Right now, domestic airlines treat traveling families differently. A handful, such as JetBlue Airways, American Airlines and Alaska Airlines, guarantee that parents can sit next to their children. But on the others, parents are left to pay for more expensive assigned seats or to bank on the good will of strangers.
Recently, President Joe Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg have pressured airlines to implement fee-free family seating, a continuation of the Biden Administration’s push for airlines to be more transparent and accommodating of travelers. President Biden even called on Congress to pass legislation targeting fees for families to sit together.
Instead, the Transportation Department is directly taking aim at them with a new rule proposed today.
“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,” Mr. Buttigieg said in a statement. “Flying with children is already complicated enough without having to worry about that.”
Here’s what you need to know about the new rule.
And airlines would need to disclose this policy upfront on online platforms and when travelers call customer service to research or book a fare.
When adjacent seats in the same row are available, airlines will be required to seat parents next to their children, within 48 hours of booking. If this isn’t possible, children could be placed across the aisle or directly in front of or behind a parent or accompanying adult.
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More than a year since wildfires ravaged Maui’s western coast, including the beloved coastal town of Lāhainā, the community is still working to rebuild — one one organization is aiming to give hope to survivors and their families in an upcoming festival.
I do not know anyone who heads to the airport and thinks to themselves, "Oh man, I bet this is going to be an awesome experience." Just booking a flight means contemplating a sliding scale of unfortunate scenarios. What if my bag is lost? What if the flight is overbooked? What do I do if it's delayed or canceled? Once you get to the airport, things only get worse: the headache that is maneuvering through long security lines, swallowing eye-popping airport prices, or wondering just how scared you should be if you wind up on a Boeing. At this point, it's more of a pleasant surprise if a flight actually goes as planned.
Western Air, The Bahamas based commercial airline announces the launch of daily, direct flights between Freeport, Grand Bahama and Fort Lauderdale Florida. The highly anticipated route begins Thursday, August 22, 2024 and will mark the airline’s second route connecting South Florida with the islands of The Bahamas. With a brief flight time of approximately 25 minutes, Western Air’s direct flights will offer both frequency and easy accessibility for Grand Bahama and South Florida residents seeking to enjoy a close, affordable getaway. Free checked bags are included up to 40 lbs.
Flight cancellations are mounting Monday after Hurricane Debby made landfall on Florida's Gulf Coast — disruptions that come in the wake of a messy weekend for air travel amid severe storms up and down the East Coast.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Tim Winkler, a recent graduate from Germany taking a gap year to travel. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
Traveling with children already comes with inherent challenges, but in recent years, airlines’ seat selection policies have made it more difficult for parents and guardians to book adjacent seats with their young children—and are charging for the privilege. This morning, the Department of Transportation (DOT) formally proposed a ban on family seating junk fees.