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Parents flying from the UK could soon stop paying extra just to sit with their children. The government has announced plans to require airlines to seat children under 14 with a parent or accompanying adult free of charge.
According to the Department for Transport (DfT), a parent and child can currently be charged up to £104 on a return journey to sit together.
The plans also target fees for fixing simple name errors on bookings and set out a new system for dealing with seriously disruptive passengers.
The Department for Transport has set out three main measures:
Free family seating: airlines will have to seat children under 14 with a parent or accompanying adult without charging extra.
Free name corrections: passengers will be able to fix minor errors on their booking, such as a misspelt name, without paying a fee. These charges can currently be as much as £40.
Action on disruptive passengers: the government is working with airlines and trade unions on a new system for sharing information about persistently disruptive passengers. This will help airlines decide whether to extend a ban to their own flights.
Airlines logged more than 1,000 serious disruptive passenger incidents in 2025, according to the government. One was a mid-air fight that forced a flight to divert.
The new measures are not yet in force. They depend on the Civil Aviation (Consumer Protection and Regulatory Reform) Bill, which started in the House of Lords in May 2026, completed its Lords stages in July, and is now going through the House of Commons.
Once the Bill receives Royal Assent, the DfT plans to consult on the details. Ministers are aiming to have the changes in place before the 2027 summer holidays. Until then, each airline's own policy still applies.
There is currently no UK law requiring airlines to seat families together for free. Instead, airlines follow guidance from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which says they should take proactive steps to seat children, especially those under 12, with an accompanying adult.
The new plans go further. They raise the age to under 14 and turn a recommendation into a requirement for every airline operating in the UK.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said:
"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."
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said:
"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."
Trade body Airlines UK said it was surprised by the announcement. It said UK airlines already allow minor name corrections free of charge and follow the CAA's guidance on seating children under 12 with an adult. Airlines UK welcomed the plan to tackle disruptive passengers.
The government says the changes will also bring UK and EU passenger rules more closely into line.
The new rules are unlikely to be in place for winter or spring trips. Until then, these steps can help you avoid unexpected fees:
Book everyone together: put all family members on the same booking so the airline knows you're travelling as a group.
Check the airline's policy: age limits and seating guarantees vary between airlines, so check before you pay.
Check in early: if you don't pay for seats, check in as soon as online check-in opens for the best chance of sitting together.
Check names against passports: review every name before paying. If you spot a mistake after booking, contact the airline straight away, because many will correct minor errors for free.
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