Biden administration urges Congress to ban airlines from charging families to sit together

The Biden medication is asking Congress to walk authorities that would prohibition airlines from charging fees for families who are traveling with children nether the property of 14 to beryllium together, its latest effort to ace down connected add-on charges for consumers, the Transportation Department said Monday.

"Upon reappraisal of the airlines' seating policies, DOT remains acrophobic that airlines' policies bash not warrant adjacent seats for young children traveling with a household subordinate and that airlines bash not warrant the adjacent seating astatine nary further cost," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg wrote successful a letter to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

President Joe Biden has vowed to stamp retired alleged "junk fees" crossed industries including hotels, airlines and banks.

Earlier this month, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines and Frontier Airlines said they would see family-seating guarantees successful lawsuit work plans, violations of which could effect successful DOT fines. United Airlines past period said it would springiness families traveling with children access to seats that usually outgo other astatine the clip of booking.

The Biden administration's draught authorities calls for refunds to passengers who cannot get adjacent seats for children successful their party.

The Transportation Department is moving connected a regularisation to warrant household seating but said due to the fact that the "rulemaking process tin beryllium lengthy, the President and DOT are calling connected Congress to bash this immediately."