As school holidays begin across Europe and millions of families depart for their summer vacations, a long-standing topic returns to the forefront for those traveling with children: the possibility of getting free seats next to their guardians during the flight. Although the European Union has taken a decisive step toward greater passenger protection, the new rules will not apply immediately: for the entire current summer, the commercial policies adopted by individual airlines will continue to be in force.
A new analysis conducted by AirAdvisor sheds light on the situation, highlighting still pronounced differences among the major European carriers.
The rules will change from 2027
The analysis was published after the European Parliament approved the agreement reached with the Council of the European Union on revising air passenger rights. The text was approved with 646 votes in favour, 12 against and three abstentions and introduces a significant change for families traveling by air.
The new regulation states that the free allocation of adjacent seats will become a legal obligation: children under 14 will have the right to sit free of charge next to the accompanying person. The same possibility will be recognized, provided that seat availability allows, to companions of people with disabilities or reduced mobility and to pregnant women, as long as they travel under the same transport contract.
For pregnant travellers, priority boarding is also provided and the prohibition of the “no-show” clause, which allows the carrier to cancel the return flight if the outbound leg was not used, will apply.
The reform represents the first revision of EU rules on air passenger rights since 2004. Following the European Parliament’s vote on July 7, the text received the Council of the European Union’s final approval on July 13, 2026, thus completing the legislative process. The new provisions will enter into force 12 months and 20 days after their publication in the Official Journal of the European Union: the obligation will therefore become effective during 2027.
The six European airlines most attentive to family travel
According to a ranking compiled by AirAdvisor, six European carriers stand out for their family-oriented policies and services: British Airways, Finnair, SAS, KLM, Air France and LOT.
Among them, British Airways guarantees free seating next to minors under 12, and also offers children’s snack boxes on certain short-haul flights and kid-friendly meals on long-haul routes, typically requested in advance. The airline also provides bassinets on long-haul flights and screens integrated into seats across the entire fleet.
Finnair also assigns seats automatically next to children under 12. On long-haul services, it provides, upon request, dedicated meals for children and bassinet options on most intercontinental routes.
The same automatic seating policy is in place for SAS for children under 12. The airline offers children’s meals on routesdirect to North America and Asia and allows free boarding of a pushchair and a child car seat.
Among the carriers attentive to family needs is also KLM, which automatically assigns seats near children under 12. On intercontinental flights, it additionally offers the Bluey Meal Box for kids and provides a selection of child-friendly films.
Air France assigns a free seat to children beside an accompanying adult and, subject to availability, also tries to seat other family members together. Dedicated meals are available on request, and the airline provides free transport of the pushchair and the car seat.
Also LOT guarantees that children under 12 have a seat next to at least one accompanying adult and, when possible, aims to seat other family members together as well.
The low-cost airlines less favorable to family units
The analysis reveals a different picture for several low-cost carriers: AirAdvisor notes that many low-cost operators, including easyJet and Wizz Air, rarely offer dedicated meals for children or entertainment systems tailored to younger passengers.
Moreover, some airlines continue to charge a surcharge for choosing seats in advance or to guarantee that all family members are seated together. Until the new European regulation comes into force, this will continue to depend entirely on the policies of the individual carrier.
Nonetheless, some low-cost carriers are adjusting their policies. As of June 25, 2026, Ryanair has introduced free random seat assignments in which children are seated beside the accompanying adult at no extra cost. However, this measure does not necessarily guarantee seats next to all family members.
Choosing the airline for those traveling with children
To evaluate the level of consideration given to families, AirAdvisor looked at four main aspects: guaranteed adjacent seating, free transport of the pushchair in the hold, availability of meals dedicated to children, and the presence of in-flight entertainment services during the flight.
According to Anton Radchenko, CEO of AirAdvisor, the study shows that in 2026 airline policies regarding family seating remain far from uniform. In his view, the agreement approved by the European Union represents a significant forward step, but it will not provide immediate benefits to those departing in the coming months. The obligation to assign free seats next to families will only come into force in 2027 and, until then, it will still be up to the chosen airline to decide whether a child can sit free beside the parent, be placed in a nearby seat (but not directly adjacent), or if a supplement is required to keep the family together during the journey.
Radchenko also notes that, in the event of cancellation or arrival at the destination with at least a three-hour delay, passengers may already be entitled to monetary compensation under Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 or the UK’s UK261, provided the flight falls under the respective scope and the disruption was not caused by extraordinary circumstances. The applicability of the two regulations depends on the route and, in some cases, on the airline operating the flight.
