Recently we’ve seen both United Airlines and Frontier Airlines introduce new family seating policies. This follows President Biden’s announcement about cracking down on travel “junk fees,” including airlines charging fees for families to sit together. While no laws have been passed yet, we’re seeing airlines be proactive.
American Airlines is the latest carrier to introduce a family seating policy. What makes American’s policy unique is that the carrier is making this part of its customer service plan, and is also introducing a guarantee.
In this post:
How American is seating families together
American Airlines has updated its customer service plan to reflect a new family seating initiative. The airline is now guaranteeing that children 14 and under will be seated adjacent to an accompanying adult at no additional cost, including for basic economy fares (which don’t offer free seat assignments).
This guarantee requires meeting the following conditions:
- Everyone is booked in the same reservation
- Adjacent seats are available in the same class of service your child is ticketed at the time of booking
- You choose seats for the entire reservation or skip seats for the entire reservation (if you choose Basic Economy, then skip choosing seats for the entire reservation)
- You don’t make a change to your seat assignments once they’re assigned to you
- The plane’s seat layout allows it based on the number of children in your reservation
- The original flight isn’t switched to a smaller aircraft
My take on American’s new family seating policy
I’m happy to see American make this policy a part of its customer service plan, so that it’s explicitly and centrally written out. The policies of American and United largely overlap, though interestingly American markets this as a guarantee, while United doesn’t.
There are some subtle differences between the policies of the two airlines, though:
- American’s policy applies to children up to the age of 14, while United’s policy applies to children under the age of 12
- United’s policy allows families to rebook on a different flight so that they can sit together in the event that adjacent seats aren’t available at the time of booking, while American’s policy doesn’t
- American’s policy technically applies to all cabins, while United’s policy only applies to economy; in practice there are limited implications to that, though, since there aren’t fees to assign seats in premium cabins on American
To be honest, I’m kind of surprised that American’s tech enables the airline to offer this feature. United is lightyears ahead of American on that front, and United highlighted how its policy is only possible thanks to a series of investments in a new seatmap feature.
Bottom line
American is the latest airline to have a plan for seating families together. The airline is guaranteeing that children up to the age of 14 will be able to sit with an accompanying adult as long as adjacent seats are available in the same class of service at the time of booking.
What do you make of American’s family seating policy?
I booked reservations for 8 family members for Spring break vacation. AA changed planes on us and separated my 11 and 13 year-old granddaughters from their parents and wouldn't correct the seating. My 11 year old granddaughter had a seat between 2 men. What should we have done? AA staff said they could do nothing.
Not in my experience. We had a terrible time being split up. So they can make money. I will never use AA again.
I swear this is because of me and my wonderfully stubborn buddy
“ United’s policy allows families to rebook on a different flight so that they can sit together in the event that adjacent seats aren’t available at the time of booking,”
Family wants to fly mid day or better plane but fares are too expensive for that flight. But the red eye is cheaper and has no way for family to sit together. Buy the cheap red eye and get a free switch - at no cost- to the preferred time/ plane.
Brilliant!
You failed to account for the case where they could sit together on the redeye and now have to fly redeye with young children.
So basically couples get screwed here.
Funny how people take the word "guarantee" as a binding commitment by the airline.
Yet, like hotel programs that "guarantee", we all know what games are being played.
Your 8 children is scattered in middle seats in the last 12 rows. Here is 1000 miles for your inconvenience. Or we can seat all of you together 3 weeks from now.
Works for me. This will funnel the families that don't plan ahead into basic economy.
I'm not sure how AA's "tech" is specifically allowing this given they've only released the policy details and not how it will work in practice. Could be that they eliminate seating restrictions / regular economy seat selection pricing if your reservation is flagged with a child under 14, which would end up being a more liberal allowance than the explicit policy states (I'd be shocked if they can truly force side-by-side seating selections in the...
I'm not sure how AA's "tech" is specifically allowing this given they've only released the policy details and not how it will work in practice. Could be that they eliminate seating restrictions / regular economy seat selection pricing if your reservation is flagged with a child under 14, which would end up being a more liberal allowance than the explicit policy states (I'd be shocked if they can truly force side-by-side seating selections in the seating chart just for families with an under 14).
So my guess is AA's implementation will actually give more flexibility than they want due to technical limitations whereas UA's version will have fewer "loopholes" because they have better tech and can thus apply more stringent rules. We'll see.
In any case, I am all for families properly sitting next to each other - particularly as this will result in many families sitting together in regular economy instead of some of them receiving seats in Y+ last minute when they receive seat assignments (because it's the ones that don't pay to select that create the split family seating problems) and then asking someone to swap with their child's regular economy middle seat.
They can ask, but I am - like the airlines - highly regulated. "I like my seat" is my response.
“Families” sitting together that are basic economy cheapskates I’m all for it. A child should never have to sit next to a stranger. Fair enough but that doesn’t include entitled “couples”.
Yo that’s my girl we’re sitting together. Switch seats with me. What’s your problem ?
Wonder what happens if they end up bumping/moving someone in F to accommodate?
The policy states an “available seat in the same class of service,” which would NOT displace a passenger in F to economy.
I presume the “available seat” in question is for the minor or family member. It would be feasible if they’re trying to make things work that a solo traveler could be moved to PE or F, albeit unlikely.
NR - No, it’s not feasible! It’s not an “available” seat if the solo traveler paid for it and the child didn’t. The child has to have a purchased seat in F, ergo, it’s moving solo travelers within that F cabin to accomodate the child. The parents who purchase F seats for themselves, and economy seats for their children DO NOT have the right to get a free upgrade for their child into F displacing a paid F passenger to a lower class of travel.
You’re interpreting mjonis’ scenario incorrectly. They were positing whether or not a solo traveler would possibly be moved to F (original seat in Y) to allow a parent (in Y) to sit next to their child (in Y). This scenario is POSSIBLE but UNLIKELY.
Not really certain how you read the scenario they posed as what you did, but I think it’s rather obvious that UA won’t involuntarily downgrade an F pax to Y when...
You’re interpreting mjonis’ scenario incorrectly. They were positing whether or not a solo traveler would possibly be moved to F (original seat in Y) to allow a parent (in Y) to sit next to their child (in Y). This scenario is POSSIBLE but UNLIKELY.
Not really certain how you read the scenario they posed as what you did, but I think it’s rather obvious that UA won’t involuntarily downgrade an F pax to Y when the policy also mentions rebooking to a later flight at no cost. Sheesh.
@NR - he said “bumping” which in my experience, means downgrade.
I have to disagree with the comments above. I am sorry that there is a potential that an elite could be moved but pointing the blame at the family is the wrong person to point the blame at. The only reason this problem exists is the airlines greediness to begin with. And to be honest, there probably would be an easier fix in just letting families pick seats for free even when booking basic economy.
Since seat selection is a function of what is available at the time of booking, the only surefire way to guarantee seats as you want us to book at the moment seat selection is opened
@Ty
When you purchase a basic economy fare you agree to no seat assignment at the time of booking , last group boarding , etc.
Try planning ahead or start driving
I think they forgot the disclaimer “all guarantees, implied or actual, will be considered null and void when confirmed during a full moon, on Friday the 13th, and in years beginning with the number 2.”
@MFB123
When you check into a hotel on July 4th you should be guaranteed a room with a view of fireworks.
I feel like the main driver of families being split apart is when a family buys a basic economy ticket on a 3rd party travel agency website and then doesn't check their ticket until the day that they fly. I feel like the word "guarantee" is going to used for some bad publicity for AA and not solve the root of this problem.
As an elite member on AA that books flights way in...
I feel like the main driver of families being split apart is when a family buys a basic economy ticket on a 3rd party travel agency website and then doesn't check their ticket until the day that they fly. I feel like the word "guarantee" is going to used for some bad publicity for AA and not solve the root of this problem.
As an elite member on AA that books flights way in advance and often checks the reservation for time/aircraft changes, it can be annoying when asked to swap the seat I choose because someone doesn't do that work.
I agree that they should not be using the word guarantee. People are incredibly entitled and will try to make a big thing about it.
It's all good until they start screwing with elites. We are sorry Mr. Daddy but we changed ur seat from 9C to 31B because this POS bought basic economy and we guaranteed they can sit together. Thank you for your loyalty. Just because you are a POS who trys to game the system and won't pay for sears etc. It won't be long till see the stories on flyertalk.
Would it be better if airlines blocked the last few rows to create the flexible space to seat parents with children?
What sort of options exist to accomplish seating parents with kids? A kid zone in the back?
Seating in the back:
I thought that would work to the benefit of larger travellers as well. It's a justifiable solution for family's too.
As long as this policy is not negatively impacting other passengers who selected their seats in advance I don't see an issue with it. Most people don't want to sit next to another person's child to begin with. Children should be under the constant supervision of their parents on a plane. Children should also be seated with their parents for safety reasons so it seems ridiculous that airlines would split children apart from their parents...
As long as this policy is not negatively impacting other passengers who selected their seats in advance I don't see an issue with it. Most people don't want to sit next to another person's child to begin with. Children should be under the constant supervision of their parents on a plane. Children should also be seated with their parents for safety reasons so it seems ridiculous that airlines would split children apart from their parents on flights where there are open adjacent seats.
Airlines really ought to block the last six rows of economy for families traveling with children.
Not a bad idea. Put them in the less desirable seats so if anyone is asked to move they are being moved to a nicer seat.
Like parents care what the kids do there just children
While AA and UA have put caveats on the guarantees, it will not take long before a large “family” or uninformed family is split and all hell breaks loose because the “airline split up our loving family and ruined our vacation”. High expectations with little understanding will abound.
I understand and applaud the need for a parent to be seated with their child to take care of them, then entire family doesn’t not need to be a block, which is what the PR is setting up.
Yea I can totally see some family of eight throwing a fit they aren't all seated together and demanding compensation.
As was noted the last time this topic was discussed, several people noted that Delta implemented what United touted it was doing - but without giving away seat assignments in advance or diminishing the ability of other passengers - including families - to buy premium seats generally in the front of the cabin. AA's policy is for only ONE parent and does not necessary mean seat assignments at the time of the reservation but at...
As was noted the last time this topic was discussed, several people noted that Delta implemented what United touted it was doing - but without giving away seat assignments in advance or diminishing the ability of other passengers - including families - to buy premium seats generally in the front of the cabin. AA's policy is for only ONE parent and does not necessary mean seat assignments at the time of the reservation but at the time of the flight - which is what it should be.