Three U.S. airlines dropping family-seat fees
STORY: A pressure campaign from the U.S. government is making flying cheaper for one group of travelers: families.
The U.S. Department of Transportation said Monday American, Alaska, and Frontier Airlines have agreed to commit in writing to eliminate fees they charge families to sit next to each other if the seats are available when buying the tickets.
The move comes after President Joe Biden launched an effort to crack down on what the White House calls junk fees which he discussed in his State of the Union address last month.
“We can stop service fees on tickets to concerts and sporting events and make companies disclose all the fees up front. And we’ll prohibit airlines from charging $50 round trip for a family just to be able to sit together. Baggage fees are bad enough. Airlines can't treat your child like a piece of baggage. Americans are tired of being, we’re tired of being played for suckers.”
The Department of Transportation has unveiled a new government dashboard highlighting airline commitments.
To receive a green check, airlines must guarantee parents can sit next to children age 13 and younger without paying fees. They also must include that guarantee as part of customer service plans which means they are subject to government enforcement if they don’t comply.
