A United Airlines flight departs from Newark International Airport, in Newark, New Jersey, on January 11, 2023.
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United Airlines said Monday that new technology would open up more seats on those flights so children could sit with adults at parties without paying a fee, the type of fee the Biden administration has come under scrutiny from in recent months.
United will show parents or other adult travelers accompanying children under 12 years of age access to “preferred” seats as well as regular economy seats, if necessary, when booking to sit together.
The changes apply to travelers on standard and basic economy tickets and will take effect next month, although United has increased some seat availability.
The airline will also not charge the fare difference to customers if they move to the same seat as the seat next to them.
Airlines in recent years have been charging travelers to book “preferred” location seats on flights. They do not come with extra legroom or other benefits but often in front of the plane, although they can cover a significant number of plane seats.
President Joe Biden called on lawmakers to “immediately ban the family seat fee,” the White House said earlier this month. In July, the Transportation Department told U.S. airlines to “do everything in their power” to ensure travelers under 13 sit next to adults at no extra charge.
“Baggage fees are pretty bad,” Biden said during his State of the Union address earlier this month. “Airlines can’t treat your child like baggage.”
These seats usually vary in price. On a round trip between Newark, New Jersey, and Los Angeles in August, a preferred seat on a United flight was $37 each way for one person.
Delta Air Lines said it is a block of certain rows of seats so that families can sit together.
“Delta does not charge a family seating fee and regardless of the class of ticket purchased, it will always work with customers on a case-by-case basis to ensure family seating needs are met,” a spokesperson said in a statement Friday.
American AirlinesThe booking platform will automatically search for available seats at the same time when booking for main cabin and basic economy passengers. Preferred seats and extra legroom sections, Main Cabin Extra, open on the day of departure if needed, a spokesperson told CNBC.