Air Passenger Protection Regulations (SOR/2019-150)

Marginal note:Assigning seats

• 22 (1) In order to facilitate the assignment of a seat to a child who is under the age of 14 years in close proximity to a parent, guardian or tutor in accordance with subsection (2), a carrier must, at no additional charge

  • (a) assign a seat before check-in to the child that is in close proximity to their parent, guardian or tutor; or

  • (b) if the carrier does not assign seats in accordance with paragraph (a), do the following:

    • (i) advise passengers before check-in that the carrier will facilitate seat assignment of children in close proximity to a parent, guardian or tutor at no additional charge at the time of check-in or at the boarding gate,

    • (ii) assign seats at the time of check-in, if possible,

    • (iii) if it is not possible to assign seats at the time of check-in, ask for volunteers to change seats at the time of boarding, and

    • (iv) if it is not possible to assign seats at the time of check-in and no passenger has volunteered to change seats at the time of boarding, ask again for volunteers to change seats before take-off.

• Marginal note:Proximity to adult’s seat

  (2) The carrier must facilitate the assignment of a seat to a child who is under the age of 14 years by offering, at no additional charge,

  • (a) in the case of a child who is four years of age or younger, a seat that is adjacent to their parent, guardian or tutor’s seat;

  • (b) in the case of a child who is 5 to 11 years of age, a seat that is in the same row as their parent, guardian or tutor’s seat, and that is separated from that parent, guardian or tutor’s seat by no more than one seat; and

  • (c) in the case of a child who is 12 or 13 years of age, a seat that is in a row that is separated from the row of their parent, guardian or tutor’s seat by no more than one row.

• Marginal note:Difference in price

  (3) If a passenger is assigned a seat in accordance with subsection (2) that is in a lower class of service than their ticket provides, the carrier must reimburse the price difference between the classes of service, but if the passenger chooses a seat that is in a higher class of service than their ticket provides, the carrier may request supplementary payment representing the price difference between the classes of service.