FAMILIES jetting off abroad this summer will need to factor more costs into their holiday budget.
While a single person may be happier to sit anywhere on the plane, families need to be together so that kids can be looked after.
But a new rule, which has been proposed by the Department of Transportation in the USA, hopes to end seat reservation charges for families.
Pete Buttigieg, who is the US Transportation Secretary, said: “Flying with children is already complicated enough without having to worry about that.”
Even though airlines like Alaska, American, Frontier and Jet Blue already make sure children under the age of 13 can sit next to an accompanying adult for free, the same cannot be said for carriers in Europe.
Many low-cost airlines across Europe typically charge families to pay to reserve seats next to one other.
For Brits wondering whether they need to pay to reserve a seat next to their kids, here are all the rules for the most popular budget airlines in the UK.
At least one adult will need to pay to reserve a seat on a Ryanair flight.
The reservation then allows up to four children to sit next to their parent of guardian without incurring a charge.
Any adults who don’t reserve seats next to each other are likely to be seperated on the aircraft.
A family seat reservation with Ryanair costs between £6 to £10, meaning a family of four is likely to pay £20 per flight.
Our handy plane map shows how Brits can bag the best seats on a Ryanair flight every time.
Passengers flying with easyJet will also need to pay to a seat reservation fee to guarantee bagging a seat next to their kids.
A statement on the easyJet website reads: “We’ll make sure each child under 12 is seated close to an adult on your booking.
“However we may only be able to arrange this at the airport or on board, which can cause delays for you and other passengers, and not everyone may be seated together.”
Seats are allocated on a first come first served basis, meaning passengers who check-in at the earliest available opportunity are more likely to be seated next to each other.
Reservation charges for seats vary depending on the route, with some starting for as little as 99p on the easyJet website – although they can cost as much as £10.99 per person.
Meanwhile, we’ve revealed how to get the best seats on an easyJet flight.
Tour operator Jet2 aim to seat children under the age of 12 next to their accompanying adults.
A statement on their website reads: “We will always endeavour to seat children and infants under the age of 12 next to their accompanying adults.
“If this is not possible for any reason, we will ensure children are seated as close as possible, and no more than one row away.”
Just like with Ryanair and easyJet, families will need to pay to make sure their seats are next to each other on Wizz Air flights.
Only adults will need to pay for a seat reservation, with children not being forced to pay a fee.
Prices start from €10 (£8.49) per person.
We’ve rounded up how much hand luggage you can take on UK airlines when booking their most basic fare.
Ryanair
One personal bag measuring no more than 40cm x 20cm x 25cm
EasyJet
One personal bag measuring no larger than 45cm x 36cm x 20cm
Jet2
One personal item that fits underneath the seat in front and one cabin bag no larger than 56cm x 45cm x 25cm weighing up to 10kg
TUI
One personal item that its underneath the seat in front and one cabin bag no larger than 55cm x 40cm x 20cm weighing up to 10kg
British Airways
One personal bag no larger than 40cm x 30cm x 15cm and one cabin bag no larger than 56cm x 45cm 25cm weighing up to 23kg
Virgin Atlantic
One personal item that fits underneath the seat in front and one cabin bag no larger than 56cm x 36cm x 23cm weighing up to 10kg
And a flight attendant has revealed their game-changing tips for flying with kids that everyone parent should know about.
Everything from plane maps to pre-boarding tactics can make the world of difference to a lengthy flight when you have little ones in tow.
