Family travel just got a little easier. United Airlines announced last week there will be no extra charges for families with younger kids to sit together on flights.
The new policy comes at the perfect time for families who are starting to plan their summer vacations. Starting next month, the airline will sit children ages 12 and younger next to their parent or caregiver for free – regardless of the type of ticket purchased.
The policy is made possible through a series of investments in a new seat map feature. It finds available adjacent seats at the time of booking. The online seat engine first reviews all available free economy seats, and then opens complimentary upgrades to available preferred seats, if needed.
In instances when adjacent seats are not available prior to travel – due to things like last minute bookings, full flights or unscheduled aircraft changes – United Airlines’ new policy also lets eligible customers switch for free to a flight to the same destination with adjacent seat availability in the same cabin. Customers also won’t be charged if there is a difference in fare price between the original and new flight.
“In an era where more families are working in a hybrid environment, they’re traveling more often – and they’re flying United,” Linda Jojo, chief customer officer for United, said. “We’re focused on delivering a great experience for our younger passengers and their parents and know it often starts with the right seat. We look forward to rolling out more family-friendly features this year.”
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