The UK government has proposed a rule change that would prevent airlines from charging parents to sit next to their children on flights, according to government plans. Under the proposal, carriers would be required to seat passengers aged under 14 adjacent to a parent or an accompanying adult at no additional cost.
What the proposals would do
The planned change would make it unlawful for airlines to levy extra fees specifically to place children next to a parent or guardian. In addition, the proposals include removing charges for passengers who need to correct or tweak the name on a flight booking to fix a genuine mistake.
The measures are framed as consumer protections intended to reduce commonplace add-on fees in the aviation sector. Officials say they form part of a broader effort, described by Burnham as a bid to crack down on the "little charges that add up," that can increase the cost of travel beyond advertised ticket prices.
Policy aims and implications
If implemented, the rules would affect how airlines manage seat allocation and booking systems, and could alter how ancillary revenues are generated by carriers. The government presents the move as favouring families and travellers who currently face extra costs to ensure they are seated together or to correct booking errors.
The proposals add to ongoing scrutiny of airline fees and consumer rights in the sector. Further details on how the rules would be enforced and the timeline for implementation have not been set out in the initial plans.