Airlines in the UK will soon be prohibited from charging parents extra to sit with their children on flights, as part of a government initiative aimed at eliminating what Prime Minister Andy Burnham describes as "little charges that add up". The proposed rule change will require airlines to seat passengers aged under 14 next to their parents or an accompanying adult at no additional cost.
New Regulations
In addition to the seating policy, passengers will no longer incur fees for correcting names on their flight bookings. The government aims to implement these changes before the start of the summer holidays next year. MPs are currently debating a new set of regulations for travel companies as the civil aviation (consumer protection and regulatory reform) bill progresses through Parliament.
Prime Minister's Statement
Burnham stated,
“"Charging parents just to sit with their children is a rip-off, plain and simple. And being hit with a hefty fee for a simple spelling mistake on a booking form isn’t right either. People are fed up with these little charges that add up, so I’m putting a stop to them. This is what our everyday fixes are all about – giving people room to breathe by tackling the small irritations that catch people out, waste their time and cost them money."
