UK Moves to Scrap Family Seating and Name-Change Fees
The UK government has announced plans to stop airlines charging parents or accompanying adults simply to sit beside children under 14, while also making basic booking-name corrections free. The reforms were announced on 2 October, but they are not yet in force. The Department for Transport removed an earlier start-date claim after correcting an error, and says the measures will follow Royal Assent of the Civil Aviation Bill.
The government says a parent and child can currently face charges of up to £104 on a return journey to secure adjacent seats, while simple name changes can cost as much as £40. The new rules are intended to apply across airlines operating in the UK, giving families the same baseline protection regardless of carrier. Exact implementation details have not yet been published, including when airlines must begin complying.
What the New Rules Are Expected to Cover
- Children: under-14s seated with a parent or accompanying adult free of charge.
- Name errors: simple booking mistakes corrected without a fee.
- Airlines: carriers operating in the UK.
- Start date: not yet confirmed.
- Current position: existing airline policies still apply.
- Next step: the Civil Aviation Bill enters its Commons committee stage on 20 October; the reforms are due to follow Royal Assent.
Families booking flights now should not assume paid seat-selection fees have disappeared. Check the airline’s current seating policy before paying, especially if travelling with children, and keep screenshots of any mandatory charges shown during booking. For a misspelt name, contact the airline or booking agent before paying for a change: easyJet already allows spelling corrections free, while Ryanair permits certain minor name corrections without a fee.
“These common-sense reforms will make flying safer for staff and passengers and protect people from unnecessary charges, whoever they fly with."
The biggest change will be consistency rather than a new benefit on every airline, because several carriers already offer some family-seating and name-correction protections. Until legislation takes effect, current airline terms still apply at checkout. The government wants the reforms to benefit holidaymakers by next summer, but no legal start date has been confirmed, so 2027 bookings should still be made under existing airline rules.
