UK government to stop airlines charging parents to sit with children

The UK government on Friday announced plans to require airlines to seat children under 14 with a parent or accompanying adult free of charge, in a move aimed at easing travel costs for families.

Under the new plans, airlines operating in the UK will also have to allow passengers to correct simple name errors on bookings without charge.

The government said families can currently face fees of up to £104 (nearly $140) for a return journey to sit next to their children, while minor booking corrections can cost passengers as much as £40.

"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," Prime Minister Andy Burnham said in a statement on Friday.

"People are fed up with these little charges that add up, so I'm putting a stop to them," he added.

The measures are part of the government's wider "everyday fixes" program, which it says is intended to reduce costs and address consumer complaints.

The government also said it is working with airlines and trade unions to establish a system for sharing information on persistently disruptive passengers.

More than 1,000 serious disruptive passenger incidents were recorded by airlines in 2025, according to the government.

It said the new system would help airlines identify repeat offenders and make decisions on extending airline bans.

The reforms are expected to provide greater consistency in passenger protections across airlines operating in the UK.

The announcement came a day after a cut in value-added tax on electricity bills took effect, which the government said would save households an additional £45.