Parents may no longer pay to sit with children on flights
Government proposes changes to end charges for seating next to children and for minor booking errors.
Trust 80Craft 95Hype 30How this was reported ▾
Trust high (80) due to multiple named officials, quoted figures, and reference to the Civil Aviation Bill.
How well corroborated and evidenced the reporting is. Higher is better.
Critic score 95; article explains impact, includes quotes, specific data, next steps, and clear writing.
Context, balance and separation of fact from comment. Higher is better.
Hype moderate (30); language is mildly emotive but headline matches article content.
How far presentation runs ahead of substance. Lower is better.
1 source assessed · methodology
Parents may soon no longer face charges for sitting next to their children on flights, as the government proposes new regulations. If the Civil Aviation Bill receives approval from MPs, the Department for Transport will consult on ending fees for seating arrangements with children under the age of 14. This move is part of a broader effort to eliminate what Prime Minister Andy Burnham described as "little charges that add up" for families.
Currently, the Department for Transport states that arrangements for a parent and child to sit together can cost up to £104 for a return journey. The proposed reforms also aim to address charges for minor administrative adjustments to bookings, such as correcting a name on a ticket. Such corrections can currently incur costs of up to £40 for passengers.
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Addressing 'Rip-off' Charges
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has criticised the practice, stating, "Charging parents just to sit with their children is a rip-off, plain and simple." He added that being "hit with a hefty fee for a simple spelling mistake on a booking form isn't right either." Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander echoed these sentiments, saying, "Parents should not have to feel the pinch just to sit next to their child on a flight, or for amending a simple booking error."
The Department for Transport described the proposed rules as an "everyday fix" to tackle irritations that negatively impact people's finances. While most UK airlines already have policies in place regarding seating children with accompanying adults and making minor corrections, the government seeks to ensure greater consistency across all carriers operating in the country.
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Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, commented that it is "clearly unfair to force parents and children as young as three to pay an extra fee just to sit together." He suggested that airlines separating families have been "putting profit ahead of passenger peace of mind."
Tackling Disruptive Passengers
Alongside the changes to seating and booking fees, the Civil Aviation Bill also includes provisions for a new system to share information on persistently disruptive passengers. This initiative will be developed with input from airlines and trade unions. The government noted that in 2025, airlines logged over 1,000 serious disruptive passenger incidents, including a mid-air altercation that necessitated a flight diversion.
Heidi Alexander stated that travellers should be able to fly without their journeys being disrupted by "bad behaviour from a small minority." Airlines UK has welcomed the commitment to address disruptive passenger behaviour.
Next Steps
The proposed changes are expected to be implemented following Royal Assent of the Civil Aviation Bill. Ministers are reportedly aiming to enact these reforms before the start of the summer holidays in 2025.
Questions this report answers
+How much can parents currently pay to sit with their children on flights?
Parents can currently be charged up to £104 for a return journey for arrangements to sit together with their child on a flight. The government plans to consult on scrapping these fees if the Civil Aviation Bill is approved.
+Will there still be charges for minor mistakes on flight bookings?
The government plans to consult on scrapping charges for minor booking errors, such as correcting a name on a form, which can currently cost passengers up to £40. This aims to reduce additional costs for travellers.
+When might these new rules come into effect?
The proposed changes are expected to be implemented after the Civil Aviation Bill receives Royal Assent. Ministers are reportedly aiming to have these reforms in place before the start of the summer holidays next year.
+What is being done about disruptive passengers?
The Civil Aviation Bill includes plans for a new system to share information on persistently disruptive passengers, developed with airlines and trade unions. This aims to improve the travel experience for everyone by addressing bad behaviour.
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