The government says the Civil Aviation Bill will allow it to ban airline charges for parents to sit next to children under 14 and to stop fees for minor booking corrections. The DfT argues the move will standardize protections across carriers, while some airlines and trade bodies say similar concessions already exist. Ryanair has strongly disputed the need for the change, but consumer groups and the CMA’s earlier probe into family seating fees back the case for clearer, consistent rules. The Bill also includes measures to share data on persistently disruptive passengers and ministers aim to implement reforms before next summer.
Government Moves To Ban Fees For Parents To Sit With Children On Flights
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The government says the Civil Aviation Bill will give it powers to stop airlines charging parents to sit next to their children on flights, if the measure is approved by Parliament. The Department for Transport (DfT) says it will consult on banning fees for seating parents beside children under 14 and on removing charges for correcting minor booking errors.
Background
The DfT acknowledged many UK carriers already offer protections against hidden costs but argued the reforms would create consistent protections across all airlines operating to and from the UK. The department highlighted examples it says show current charges can be significant: it estimates a return journey for a parent and child to sit together can cost about £104, and small administrative booking changes can be charged up to about £40.
Regulatory And Consumer Context
The changes follow scrutiny of airline practices by consumer watchdogs. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) previously investigated Ryanair’s family seating policy, which the CMA said typically resulted in a fee of around £8 each way. Ryanair later amended its policy to allow parents to sit next to young children without an additional seat reservation fee in many cases.
Responses From Airlines And Consumer Groups
Trade body Airlines UK said it was surprised by the announcement and pointed out that minor name corrections are already permitted free of charge. Several carriers, including easyJet and Ryanair, have denied the existence of widespread extra fees for family seating.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander: "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."
Ryanair (statement): "No such extra fees exist. This announcement is political spin rather than a practical change."
easyJet (statement): "We and other UK airlines already offer free changes for spelling mistakes and have not forced parents to pay to sit together. The government’s main substantive change is raising the protected age from 12 to 14."
Consumer groups welcomed the proposals. Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, said it was unfair to charge parents extra to sit with young children and that separating families puts profit ahead of passenger wellbeing.
Other Measures In The Bill
The Civil Aviation Bill also proposes a system for sharing information about persistently disruptive passengers, developed with input from airlines and trade unions. The government said airlines logged more than 1,000 serious disruptive incidents in 2025, including an in-flight altercation that led to a diversion. Ministers hope to have the new rules in place before next year’s summer holidays if the Bill receives Royal Assent.
Next steps: If MPs approve the Bill, the DfT plans public consultations on the specific wording and scope of the new rules before implementation.
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