The acting Ombudsman of Spain, Francisco Fernández Marugán, has initiated an action with ADIF regarding the escort service for minors traveling alone on trains.
The Ombudsman received a complaint from a citizen who was not allowed to accompany his minor nephew, who was traveling alone, to the door of the train bound for Pamplona at Atocha station.
ADIF staff cited security reasons and also reported that there was no possibility for the minor to be guided to his seat by station staff, so in the end, he had to enter the facilities without the accompaniment of an adult and look for his train without assistance.
Voluntary services for companies
The service of accompanying minors traveling alone, whether by train or plane, is a matter on which the Ombudsman has intervened in the past.
For example, the fact that these services are voluntary for companies has led to complaints from separated families having difficulty maintaining visitation with both parents.
In the Ombudsman’s opinion, it is necessary to have facilities for the child to travel alone if the right of children whose parents live apart to maintain contact with both parents is to be adequately guaranteed.
The Ombudsman considers the existence of services to accompany minors to be essential and recalls that the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (CFREU) establishes the right of minors to the protection and care necessary for their well-being and to maintain regular personal relations and direct contact with their parents.
