Flying just got a whole lot easier for consumers…and specifically, for parents.
According to the Washington Post, Congress recently passed new legislation that would extend the Federal Aviation Administration’s (F.A.A.) funding through September 2017.
“So what’s in it for me,” you may ask.
Well, the House and Senate slipped some other goodies into the bill that will benefit all consumers, but parents in particular. Specifically, all airlines will be required to allow children under the age of 13 “to be seated in a seat adjacent to the seat of an accompanying family member over the age of 13” at no additional cost. (However, this policy will not apply to seat assignments that require an upgrade to another cabin class or seat with extra legroom.)
This is a pretty sweet deal. If you’re a frequent flyer, you know how frustrating the air travel experience is. From buying your ticket, to TSA, to actually getting to your seat, the whole process is fraught with problems that make calm travelers want to rip their hair out.
Now, if you’re a parent traveling with kids, multiply that stress by about 100. You’re worrying about car seats; snacks for the little one(s); your own snacks/earplugs; the screens needed to keep your travel buddies entertained and quiet…the list goes on.
And that stress only gets amplified when you find out that you can’t get seats next to each other. Rather than pay the prohibitively expensive fee that airlines charge for getting seats next to each other in a packed flight, you chance it. At boarding time, you’re relying on the kindness of strangers to give up their seats so you can be close to your kids. For many parents, it’s the sheer embarrassment of asking someone if they’d move — along with the occasional glare or indignant huff as they do — that makes the entire experience so unpleasant.
So this is why this new bill is so great for parents. It doesn’t solve ALL of their travel problems, but it definitely alleviates a good chunk of the unnecessary stress they feel when they fly with kids.
The bill includes additional rules that will benefit all consumers, with a specific focus on speeding up the TSA experience and issuing timely refunds for baggage fees for bags lost for more than 12 hours. Thanks, F.A.A.!
Tell me: what’s your experience been like when you fly with your kids? Do you have any tips or strategies for making it as painless as possible?
