Families Must Pay Fees to Sit Together on Flights

By Carolyn Depoto · Dec 4, 2019 2 min read

Airline Fees

Why airlines charge families to sit together

Should parents have to pay special fees to sit next to their children on flights? The airlines seem to think so — and the costs and safety risks are adding up.

Should parents have to pay special fees to sit next to their children on flights? The airlines seem to think so.

1 The Fees to Sit Together

There are some fees that consumers are willing to accept. Fees for more legroom, priority boarding and extra baggage are on the rise and make airline tickets much more expensive, but travelers are willing to pay for the extra service. But should customers have to pay extra to sit next to their toddler? Big airlines like American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines think so. According to Consumer Reports, there are fewer “free” seats available. To select a seat, you have to pay a “seat selection” fee and Consumer Reports even found one as high as $139. For basic economy travelers, you may not have the option of choosing a seat at all. And if you’re trying to plan ahead and figure out your seat selection cost, good luck. You have to go through the entire booking system to uncover the fee, which ranges anywhere between $17 and $49 at American Airlines.**

2 Families Separated on Flights

Consumer Reports researched all the complaints lodged by consumers against airlines and one thing is certain: customer satisfaction is low on the list of priorities. The research uncovered some shocking examples:

Families traveling with 1-year-olds were separated on United Airlines.
Families traveling with a small child and a child who suffers seizures were separated.
Families traveling with autistic children were separated.

3 The Safety Risks at Stake

Traveling with children, especially those with special needs, is harrowing but having to pay more to sit together seems particularly egregious when safety is at stake. According to Consumer Reports, there are several scenarios that could arise from families being separated on flights:

Children who have medical needs are exposed to serious risk if they’re not sitting next to a family member.
Children as young as 8 years old have been sexually assaulted on flights, according to an FBI investigation.
In case of an evacuation, young children sitting apart from their families could pose a major safety risk to themselves and the rest of the passengers on board.

4 Profits Over People — What You Can Do

Charging extra fees to sit together illustrates that airlines, like many big businesses, care about profit more than they care about their customers. The anxiety if being separated from your children is very different than not having enough legroom — it’s something that can leave passengers traumatized.

Excessive fees seem to be on the rise across all industries and we hope that consumers advocate for their rights when it comes to unfair fees or opaque billing practices. If you think you’re overpaying for your monthly bills like internet, wireless, cable or home security, Billshark can help. Just send us your bills, and we’ll lower them in minutes.

** Based on a four-person reservation from New York to Miami.

Billshark · Bill Negotiation Experts
Helping consumers and small businesses stop overpaying on recurring bills.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do airlines charge families to sit together on flights?

Yes. To select a seat next to your child, you often have to pay a "seat selection" fee. Big airlines like American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines all charge for seating, and Consumer Reports found there are fewer "free" seats available. For basic economy travelers, you may not have the option of choosing a seat at all.

How much does a seat selection fee cost?

Seat selection fees vary widely. Consumer Reports found one as high as $139. At American Airlines, the fee ranges anywhere between $17 and $49, based on a four-person reservation from New York to Miami. To find the cost, you often have to go through the entire booking system to uncover it.

Have families really been separated on flights?

Yes. Consumer Reports documented several cases. Families traveling with 1-year-olds were separated on United Airlines. Families traveling with a small child and a child who suffers seizures were separated, and families traveling with autistic children were separated as well.

What safety risks come from separating families on a plane?

According to Consumer Reports, children with medical needs are exposed to serious risk if they are not sitting next to a family member. Children as young as 8 have been sexually assaulted on flights, per an FBI investigation. And in an evacuation, young children seated apart from their families could pose a major safety risk to themselves and other passengers.

How can Billshark help with unfair fees?

Excessive fees are on the rise across all industries. If you think you're overpaying for monthly bills like internet, wireless, cable or home security, Billshark can help. Just send us your bills, and we'll lower them in minutes.

Save on the Bills You Just Read About

Billshark negotiates your bills for you — no savings, no fee.

Estimate My Savings

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Airlines charge family seating fees, so parents pay extra to sit with their kids, plus the safety risks Consumer Reports found.

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Should parents have to pay special fees to sit next to their children on flights?.

There are some fees that consumers are willing to accept.

Consumer Reports researched all the complaints lodged by consumers against airlines and one thing is certain: customer satisfaction is low on the list of priorities.

Traveling with children, especially those with special needs, is harrowing but having to pay more to sit together seems particularly egregious when safety is at stake.

Charging extra fees to sit together illustrates that airlines, like many big businesses, care about profit more than they care about their customers.

Excessive fees seem to be on the rise across all industries and we hope that consumers advocate for their rights when it comes to unfair fees or opaque billing practices.

** Based on a four-person reservation from New York to Miami.

Yes.

Seat selection fees vary widely.

According to Consumer Reports, children with medical needs are exposed to serious risk if they are not sitting next to a family member.

Excessive fees are on the rise across all industries.

Billshark negotiates your bills for you — no savings, no fee.

Billshark helps lower internet, wireless, cable, satellite radio, and other monthly bills.

Our experts handle providers for customers and share updates throughout the process.

Customers pay only when Billshark finds savings on eligible bills.

1 The Fees to Sit Together.

2 Families Separated on Flights.

3 The Safety Risks at Stake.

4 Profits Over People — What You Can.

Frequently Asked Questions.

Do airlines charge families to sit together on flights?.

How much does a seat selection fee cost?.

Have families really been separated on flights?.

What safety risks come from separating families on a plane?.

How can Billshark help with unfair fees?.

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Families Must Pay Fees to Sit Together on Flights

1 The Fees to Sit Together

2 Families Separated on Flights

3 The Safety Risks at Stake

4 Profits Over People — What You Can Do

Frequently Asked Questions

Do airlines charge families to sit together on flights?

How much does a seat selection fee cost?

Have families really been separated on flights?

What safety risks come from separating families on a plane?

How can Billshark help with unfair fees?

Related Blog Posts

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Comcast's“Free” Streaming Box Will Cost You $13/Month

Avoid Airline Fees: Smart Tips to Save Money Traveling

Gas Station Data Breaches: How to Protect Your Credit Card

New AT&T Plans: Pricing and Value | Billshark

How Cable Providers Quietly Raise Your Monthly Bill

Top Wireless Family Plans for Savings & Coverage

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Families Must Pay Fees to Sit Together on Flights page context