The UK government intends to scrap fees for parents to sit with their children on flights, under plans published on 1st October 2026. Airlines will be required to seat children under 14 with a parent or accompanying adult free of charge once the Civil Aviation Bill receives Royal Assent. It isn't law yet, and on the Florida seat maps we checked, choosing seats for a parent and child costs from £136 return.
Article Summary
- What's planned: Airlines will be required to seat children under 14 with a parent or accompanying adult free of charge.
- When it starts: The changes are set to be delivered following Royal Assent of the Civil Aviation Bill, with the government aiming for the summer holidays in 2027.
- Name mistakes: Simple name errors on bookings will be free to correct, ending charges that can be as much as £40.
- Florida seat prices now: Our example economy seat maps start at £34 per seat per flight with Virgin Atlantic and £37 with British Airways.
- What it costs a family today: From £136 return for a parent and child, or from £272 for four seats.
- Our advice: There's no start date, so book your Florida trip based on the airline's current terms rather than waiting.
Compare Virgin Atlantic Florida flights or see Walt Disney World flight packages direct with Disney
Read on for the full breakdown including what BA and Virgin Atlantic charge for seats on Florida flights and whether it's worth waiting before you book.
What Has The Government Announced About Family Seating Fees?
The Department for Transport published the plans on 1st October 2026 as the latest in Prime Minister Andy Burnham's series of 'everyday fixes'. The government says a parent and child could currently be charged up to £104 on a return journey, and parents shouldn't feel pressured to pay extra simply to sit beside their child.
Two other changes came in the same announcement. Passengers will get more flexibility to fix simple name errors on bookings for free, and the government is working with airlines and trade unions on a system for sharing information about persistently disruptive passengers. The government says most UK airlines already offer protections against hidden costs, and these reforms are designed to give passengers the same treatment on all airlines operating in the UK. It also says the changes will bring UK and EU passenger rules closer together.
If you're pricing up a Walt Disney World trip for 2027, check the latest package prices with Disney Holidays so you can see where seat fees sit in the overall cost.
"It's clearly unfair to force parents and children as young as three to pay an extra fee just to sit together. Airlines that have separated families are putting profit ahead of passenger peace of mind."
- Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, 1st October 2026
Which? says it has pressured many airlines into dropping these fees over the past 10 years, so the government is now putting a campaign that's been running for a decade into law.
When Will Free Family Seating On Flights Start?
There's no start date in the announcement. The changes are set to be delivered following Royal Assent of the Civil Aviation Bill, which is the final step that turns a Bill into law, and the government says it's working with the industry so implementation is swift and fair. The aim is to ease the cost of the summer holidays in 2027. For anyone booking a Florida trip for Easter or summer 2027, the airline's current rules on seat fees still apply for now.
If you'd rather get flights sorted now, search for cheap flights to Orlando here.
How Much Does It Cost To Sit Together On A Flight To Florida?
We checked economy seat maps from British Airways and Virgin Atlantic to see what choosing seats costs on a Florida flight.
On British Airways, seats at the front of economy were £58 in the middle block of four and £76 in the side blocks of three. Towards the back, prices dropped to £37 in the middle and £52 at the sides, while the two-seat rows near the back were the priciest of the lot at £82 each.
Virgin Atlantic came in lower in both halves of the cabin in our example, at £49 per seat towards the front and £34 at the back, with seats in blocks of three.
Next to these, the government's £104 example looks modest, but that's likely taking into account short haul flights. Picking the cheapest seats we found for one adult and one child comes to £136 return with Virgin Atlantic and £148 with British Airways. Four seats together in BA's middle block at the front would cost a family £464 for the return trip.
| Seat Selection | British Airways | Virgin Atlantic |
|---|---|---|
| Front of economy (per seat, per flight) | £58 middle block of four, £76 side blocks of three | £49 |
| Back of economy (per seat, per flight) | £37 middle block of four, £52 side blocks of three | £34 |
| Parent and child, return (cheapest seats) | £148 | £136 |
| Four seats, return (cheapest seats) | £296 | £272 |
Seat selection prices taken from British Airways and Virgin Atlantic economy seat maps for example flights to Florida. Prices are per seat, per flight. Return figures are the cheapest seat price multiplied by the number of seats and two flights. Seat prices can vary by flight.
Compare Virgin Holidays Florida packages here
Does The Family Seating Rule Cover Flights To Florida?
The government says the reforms will give passengers greater consistency on all airlines operating in the UK, and Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the changes will protect people from unnecessary charges whoever they fly with. That includes the airlines flying from the UK to Orlando.
The cut-off is under 14, so a 13-year-old is covered and a 14-year-old isn't. The announcement doesn't go into how the rule applies to the flight home from Florida.
If you're comparing airlines for a Disney trip, see what flights from UK airports cost for your dates.
What Changes For Name Mistakes On Flight Bookings?
Passengers will be given greater flexibility to correct simple name errors on bookings for free. The government says charges for minor mistakes or admin tweaks can currently be as much as £40. On a Florida trip, the names on your booking need to match your passports, so a typo has to be fixed before you fly. Until the change is delivered, check every name against the passports before you pay.
Once flights are sorted, our Disney World tickets guide for UK visitors covers the next thing to sort out, or you can check FloridaTix ticket prices here.
What Is The New System For Disruptive Passengers?
The government is working with airlines and trade unions to set up a system for sharing information on persistently disruptive passengers. Airlines logged more than 1,000 serious disruptive passenger incidents in 2025, including a mid-air brawl that led to a flight being diverted. The system is designed to make disruptive passengers easier to spot and to let airlines decide whether to extend a ban to their own flights.
Should You Wait To Book Your Florida Holiday?
We wouldn't. The announcement gives no start date, and the seat fees in question on the cheapest seats we found are £136 to £148 for a parent and child on a return trip. Holding off on a Florida booking for that means betting on Parliament's timetable without knowing when it ends.
Here's what the announcement means for your booking right now.
- Seat fees stay in your budget for now, from £136 return for a parent and child on the cheapest seats in our example.
- Waiting to book gives you no guaranteed saving because no start date has been announced.
- Checking names against passports before you pay avoids a correction fee of as much as £40 while the current rules apply.
Our Walt Disney World offers guide for UK visitors rounds up the current deals if you're ready to book.
See Walt Disney World packages direct with Disney
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Free Family Seating On Flights: Your Questions Answered
Is the government scrapping fees for parents to sit with children on flights?
Yes, the government intends to. Under plans published on 1st October 2026, airlines will be required to seat children under 14 with a parent or accompanying adult free of charge. The change is set to be delivered following Royal Assent of the Civil Aviation Bill.
When will free family seating on flights start?
The government says the changes are set to be delivered following Royal Assent of the Civil Aviation Bill, with the aim of easing costs in time for the summer holidays in 2027.
What age children does the free family seating plan cover?
Children under the age of 14. That means a 13-year-old is covered and a 14-year-old isn't.
Does the family seating plan apply to all airlines?
Yes, the government says the reforms will give passengers greater consistency on all airlines operating in the UK.
How much can parents be charged to sit with their child on a flight?
The government says a parent and child could currently be charged up to £104 on a return journey.
How much does it cost to choose seats on a flight to Florida?
On the economy seat maps we checked, seat selection started at £34 per seat per flight with Virgin Atlantic and £37 with British Airways. For a parent and child on a return trip, that's £136 with Virgin Atlantic and £148 with British Airways.
Can I correct a name mistake on a flight booking for free?
The government intends to make it free. Under the plans, passengers will have greater flexibility to correct simple name errors on bookings for free, ending charges that can be as much as £40.
