Washington, D.C. — In response to an announcement from the White House Competition Council demanding that all air carriers eliminate one of the most harmful junk fees, charging for families with children under 13 to sit together inflight, the American Economic Liberties Project released the following statement.

“We’re very grateful to President Biden and the Competition Council for addressing this long-standing problem that has disrupted trips and caused undue hardship for children and caregivers alike,” said William J. McGee, Senior Fellow for Aviation and Travel at the American Economic Liberties Project. “We’ve all experienced airline junk fees, but for years U.S. carriers have been nickel-and-diming in the worst possible way by separating young kids from their families if they don’t pay extra. This also has led to countless onboard disputes involving crew members and other passengers. Asking airlines to eliminate these fees hasn’t worked, so it’s long past time to take action.”

In 2016, both political parties and both chambers of Congress passed the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act, which specifically addressed  the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary to “review and, if appropriate, establish a policy” to direct airlines to accommodate families with kids under 13 by seating them together without incurring additional fees. Under President Trump, former Secretary Elaine Chao refused to act, citing the small number of consumer complaints. A subsequent Freedom of Information Act request of DOT consumer complaint records confirmed that multiple children under the age of 4—including two children under the age of 1—were assigned seats apart from caregivers; some of these children had medical issues, including autism and severe allergies.

Consumer advocates wrote to Secretary Buttigieg about this and other issues after he took office in January 2021, and asked him to take immediate action in July 2021.

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The American Economic Liberties Project works to ensure America’s system of commerce is structured to advance, rather than undermine, economic liberty, fair commerce, and a secure, inclusive democracy. Economic Liberties believes true economic liberty means entrepreneurs and businesses large and small succeed on the merits of their ideas and hard work; commerce empowers consumers, workers, farmers, and engineers instead of subjecting them to discrimination and abuse from financiers and monopolists; foreign trade arrangements support domestic security and democracy; and wealth is broadly distributed to support equitable political power.