Airline Petition: 'Kids Should Sit With Their Parents' On Flights

ATLANTA, GA — A new petition aimed at major U.S. airlines urges them to keep families seated together at no additional cost. Consumer Reports created an online petition Tuesday “demanding airlines put safety over profits.”

The nonprofit organization called out American, United and Delta Air Lines, which the non-profit said “all charge big fees for families to sit together.”

The petition calls for children 13 and younger to sit with their families without being charged an extra fee. Splitting up families “is a security hazard for the child and a safety threat to all passengers during emergencies,” the group said.

Separating a child from parents on a plane “puts an inappropriate burden on customers who sit next to an unaccompanied child.”

In a statement to Patch, Delta spokeswoman Lisa Hanna said, "Regardless of the type of ticket purchased, Delta works with customers on a case-by-case basis to ensure their travel needs are met. When customers have seating questions, we encourage them to reach out to us as soon as possible to allow for the opportunity to address their concerns."

Last fall consumers were able to file complaints simultaneously with the organization and the U.S. Department of Transportation, reports USA Today. Consumer Reports created the site which has collected more than 400 complaints.

They reviewed more than 130 submitted complaints where airlines have separated or suggested separating children as young as 2 years old from their parents on a flight.

According to CNN, Congress passed a bill in 2016 that would require airlines to seat children 13 and younger with family without additional fees. The bill, however, left room for the airlines to use the “if appropriate” policy.

An American Airlines spokesperson told CNN that the airline has already been working on a process to make sure children under 15 can sit with an adult family member.

United Airlines spokesman Charlie Hobart told CNN that the airline adjusted its family seating procedures and policies in the summer of 2019.