Voice reading · ~1 minWelcome to the Notitur daily brief, your travel-industry recap. Today: EU forces airlines to seat children under 14 free next to parents. The EU Council greenlit the update of the air passenger rights regulation on June 15, replacing the 2004 law, and the European Parliament backed it with 646 votes in favor. The headline change: children under 14 have the right to sit next to their parents or guardians at no extra cost. At the same time, the regulation explicitly allows airlines to charge for checked baggage. For passengers: no more paying to seat your child nearby. Airlines must assign contiguous seats for free. For airlines: a green light to monetize luggage, pushing the industry further toward pure low-cost models.. The law takes effect 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal. As Hosteltur details, it rewrites revenue distribution rules. The bottom line: lower base fares and more paid add-ons. Welcome to European aviation's new era. That is today's recap. Come back tomorrow for more on travel, artificial intelligence and travel tech. See you tomorrow on Notitur.
The EU Council greenlit the update of the air passenger rights regulation on June 15, replacing the 2004 law, and the European Parliament backed it with 646 votes in favor. The headline change: children under 14 have the right to sit next to their parents or guardians at no extra cost. At the same time, the regulation explicitly allows airlines to charge for checked baggage.
For passengers: no more paying to seat your child nearby. Airlines must assign contiguous seats for free.
For airlines: a green light to monetize luggage, pushing the industry further toward pure low-cost models.
The law takes effect 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal. As Hosteltur details, it rewrites revenue distribution rules. The bottom line: lower base fares and more paid add-ons. Welcome to European aviation's new era.
Quick questions
What age limit applies for free adjacent seating for minors?
Children under 14. The airline must assign them a seat next to parents or guardians at no extra cost, under the new EU regulation.
Can airlines now charge for checked luggage?
Yes, the new regulation explicitly recognizes airlines' right to charge for checked baggage, clearing up previous legal ambiguity.
When does the new passenger rights regulation take effect?
It becomes effective 20 days after publication in the EU Official Journal, following approval by the Council and the European Parliament.
Does this apply to international flights outside the EU?
No, it only covers flights within the EU or departing from the EU, including flights operated by non-EU airlines.
What does this mean for low-cost carriers?
It gives them legal cover to charge for luggage without fear of claims, reinforcing their ultra-low base fare business model.
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