Burnham to Ban Airlines From Charging Parents to Sit With Their Children

Andy Burnham has announced a ban on airlines charging people extra to sit next to their children on flights. 

The new rule, expected to come into force before next year’s summer holidays, will apply to parents or other accompanying adults travelling with under-14s. Passengers will also have the right to correct errors on their booking free of charge.

“Charging parents just to sit with their children is a rip-off, plain and simple,” Burnham said. “And being hit with a hefty fee for a simple spelling mistake on a booking form isn’t right either. People are fed up with these little charges that add up, so I’m putting a stop to them.”

Paying to select seats so that a parent and child can sit together cost up to an extra £104 on a return journey, according to the Department for Transport. 

On his first day as prime minister in July, Burnham promised to tackle the cost of living crisis and give people “breathing space”. 

“This is the latest example of the prime minister’s series of ‘everyday fixes’ to tackle the irritations that make life difficult and hit people’s wallets,” the government said in a statement. 

It follows “action on rogue traders overcharging for home improvements, subscription traps that quietly drain bank accounts and rip-off school uniform costs,” the statement added. 

The new rules for airlines will also tighten restrictions on disruptive passengers, Burnham said: “We’re working with the industry to make sure that disruptive passengers who have been banned from one airline can be banned from flying with other airlines too.”