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Most parents often want to sit together with their children when flying, but many airlines now charge extra money for seat selection. This means that if you don’t pay, your seats may be given out at random, and you could end up sitting far from your child.
For many parents, just thinking about this is stressful. No one wants their young child to sit alone next to strangers. It can be worrying for parents and confusing or even scary for kids, especially on long flights.
Recently, seat selection has become a major revenue stream for many airlines. Most budget carriers, especially, encourage passengers to pay for seat assignments in advance, with the unspoken warning that you might not be seated together otherwise.
That said, most airlines claim they will not intentionally seat a small child alone, especially if the child is under 12. Cabin crew can swap passengers around before takeoff to ensure a child isn’t left sitting next to strangers, but this is not guaranteed. If you check most airlines, they often make it clear that paying for seats is the only way to secure family seating.
Even large, full-service airlines may automatically assign seats for families, but they cannot promise adjacent seats if you haven’t paid. Low-cost carriers are even stricter. You will need to purchase assigned seats in advance.
Separating young children from their parents is not just inconvenient but can also be a safety risk. In emergencies, children may panic if they are not seated with a trusted adult, making the experience worse even for other passengers.
In the U.S., the Department of Transportation (DOT) has proposed guidance for airlines to seat children under 13 next to an accompanying adult at no extra charge “to the maximum extent practicable.”
In Europe, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) requires airlines to consider seating children with parents as a safety matter, although policies differ from country to country.
Still, these guidelines are not necessarily enforceable laws. Rather, they are just recommendations. This leaves airlines with some level of freedom when it comes to seat assignment, and many families find that unless they pay, they are not guaranteed to be seated together.
If you want to avoid the stress of being separated from your child during a flight, here are some practical tips to help you:
Book early - The earlier you book, the better chance you will have of being seated together, especially on airlines that assign seats automatically.
Pay for seat selection if you can - While it can be frustrating to pay extra, buying seat assignments is still the most reliable way to guarantee that your child sits with you.
Contact the airline before your flight - You can call customer service in advance to request family seating. Some airlines might be able to arrange it for you if you explain your situation.
Arrive early at the airport - If you couldn’t secure seats together during booking, arriving early can give the check-in staff a chance to fix the seating before the flight fills up.
Request the cabin crew - If you board and find your seats are separated, the cabin crew can usually arrange a swap. Most passengers are willing to move to help a parent sit closer to their child.
While airlines rarely let a very young child sit entirely alone, they also don’t guarantee family seating unless you have paid for it. Regulations exist, but they are often more like guidelines, leaving parents in a grey area.
The safest option for families is to book early, pay for seat assignments when possible, and communicate with the airline. While you may occasionally get lucky without paying, relying on chance is a risky move.
We are a family of 4 - mother, father and two children. Our aim is to travel the world and review all travel opportunities to help other families.
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