UK / Aviation / Consumer rights

Child seating fees face ban, but ministers withdraw incorrect start date

The airline proposals cover under-14s and simple booking-name corrections. Implementation is linked to the Civil Aviation Bill.

3 OCT 2026 · 1 min read

Economy cabin on the upper deck of a British Airways Airbus A380, 22 March 2019. Archive illustration of aircraft seating; not evidence of any airline breaching the proposed rules. — Archive · Simply Aviation · 22 March 2019 · CC BY 4.0 · display crop · Licence · Cropped for display. Context image, not a photograph of this event.

Airlines would have to seat children under 14 beside a parent or accompanying adult without an extra charge under government plans. But the Department for Transport has corrected its announcement, removing an erroneous date for the requirement to begin.

The change is still a proposal

The department says implementation will follow Royal Assent for the Civil Aviation Bill. Its correction, published on 2 October, means the announcement should not be read as confirmation that a new entitlement already applies.

Booking mistakes also covered

The package would allow simple name errors to be corrected without a fee. Ministers also propose an information-sharing system for persistently disruptive passengers, developed with airlines and trade unions.

What families should check now

For an upcoming journey, passengers should consult their airline’s current seating policy and booking terms. The government says the reforms are intended to make treatment more consistent across airlines operating in the UK; the corrected announcement does not supply a replacement commencement date.