Whilst it is true that most airlines operate on razor thin profitability margins, it is also true that with the emergence of low-cost carriers over a decade ago, the revenue generation competition has become the battle ground to grow the margins. For the low cost carriers it has been fairly easy to implement a commoditized approach and charge for everything a consumer is willing to buy. Seats, meals, boarding priority, bags etc. The consumer gets to pick what they are willing to pay for on top of a low base airfare which gets you on the plane only. This ancillaries revenue stream has now been adopted pretty much universally with some notable exceptions such as Southwest airlines, who are unique in that they do not charge for seat assignment or checked bag fees for up to 2 bags. Whilst the low fares can be an attractive hook for travelers, there are also many down sides specially for families traveling with young children.
Imagine traveling with 2 young kids under 13 years of age. At the time of booking the only seating option available for free to sit, is every person has to sit separately, i.e. no parent has the option to sit next to a child. Airlines use very creative algorithms now a days so that customers see the worst possible free seat options (such as middle seats) but should the traveler wish to pay extra, they may be able to sit together. The seat assignment fees can vary by airline, route, cabin etc. So for parents the only way to sit together is to pay the extra fee on top of the airfare to guarantee seats with the kids. The top 8 airlines in the US made a staggering $4.2billion revenue from paid seats in 2022 and carried 853 million passengers based on reporting from the Bureau of transportation statistics.
Only Alaska, American and Frontier have actual commitments not charge families traveling with kids for assigned seating together. Southwest can argue that they don’t charge anyone as they have a free seating policy for all.
Airlines commitment to free family seating
Detailed airline policies can be found on the airlines own web site or on the DOT web site.
So what does all this mean to you?
Based on an article published on the Bureau of Transportation Statistics website- “A parent who purchases airline tickets for a family should receive a guarantee from the airline that it will seat the parent and child together without fees or a last-minute scramble at the gate or having to ask other passengers to give up their seat to allow the parent and child to sit together.”
Earlier this year Secretary Buttigieg announced a plan to launch a dashboard that displays which airlines guarantee family seating. This name and shame approach has since convinced some airlines to guarantee adjacent seats for young children traveling with an accompanying adult at no additional cost. An important first step. Now all we need is for the other big US carriers to agree and sign up to the same. There is legislation being proposed on this very topic which could mandate family seating by law should it pass. When the industry can not self govern it some time requires this level of intervention to improve matters.
Seating policy by airlines in their own words..
update: 09/29/2023 Jetblue becomes the 4th US airline to guarantee family seating.
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