Parents Could See Fewer Air Travel Fees Under New Proposal
Traveling by airplane is still one of the most popular ways to experience the world. However, plane passengers often complain about the cost and the various fees associated with hitting the open skies. Now, the Biden administration has a new proposal that would make traveling by airplane more affordable for people with kids.
The Biden administration proposes fee-free family seeing for plane passengers
According to ABC7 New York, the Biden administration has a new proposal aimed to benefit plane passengers with kids. The administration is calling the plan “fee-free family seating.” It would ban airlines from charging extra fees in order for kids to sit next to their parents, which is a practice that’s common with many of the most popular options in the industry.
According to the report, this could save plane passengers with kids up to $200 per trip. Pete Buttigieg, the Transportation Secretary, had this to say about the proposal, “Families don’t need any additional stresses or costs when flying on top of how demanding it can be to be a parent flying with your kids. The idea that parents ought to be seated next to their own children on a flight is common sense and also seems like something that ought to be standard practice.”
Notably, President Biden first discussed the plan in 2023 when he brought up getting rid of “junk fees.” According to Biden, “We’ll cap service fees on tickets to concerts and sporting events and make companies disclose all fees upfront. And we’ll prohibit airlines from charging up to $50 roundtrip for families just to sit together.” He continued, “Baggage fees are bad enough – they can’t just treat your child like a piece of luggage.”
Under the proposed rule, airlines would be required to seat children who are 13 or younger next to their parents. They would have to make the accommodations within 48 hours of the plane passenger buying the ticket. However, if seats are unavailable, the airline would need to give the potential plane passenger the option of a refund. Of course, some airlines don’t currently charge extra fees for air travel with kids.
