The Ministry of Transport proposed to force airlines to seat adults and children under 14 years old together – Kommersant

According to the publication, passengers’ complaints and the resources of the Attorney General’s Office were taken into account when preparing the modifications. Under current regulations, airlines must “take all possible measures to accommodate on board” a passenger with a child under 12 years of age, the newspaper notes.

If measures are taken, airlines will not be able to sell the seat selection service on board and will lose part of their income, said a Kommersant source at the AEVT. The publication’s interlocutor added that for low-cost airlines this will lead to a 30% reduction in annual revenue, which “could have significant negative financial consequences for the industry” under the sanctions.

The newspaper S7 acknowledged receipt of the letter from the Ministry of Transport and stated that it had sent its editorial proposals to the AEVT. Aeroflot called the proposed measures “unnecessary”, since the distribution of seats on board depends on the check-in time, and if all seats are already occupied, then “it is impossible to provide adjacent seats without violating the rights of other passengers” . “The airline also reminded that children over 12 years of age can fly without the company of an adult.

The All-Russian Passenger Association supported the proposal of the Ministry of Transport. The organization explained to Kommersant that “there were enough news stories about child abuse and other incidents during flights, so this is a reasonable requirement.” The ministry itself declined to comment to the newspaper.