BURNHAM TO BAN AIRLINES CHARGING PARENTS TO SIT WITH CHILDREN

Andy Burnham has announced plans to stop airlines charging parents and accompanying adults extra to sit next to children under 14 on flights, the government said. The rule would also scrap fees for correcting booking mistakes, such as a misspelled name. Burnham said charging parents to sit with their children was "a rip-off, plain and simple," and that a fee for a spelling mistake "isn't right either." He said the change would end "little charges that add up" for families, with ministers expecting to introduce it before next year's summer holidays.

Selecting seats so a parent and child can sit together can cost up to £104 extra on a return journey, according to the Department for Transport. The government described the rule as the latest in a series of "everyday fixes" aimed at tackling small charges that affect household budgets. Burnham said the government was also working with airlines so passengers banned by one carrier for disruptive behaviour could be banned from flying with others. Rory Boland, of Which? Travel, said airlines separating families were "putting profit ahead of passenger peace of mind."

The proposals form part of the Civil Aviation (Consumer Protection and Regulatory Reform) Bill, which is passing through Parliament and would give ministers power to set passenger rights and airline duties. Burnham, who became prime minister in July, presented the measure as part of a wider effort to tackle the cost of living. Earlier this year, Ryanair changed its family seating policy after an investigation into charging parents to sit with children aged between two and 11. Ministers have not said when the bill is expected to complete its passage through Parliament.