Frontier Airlines’ New Family Seating Policy

Frontier Airlines will automatically seat children next to a parent, becoming the latest airline to ensure families fly together. This initiative reflects the growing importance of family-friendly travel options.

Details of the Policy

The carrier announced that its system will seat children under 14 years old with at least one parent or guardian. Seats will be automatically assigned based on the family members’ ages before check-in opens. This strategy aims to alleviate the stress many families face when traveling.

Management Insights

“We recognize the importance of seating children next to an adult with whom they are traveling,” stated Daniel Shurz, the senior vice president of commercial at Frontier Airlines, in a statement. “Since last October, we have been doubling down on our efforts and further enhancing our system for ensuring a parent is seated with any children under the age of 14 in their family group. The system is working well, and we are receiving positive feedback.”

Industry Context

Frontier, known as a low-cost airline, typically charges for extras such as baggage and seat selection. Despite the new seating policy, the airline still offers customers the option to choose their own seats for a fee.

Comparative Analysis

The introduction of this family seating policy coincides with United Airlines’ recent updates to its own family seating approach. United has included a dynamic seat map that identifies available adjacent seats at the time of booking, ensuring children under 12 can sit next to an adult in their party for free.

Moreover, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has encouraged airlines to stop charging families to sit together on flights, highlighting the importance of this issue within the aviation sector.

Other Airlines’ Strategies

Each airline has its own family seating policy. For example, Delta Air Lines offers a version of a dynamic seat map, blocking off specific rows in the main cabin for groups of three or more traveling together. Southwest announced plans to test a new pilot program that will allow families with children to pre-board the plane first, providing more convenience for family travelers.

Conclusion

Additionally, Breeze Airways emphasizes its policy of always allowing adults traveling with children up to 12 years old to select seats for free within a designated “family section.” These evolving policies among airlines demonstrate a continued trend toward making air travel more accommodating for families, ensuring a more enjoyable experience for everyone involved.