Earlier this summer, the Office of Aviation Consumer Protection issued a notice urging U.S. airlines to “do everything in their power” to keep children 13 and younger near their parents when flying.
The office will begin to review all airline policies and consumer complaints four months after the notice was issued.
“This is a big problem because under-13-year-olds are sitting next to strangers,” said Kendall Creighton, spokeswoman for FlyersRights, a passenger’s rights group. “What happens in case of evacuation, or putting on an oxygen mask? And it makes for a bad travel experience in general, being split up.”
She said airlines should offer families advanced seating and block more seats to assign to families on flights.
A review of the policies of several big airlines shows that this approach is hardly universal, and some airlines charge higher fares to ensure that a child sits next to a parent.
American Airlines
The Fort Worth-based airline will automatically search for seats together the day before departure if a family is traveling with children under 15 and if they do not already have seats assigned, according to the airline’s policy. If seats are limited, American will assign children seats next to at least one accompanying adult.
“It’s important all children are part of the same reservation as the parent(s) so our system recognizes that they are traveling together,” according to airline policy.
American advises people to arrive early and bring any required travel documents, as you may have to provide proof of age for children under 18.
While at the boarding gate, families with children under 2 years old can ask to board early. Children older than 2 require their own tickets, and children under 5 cannot travel alone. All children under 2 can travel at no additional cost on the lap of a parent.
Southwest Airlines
Dallas-based Southwest famously allows passengers to pick their seats when boarding the aircraft.
“Open seating provides a great opportunity for families or groups traveling together to sit together on the aircraft,” Southwest spokesman Chris Perry said. “Customers traveling on the same reservation receive boarding positions adjacent to one another upon check-in.”
The airline’s boarding groups — A, B and C — are based on check-in time or participation in the Rapid Rewards program or through purchase of products such as early bird or upgraded boarding, Perry said. Check-in begins 24 hours prior to a flight’s departure.
Up to two adults traveling with children 6 years old or younger may board during family boarding, between the A and B boarding groups, Perry said.
United Airlines
United suggests passengers book and select seat assignments early to have the best chance of getting a child under 15 seated with an accompanying adult. Additional charges may apply.
“If it’s important for your family to sit together, you may want to consider purchasing advance seat assignments, if available, or selecting a different fare option,” according to the website.
If seats are not selected in advance, the airline will try to find adjoining seats for those on the same reservation prior to departure. But the airline warned that families may be split up.
If passengers would like to sit with a child booked on a separate reservation, they can call the United Customer Contact Center at 1-800-864-8331.
“While we strive to seat your family together, seat selections are not guaranteed and may be changed, including in the event of an aircraft substitution,” according to the website.
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines directs people to contact Delta Reservations if traveling with children older than 2 and if families want seats together.
Additionally, in 2019, Delta launched a dynamic seat map, which “helps ensure more families are able to sit together based on data from certain routes and flight schedules.”
The airline blocks rows for groups of three or more passengers on a single reservation.
