Photo: United Airlines
United Airlines announced a new family seating policy on Monday that makes it easier for children under 12 to sit next to an adult in their party for free — including customers who buy the cheaper Basic Economy tickets.
Why it matters: Having to pay extra to sit together is a rising frustration for travelers on a budget.
How it works: A new seat-map feature "dynamically finds available adjacent seats at the time of booking," the airline's release says.
- "The online seat engine first reviews all available free Economy seats and then opens complimentary upgrades to available Preferred Seats."
- The policy will let travelers switch to another flight to the same destination without paying a difference in fare if adjacent seats are not available.
The change, which is being phased in now, will be complete by early March.