Government plans free family seating and name corrections on flights
The government plans to make airlines operating in the UK seat children under 14 with an adult free of charge. The change needs a new aviation law, which Parliament is still considering.
The Department for Transport (DfT) has announced plans for airlines operating in the UK to seat children under 14 with a parent or accompanying adult free of charge. Passengers will also get more flexibility to fix simple name errors on bookings for free, the department said.
What is changing
The DfT says the plans cover:
- seating children under 14 with a parent or accompanying adult free of charge
- more flexibility for passengers to correct simple name errors on bookings for free
- a new system for sharing information on persistently disruptive passengers, which the government is working on with airlines and trade unions
According to the DfT, a parent and child could currently be charged up to £104 on a return journey to sit together. It says charges for minor name mistakes can be as much as £40.
The department says most UK airlines already offer protections against hidden costs. The changes will give passengers "greater consistency on all airlines operating in the UK", it says.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said:
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.
What it means for consumers
The changes are not yet law, so for now each airline's own seating rules still apply. The DfT announced the plans on 2 October 2026, and says they will come in after the Civil Aviation Bill becomes law.
The CMA's Ryanair case is a separate investigation under existing consumer law. It is looking at whether Ryanair's mandatory fee for passengers to sit next to a child they are travelling with is unfair. It is also looking at whether the fee is included in the total price people see at the start of booking. The CMA lists the case as open, with its next update due in December 2026.
Our guide explains how to challenge a hidden fee at checkout if a compulsory fee is added late in a booking.
What happens next
MPs are due to start going through the Civil Aviation (Consumer Protection and Regulatory Reform) Bill in detail from 20 October 2026. The bill has not yet become law.
The government says it wants the changes in place in time for next year's summer holidays. It says it is working with the industry "to ensure swift and fair implementation".