UK to ban airlines from charging parents to sit next to their children

The British government is preparing rules that would stop airlines from charging parents extra money simply to sit beside their own children during flights. Under the planned requirement, airlines would have to seat passengers under 14 next to a parent or accompanying adult at no additional cost. The plan would also scrap fees for correcting a spelling mistake on a flight booking.

Officials are aiming to bring in the change before next year's summer holiday season. Prime Minister Andy Burnham described the move as part of a wider effort to tackle "little charges that add up" when families book travel. The reform is being attached to a civil aviation bill currently making its way through parliament, which would give ministers broader powers to set passenger rights and airline obligations.

Burnham argued that charging parents to sit with their kids amounts to a rip-off, and that steep fees for fixing a simple typo on a booking are similarly unfair. According to the Department for Transport, a family currently may pay as much as £104 for a return trip just to guarantee seats together.

Background

Earlier this year, Ryanair revised its family seating approach following a probe into charges for parents sitting with children. The airline had previously required a paid "mandatory family seat" for parents travelling with children aged two to 11, at roughly £8 per leg, according to findings from the UK's Competition and Markets Authority. Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, said it was unfair to make parents — and children as young as three — pay extra just to sit together, adding that airlines separating families are prioritising profit over passengers' peace of mind.

Separately, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander announced a crackdown on disruptive passenger behaviour, with the government, airlines and unions developing a shared system for flagging troublesome travellers. Government figures show airlines recorded over 1,000 serious disruption incidents in 2025, including a mid-air altercation that forced a flight to divert.