The US Department of Transportation is proposing a new regulation that Flight ban for airlines to demand more from parents to care for their young children.
Under the proposal released Thursday, U.S. and foreign airlines would be required to allow children ages 13 and younger to sit next to their parents or accompanying adult for free.
If no adjacent seats are available when a parent books a flight, airlines must give families the choice of a full refund or waiting to see if a seat becomes available. If no seats are available before other passengers board, airlines must give families the option to rebook on the next flight with available adjacent seats, free of charge.
The Biden administration estimates that this policy could save a family of four up to $200 in seat fees for a round-trip flight.
“Flying with children is complicated enough without having to worry about this,” said US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said.
Buttigieg pointed out that four airlines – Alaska, American, Frontier and JetBlue – already guarantee that children under 13 can sit next to an accompanying adult for free.
Congress authorized the Department of Transportation to propose a rule prohibiting family seat fees as part of the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Actwhich President Joe Biden signed in May.
The law also imposes higher penalties on airlines that violate consumer protection laws and requires the Department of Transportation to publish a chart so that consumers can compare seat sizes on different airlines.
The department will accept comments on the proposed family seating rule over the next 60 days before issuing a final rule.
The airlines are fighting back against the Biden administration’s campaign to abolish the so-called “Junk fees.”
In April, the government adopt a final regulation Require airlines to automatically provide cash refunds for cancelled or delayed flights and to better disclose baggage or cancellation fees.
Airlines have filed suit and earlier this week a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals this rule is temporarily blocked on the grounds that the rule “likely exceeds the authority of the agency.” The judges granted a request by the airlines to stay the rule while their lawsuit is heard.
When asked whether the family seat rule could face the same fate, Buttigieg pointed out that the Transportation Department also has the support of Congress, which approved the rule.
“We trust that any rule we propose is well-founded by our agencies,” Buttigieg said during a conference call to discuss the family residence rule.