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The Biden administration proposed a new rule Thursday that would require airlines to seat families with young children together at no extra cost.
The so-called family seating junk fee ban is aimed at cutting down on the often exorbitant costs, and would require airlines to seat parents next to their young children for free if adjacent seats are available, the Department of Transportation said.
“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,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. “Flying with children is already complicated enough without having to worry about that.”
Under President Joe Biden, the U.S. government has launched a crackdown on hidden and misleading fees, known as “junk fees” and predatory practices in a number of industries. The airline industry has become a primary target given the wide range of fees levied upon passengers at checkout, from baggage to seating fees. Passengers have to shell out anywhere from $25 to more than $100 to select a seat on a flight — and that cost is quadrupled for a family of four, putting even low-cost tickets out of reach for many.
As part of the rule, airlines would be required to give passengers the choice between receiving a full refund or waiting for family seating to become available later if the option isn’t available at booking. The federal government would impose civil penalties on airlines that continue to impose junk fees, with each seat fee considered as a separate violation.
Four airlines — Alaska, American, Frontier, and JetBlue — voluntarily got rid of these fees after facing pressure from the department.
In October, the White House announced a new proposed rule to prohibit so-called “junk fees” — hidden and misleading fees — and require companies to show full prices upfront. The Federal Trade Commission estimates that junk fees cost American consumers tens of billions of dollars each year in unexpected costs.
In April, the Transportation Department announced new rules that will require airlines to notify consumers upfront about fees for checked and carry-on bags, along with costs for reservation changes or cancellations. The agency estimated that consumers will save more than $500 million each year that they currently pay in airline fees.