel site, then call 1-800-413-1113 to have the infant listed as a child and added to your booking listing.
Limitations
Not eligible to travel unaccompanied.
An infant with a reserved seat will only be admitted at the time of check-in if:
- Two adjoining, non-restricted seats are available to accommodate the adult and infant together
- The employee possesses an approved child-restraint device for the seat (booster seat or car carrier)
If only one seat can be offered at the time of check-in, the parent will be obliged to check the child-restraint device. If this is not possible due to lack of space, boarding may be jeopardized.
Rules
Children 12 and older may travel unaccompanied at their stated priority.
A child under 12 must be accompanied by one of the following persons:
- Employee
- Employee’s spouse
- Parent registered on employee’s profile
- Dependent sibling age 16 to 24 if the child is between 2 and 11
- Dependent sibling age 18 to 24 if the child is under 2 and confirmed in the same cabin
A child between 8 and 12 may travel unaccompanied as per UMNR as long as they are travelling on confirmed space (i.e. Go AC) and the flight is non-stop.
Limitations
Children under 12 with a severe allergy to peanuts and their products may not travel as an unaccompanied minor on confirmed space, even if the flight is a non-stop.
Disabled children may not travel unaccompanied.
Children who travel with someone other than the employee/spouse, will be listed at the same boarding priority as that of their pass-eligible companion. For example:
- When children between 2 and 11 travel with grandparents (parent of employee registered on profile) they all travel at C3/Y10 priority
- When children under 12 travel with an 18 to 24 year old dependent sibling who’s on profile, they all travel at C3/Y10 priority
- When children under 12 travel with another employee/retired employee, they all travel at the employee’s/retiree’s priority
- When children travel with the employee’s spouse, all travel is done on the applicable priority and service charge/tax and allotment reductions will apply
Rules
When cabin or flight deck crew are operating or deadheading on a flight, their children who travel on the same flight are considered as being unaccompanied. Therefore:
- Children under 5 are not permitted
- Children between 8 and 11 may only travel unaccompanied on GoAC programs
- Children between 12 and 17 may travel unaccompanied at the applicable personal priority eligibility, but is not eligible for an upgrade to the parent’s deadhead priority
- Children 18 and over may travel unaccompanied at the C3/Y10 priority, but are not eligible for an upgrade to the parent’s deadhead priority
Procedure
All children must travel with valid identification and the required travel documents.
In addition, children under 18 must also carry a letter of consent from their parent when traveling unaccompanied, when accompanied by someone other than their parent/legal guardian, or when traveling with one parent only.
Policy for seating passengers with children
| 7 years old and under | 8 to 13 years old | 14 to 15 years old |
|---|---|---|
| Must sit next to an accompanying adult | Must sit next to an accompanying adult | May sit any distance from accompanying adult |
| Cannot waive requirements | Parents can request to waive requirements | No requirements |
| Not permitted in restricted seats | Not permitted in restricted seats | Not permitted in restricted seats |
| 1 infant: 1 adult ratio | UMNR briefing required(if waived) | UMNR briefing not required |
- Children aged seven and under must be seated next to an accompanying adult and these requirements cannot be waved.
- Children aged eight to 13 must be seated next to an accompanying adult and the customer can choose to waive this requirement, at which time Cabin Crew will brief the child as an unaccompanied minor.
- Youth aged 14 to 15 may sit any distance from an accompanying adult but are not permitted in restricted seats.
Seat changes to accommodate children and minors are to be made at the gate prior to boarding for both revenue and non-revenue travellers. This will ensure all customers and co-workers are able to travel with their children.
Children in Business Class Pods
Children aged 2 to 7 may travel in Pods but must be seated directly in front, behind their parent/guardian, or in a facing Pod (D and G on aircraft with Executive Pods, or F/G and K on aircraft with Classic Pods).
Exceptions & Unique Situations
Ward or Foster child: To qualify for travel privileges, a ward or foster child must be:
- Under the age of 18, and;
- Reside with the employee full-time.
In addition, the employee is required to provide proof of the arrangement by way of a court order or letter from social services.**
Disabled child: There is no age limit for disabled children to qualify for travel privileges, but the child must meet the following requirements:
- Have a mental or physical disability that prevents self-sustaining employment, and;
- Must rely on the employee for support and maintenance, and;
- Must be accompanied by parent when traveling.
In addition, the employee must provide documentary proof** of the disability as follows:
- Download form Application for Total Disability – Benefits and Travel Privileges in Respect of Continuing Eligibility for a Dependent Child
- Have child’s attending physician complete the form
- Send completed form and any related documents to Occupational Health Services
* Jazz employees: Contact Jazz Employee Travel Department for procedure. ↵
Travel disruption compensation
No right to flight disruption compensation (in case of cancellation, delay, or denied boarding) and other entitlements under the applicable passenger rights regimes, including Canada's Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR) or the European Union's EC261. All individuals travelling agree to release, and waive all claims against Air Canada, its subsidiaries, affiliates, partner and other airlines from any and all liabilities, damages, entitlements to compensation, losses, costs, or expenses arising under such regimes.
Non-compliance
It is the employee’s responsibility to ensure their children travel under these rules. Failure to do so, including not reporting changes in eligibility, will result in disciplinary action.
When in doubt, it’s better to contact actravel.voyageac@aircanada.ca or call 1-833-847- EMPL (3675) to ask for clarification than to risk making the wrong assumption.
This policy is subject to change without notice.
Last update: Sep 09, 2025