UK Bill Bans Split Families and £104 Fees for Under 14 Name Fixes

The UK government announced plans on October 2, 2026, to stop airlines charging families to sit together and to waive fees for basic name corrections. The measures are not yet in force.

Under the proposal, airlines would have to seat a child under 14 beside a parent or accompanying adult without charging for that arrangement. Families can now face fees of up to £104 on a return journey to sit together.

Airlines could still charge passengers who want a particular seat or a preferred location. The proposed rule would bar a fee simply for placing the child next to an accompanying adult.

The second change concerns minor errors in a passenger’s booking name. Carriers would no longer be able to charge up to £40 to correct a spelling or administrative mistake. It would not allow a ticket to be transferred to another passenger.

Passengers should keep following the airline’s current booking terms. The protections have not taken legal effect.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the fees exploit parents and travelers who make simple mistakes.

“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.”

Heidi Alexander, Secretary of State for Transport, said parents should not pay extra to sit beside their child or amend a straightforward booking error.

“Parents should not have to feel the pinch just to sit next to their child on a flight, or for amending a simple booking error.”

Ministers still need Parliament to put the protections in place

The proposals sit within the Civil Aviation (Consumer Protection and Regulatory Reform) Bill. It would give ministers authority to set passenger rights and establish duties for airlines and airports.

Parliament must approve the bill before the government can proceed. The planned changes would also require Royal Assent and follow-up regulations.

The government aims to bring the protections in before the 2027 summer holiday season. That timetable depends on the bill completing those steps.

Ryanair disputes the need for the new rules

Michael O’Leary, Ryanair Group chief executive, called the announcement “typical political spin.” He argued that airlines in the UK already seat families together without charge and allow minor passenger-detail corrections for free.

The Competition and Markets Authority opened an investigation into Ryanair’s family-seat fees in June 2026. The airline later announced a separate policy: from June 25, 2026, children under 12 on a booking would sit beside at least one adult through random seat allocation, with no fee for that placement.

That policy applies to a younger age group than the government’s proposed rule. The bill’s proposed protections remain subject to parliamentary approval and regulations.