Government scraps extra airline charges for families flying

Airlines will be required to seat children under the age of 14 with a parent or accompanying adult free of charge under new plans announced by the government today, ending a fee that can cost a parent and child up to £104 on a return journey.

Passengers will also be given greater flexibility to correct simple name errors on bookings for free, ending charges of up to £40 for minor mistakes or administrative tweaks.

The government said it is working with airlines and trade unions on a new system for sharing information about persistently disruptive passengers. More than 1,000 serious disruptive passenger incidents were logged by airlines in 2025, including a mid-air brawl that diverted a flight.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “Charging parents just to sit with their children is a rip-off, plain and simple. And being hit with a hefty fee for a simple spelling mistake on a booking form isn’t right either. People are fed up with these little charges that add up, so I’m putting a stop to them.”

The reforms are the latest in the prime minister’s series of “everyday fixes” aimed at easing cost-of-living pressure ahead of next year’s summer holidays. The government said most UK airlines already offer some protections, but the changes will bring consistency across all airlines operating in the UK and are set to be delivered following Royal Assent of the Civil Aviation Bill.

Source: GOV.UK – Take off for passengers as government scraps extra charges when flying