The UK government is planning new regulations that would prohibit airlines from charging parents additional fees to sit adjacent to their children on flights. The proposed rule applies to passengers under 14 years of age and would require airlines to provide seating arrangements with accompanying adults at no extra cost.
Under current practices, securing seats together can cost up to £104 for a parent-child pair on a return journey, according to the Department for Transport. The government aims to implement these changes prior to next year’s summer holiday season. Prime Minister Andy Burnham framed the initiative as part of broader efforts to eliminate accumulating “little charges” that families encounter when booking vacations.
The changes are being developed as part of the civil aviation consumer protection and regulatory reform bill, which is currently under parliamentary review. This legislation would grant ministers authority to establish passenger rights standards and define the responsibilities of airlines and airport operators. Burnham stated that charging parents simply to sit with their children constitutes unfair pricing, and similar fees for correcting booking errors should also be eliminated.
Earlier this year, Ryanair modified its family seating policy following a regulatory investigation. The airline had previously required parents of children aged 2 to 11 to pay approximately £8 each way to reserve mandatory family seats, though children were then seated adjacent to or near their parents without additional charge. Under the revised approach, parents retain the option to pay for specific seat selections while their children are seated nearby at no cost.
Separately, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander announced a government initiative to address passenger misconduct on aircraft. The measure involves collaboration between government agencies, airlines, and labor unions to establish an information-sharing system for identifying disruptive passengers. Airlines would have the option to bar repeat offenders from their flights. Government data indicates airlines recorded over 1,000 serious incidents involving disruptive passengers in 2025, including instances that resulted in flight diversions.
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