Passengers wearing protective masks are seen on board ahead of a JetBlue flight to London at JFK International Airport in Queens, New York, on August 11, 2021.
Jeenah Moon | Reuters
The Biden administration is asking Congress to pass laws that may bar airlines from charging families traveling with children under the age of 14 to take a seat together in a modern effort to finish surcharges for consumers, the Department of Transportation said Monday.
“Having reviewed the airline’s seating policy, the DOT stays concerned that the airline’s policy doesn’t guarantee adjoining seating for young children traveling with a member of the family, and that the airline doesn’t guarantee adjoining seating at no additional cost,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg wrote in letter Kevin McCarthy, Speaker of the House of Representatives.
President Joe Biden has promised to eliminate so-called junk fees in all industries, including hotels, airlines and banks.
Earlier this month, Alaska airlines, american airlines AND Frontier Airlines they said they would come with family seat guarantees of their customer support plans, violation of which could lead to DOT fines. United Airlines last month it said it could give families traveling with children access to places that may normally cost extra on the time of booking.
The Biden administration’s bill calls for refunds to passengers who cannot get adjoining child seats of their group.
The Department of Transportation is working on a rule to ensure seating for families, but said that because “the rulemaking process might be lengthy, the President and the DOT are urging Congress to achieve this immediately.”
