The European Union is expected to pass a ban on airlines charging families extra to sit next to their children under the age of 12. 

Yesterday, the Transport Committee of the European Parliament voted through a series of measures to boost passenger rights. 

On Newstalk Breakfast, Fine Gael MEP Regina Doherty said she had long been “incensed” that airlines charge parents extra to sit next to a child. 

“Children under 12 shouldn’t be without their parents,” she complained. 

“Airlines, I felt, were taking advantage of the fact that if they wanted to sit their families together, they had to pay extra charges.

“No more now; the Committee voted yesterday that airlines will not be able to charge families extra for sitting together.” 

An aeroplane taking off. Picture by: PA Wire/PA Images.

Following the committee’s decision, the proposals will be voted on by the European Parliament in the coming weeks. 

If approved by MEPs, they will then be discussed by the European Council. 

“We had little or no resistance because I think everyone knows this is a commonsense approach,” Ms Doherty said. 

“The second thing is; we’ve seen in recent months a controversy where people were getting charged extra for bags. 

“One of the things we voted on yesterday was that people will have a right to have a 7kg carry-on roller bag with them as a right, once it gets through the Parliament.”

Ms Doherty added that while any change in the law will likely come after most families’ summer holiday this year, she still expects it to happen “very soon”.

Main image: Split of a plane and a family on holiday. Pictures by: Alamy.