UK Government Proposes Ban on Extra Charges for Parents Sitting with Children on Flights

The UK government has announced plans to prevent airlines from charging parents extra fees to sit next to their children on flights. The proposed changes, part of the Civil Aviation Bill, would also address charges for correcting minor errors on flight bookings, such as misspellings in names. If approved by Parliament, the Department for Transport will consult on implementing these reforms.

While most UK airlines currently adhere to guidelines that prevent families from being separated without charge, the government stated that the new legislation would ensure greater consistency across all carriers operating in the country. The current arrangements can cost a parent and child up to £104 for a round trip when seat selection fees are applied. For minor administrative changes like correcting a name, passengers can face fees of up to £40.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham described the proposed rule changes as part of an effort to curb "little charges that add up" for families planning holidays. He characterized charging parents for basic seating as a "rip-off" and criticized the fees for simple booking mistakes.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander emphasized that parents should not incur additional costs simply to sit beside their children or to fix minor booking errors. Rory Boland, editor of consumer magazine Which? Travel, agreed, calling it "clearly unfair" to charge families for seating children as young as three with their guardians and noted that some airlines prioritize profit over passenger comfort.

The airline trade body, Airlines UK, expressed surprise at the announcement, asserting that its member airlines already permit minor name corrections free of charge and follow existing regulatory guidance on seating children under 12 with accompanying adults. The proposed reforms are presented as "everyday fixes" aimed at tackling common irritations that affect consumers' finances.