In 'junk fee' fight, US details airline family seating rules

[dalton99a]

https://apnews.com/article/airlines-family-seating-regulations-travel-junk-fees-e1cb9105ee28e9b96009f285838f1983

In ‘junk fee’ fight, US details airline family seating rules
Associated Press

The Transportation Department is rolling out a “dashboard” to let travelers see at a glance which airlines help families with young children sit together at no extra cost.

The announcement Monday comes as the department works on regulations to prevent families from being separated on planes.

It’s the latest salvo in the Biden administration’s efforts to clamp down on what it calls “ junk fees ” and to put pressure on airlines to improve service.

The dashboard rewards airlines with a green check if they guarantee that an adult family member can sit next to their young children if seats are available. On Monday, only three of the 10 U.S. airlines listed on the website received a green check: Alaska, American and Frontier.

The site also includes links to each airline’s customer policies.

“Parents traveling with young kids should be able to sit together without an airline forcing them to pay junk fees,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a release announcing the dashboard. He gave his department credit for pressuring airlines, “and now we’re seeing some airlines start to make this common-sense change.”

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The Airline Customer Service Dashboard is at:

https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/airline-customer-service-dashboard

[Freethinker65]

1. But should they get priority seating on open seat flights?

If you are able to choose your seats prior to boarding, families should be able to select seats together if available. So should groups traveling together.

[Ms. Toad]

2. Most airlines are now charging a separate fee to choose seats prior to boarding.

And typically when they assign seats at check-in, they separate groups which bought tickest together, even if there are adjacent seats. (Asking them to look for adjoining seats sometimes, but not always, works)

It is the fee extracted for the ability to choose seats prior to boarding that is being addressed.

The only open seat flights I'm aware of are on Southwest. You're assigned a letter (A, B, or C) and families are boarded between A and B, if I recall correctly. It's been a while since I flew. As long as you check in early enough to get an A or B priority it generally isn't an issue to seat together.

[Freethinker65]

3. Wow, guess my last few years flights have been on SWA.

I still remember being able to select my seat at time of purchase on most other carriers. I knew about the baggage fee changes. Insane.

[Ms. Toad]

4. I got around it the last time we flew in two ways -

I got a United Airlines credit card, which allows me both a carry on and one checked bag, even at the cheapest flights (when all you get to take on the plane with you is a personal item). I was just recovering from vertigo, and my ability to navigate without assistance was uncertain, so I requested an accommodation - which got us seated together. (They initially turned the accommodation request down and told me we'd have to take pot luck, so I remined them I was requesting it as an accommodation for a disability and they assigned us adjacent seats, in advance.)

The annual fee for the credit card was waived for the first year, and is lower than the price of a single checked bag - so we'll be keeping it just for flights. (Although I hate being stuck with a single airline.)

But it's unreal.

[Beaverhausen]

5. Airlines make you pay more to pick a seat in a 'desirable' section

I will pay that fee on some flights (long flights, or if I have a short connection to make) and honestly I'd be pissed if I was made to give up the seat I paid extra for unless they get me one comparable or better or refund what extra I paid.