Dem senator to airlines: Drop seat change fees for parents

Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) is pushing the Obama administration to require airlines to drop seat change fees for parents who are traveling with their children. 

Airlines have been criticized for charging parents to select seats that are next to their children on flights in recent years. 

Casey said Monday that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) should step in to halt the practice. 

{mosads}”I write today to express concern about the apparent lack of policies in place to ensure airlines are taking appropriate steps to guarantee that young children can sit with their parents during a flight without paying extra fees,” he wrote in a letter to FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. 

“In recent years, consumers have grown increasingly frustrated by the growing use of varying fees associated with air travel,” Casey continued. “For a family that has already paid full fare to have to pay an additional fee so that parents and children can sit together is financially burdensome and stressful to families.” 

Airlines have been criticized for charging passengers fees for things such as seat changes, reservation modifications and checking luggage. 

Casey said Monday that airlines should not be allowed to charge passengers to sit next to their kids when adjacent seats are available on flights.  

“While I understand the reassigning passengers may be inconvenient, it is surely no reason to separate a child, especially a young child, from his or her parents,” he said. 

“Making those with children pay an extra fee to sit next to their children puts a burden on parents and guardians and disadvantages middle class families that may struggle just to afford the basic fare and for whom an additional fee would be a significant hardship,” Casey continued. “Prior to boarding the flight, reservation agents should make every effort to secure appropriate seating for young children and their guardian without additional fees.”