Key facts
- Airlines will be banned from charging parents extra to sit with their children on flights.
- Passengers aged under 14 must be seated next to their parents or an accompanying adult free of charge.
- Fees for correcting simple mistakes on flight bookings will be eliminated.
- The government aims to implement these changes before the 2025 summer holidays.
- The proposed changes are part of a broader effort to reduce additional holiday costs for families.
- A current arrangement for parents and children to sit together can cost up to £104 return.
Airlines will be prohibited from charging parents extra fees to sit with their children on flights under new government plans. The proposed legislation, part of the civil aviation (consumer protection and regulatory reform) bill, aims to prevent airlines from separating families and imposing charges for simple booking corrections.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that the changes are intended to address "little charges that add up" and "tackle the small irritations that catch people out, waste their time and cost them money." Currently, sitting together can cost a parent and child up to £104 on a return journey. Rory Boland, editor of consumer magazine Which? Travel, described the practice as "unfair" and prioritizing profit over passenger peace of mind.
Earlier this year, Ryanair modified its family seating policy following an investigation. Previously, parents traveling with children aged two to 11 were required to pay a fee, typically around £8 each way, to reserve a mandatory family seat. Under the new policy, parents will still have the option to pay for preferred seats, but children will be seated alongside them free of charge.
In addition to seating arrangements, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander announced a crackdown on disruptive passenger behavior. The government, airlines, and trade unions are collaborating on a new system to share information about passengers with a history of bad conduct. Airlines reported over 1,000 serious disruptive incidents in 2025, and the new system could allow airlines to ban repeat offenders.