United Airlines is making it easier for families who need to sit next to their younger children.
The Chicago-based airline announced Monday that its latest seat map feature will help seat kids under 12 years old next to an adult of their party at no cost. This includes customers who purchase basic economy tickets, the airline said.
It comes lower than a 12 months after federal officials urged airlines to make sure that families, especially those with young children, are capable of sit along with no extra fees.
United customers with children under 12 years old will begin to see more adjoining seat options immediately, but the whole policy change will go into effect in early March.
The web seat engine tool will first review all free economy seats. If needed, the tool will make “Preferred Seats” available, the carrier said.
If there should not any adjoining seats available due to last-minute bookings or full flights, customers will have the ability to change to a different flight going to the identical destination at no cost if there’s an adjoining seat available in the identical cabin.
Last July, the Transportation Department issued a notice that said carriers “do all the things of their power to make sure that children who’re age 13 or younger” are next to an adult of their party at no extra cost.
“Although the department receives a low variety of complaints from consumers about family seating, there proceed to be complaints of instances where young children, including a toddler as young as 11 months, should not seated next to an accompanying adult,” the department said on the time.
Nonetheless, Airlines for America – an industry trade group representing the most important US carriers – previously noted that airlines “have all the time worked to accommodate customers who’re traveling together, especially those traveling with children, and can proceed to accomplish that.”
Since last summer, United said it has been making investments in its tools and technology to assist families sit together more easily.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
