Pete Buttigieg launches airline ‘dashboard’ in fight against junk fees
The Department for Transport is introducing a “dashboard” so travelers can see at a glance which airlines are helping families with young children sit together at no extra cost.
The announcement comes Monday as the department works on regulations to prevent families from being separated on planes.
It’s the latest salvo in the Biden administration’s effort to crack down on so-called “junk fees” and pressure airlines to improve service.
The dashboard rewards airlines with a green tick if they guarantee an adult family member can sit next to their young children when seats are available. As of Monday, only three of the 10 US airlines listed on the site received a green tick: Alaska, American and Frontier.
The website also contains links to each airline’s customer policy.
“Parents traveling with young children should be able to sit together without an airline forcing them to pay junk fees,” Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a press release announcing the dashboard. He commended his department for putting pressure on airlines, “and now we’re seeing some airlines starting to make that sensible change.”
Airlines say they try and usually succeed in bringing families together, but have stopped making ironclad promises. This year, several airlines have pledged to change their seating policies.
Last month, Frontier Airlines said it would automatically place at least one parent next to each child under the age of 14.
United Airlines said it would allow families with children under 12 to select adjacent seats in certain fare classes at no additional cost, starting in early March. However, the announcement did not appear to meet transport standards, as the ministry issued a notice last July that it intends to ban additional charges if a family adult is to sit next to children up to the age of 13.
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