A pending proposal would ban airlines from charging extra for family seating
The National Consumers League (NCL) and several other public interest groups are supporting a proposed U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) rule to ban extra fees for families who want to sit with their children on flights.
NCL has advocated for this change for years, applauding Secretary Pete Buttigieg for addressing this safety issue.
We should be able to sit with our kids without paying unnecessary fees, said NCLs John Breyault. Parents shouldnt have to choose between affordable tickets and their childrens safety.
Rule was proposed in August
DOT issued a press release on August 1, 2024, announcing a proposed rule to ban airlines from charging fees for family seating, saying it would savea family of four as much as $200 per roundtrip if seat fees are $25.
"Many airlines still don't guarantee family seating, which means parents wonder if they'll have to pay extra just to be seated with their young child. Flying with children is already complicated enough without having to worry about that," Buttigieg said.
For many families, being seated next to their children is not optional, especially when they are too young to feed themselves, fasten their own seatbelt, go to the bathroom, and, in some cases, communicate.
But despite adjacent seating being essential for young families, many airlines continue to force parents to choose between paying to lock in assigned seats or risk being seated apart.
These fees add up and effectively raise the final cost of air transportation for many families traveling with young children, Buttigieg said.
NCL also praised DOT for questioning other airline fees, such as those for drinking water or printed boarding passes. The consumer coalition urged DOT to require airlines to provide basic services, including FAA-compliant seating and customer support, without additional charges.
No matter your ticket, you should feel secure that your seat is safe and that youll have access to basic needs like drinking water, added NCLs Eden Iscil.
The full comments submitted by NCL, the American Economic Liberties Project (AELP), Consumer Action, Consumer Federation of America (CFA), FlyersRights, Travelers United, and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG) can be found here.
Photo Credit: Consumer Affairs News Department Images
Posted: 2024-11-13 19:01:10
