The UK government plans to stop airlines from charging parents extra to sit beside children under the age of 14 as part of proposed changes to aviation rules aimed at reducing additional travel costs for families.
The measure would be introduced through the Civil Aviation Bill and would apply to airlines operating in the UK once the legislation receives Royal Assent. The government says a parent and child can currently face charges of up to £104 on a return journey to guarantee adjoining seats.
Passengers would also be allowed to correct simple name errors on flight bookings without being charged, addressing administrative fees that can reach £40.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said families should not have to pay simply to sit together, while Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the changes would provide greater consistency across airlines.
The proposals follow increased scrutiny of airline seating practices. The Competition and Markets Authority opened an investigation into Ryanair in June over a policy that required some adults travelling with children to pay for a reserved seat.
Ryanair has since changed its family seating policy and says the type of additional fee targeted by the government no longer exists. EasyJet has also said it does not charge parents simply to sit with their children and already allows corrections of spelling mistakes without charge.
The government acknowledged that many UK airlines already provide similar protections but said legislation would ensure passengers receive consistent treatment regardless of the carrier they use.
The Civil Aviation Bill also includes plans for airlines and trade unions to share information about persistently disruptive passengers. More than 1,000 serious disruptive passenger incidents were recorded by airlines in 2025, according to the Department for Transport.
Ministers hope the passenger reforms can be implemented before the 2027 summer holiday season if Parliament approves the legislation.
