Several children without guardians are led by a China Southern Airlines worker to the boarding gate. [Photo by Huang Yi/csxrmt.com]

The Hunan branch of China Southern Airlines served 188 children flying without a guardian at the Changsha Huanghua International Airport from Jan 21 to Feb 1.

According to the company, many children take flights alone during summer and winter vacations. Children who fly without guardians are especially common during the Spring Festival holiday.

Yang Shuai, on-duty director of the Ground Support Department of the Hunan branch of China Southern Airlines, said that the company offers free escort services during the Spring Festival travel rush for 5 to 12-year-old children without a guardian. This policy applies throughout the entire airport and flying process. Yang explained that parents can apply for the service through the company’s mobile app or hotline (95539) within 72 hours after booking their ticket, or go directly to the ticket office. The service is currently available for only five kids per flight.

Parents must send their kids to designated counters in terminals. The IDs of both the parents and the child must be presented. Forms must be filled out and the children must be in possession of information bags (which have been replaced by yellow haversacks with Garfield patterns to make them more conspicuous). Parents also must arrange for someone to pick up their children at the destination.

Yang added that flight attendants usually sit children in the front or near the aisle so they can keep a close eye on them. After landing, ground staff will accompany the children off the plane and make the appropriate calls based on info in the information bags. Whoever picks up the children must show a valid ID.