Seats on the plane for families: how to read the seat map

The bassinet row

Rows with available bassinets, marked by an icon near the bulkhead, offer more space because there's no seat in front, but must be requested in advance because they're limited per aircraft. Limits vary by airline: KLM accepts babies up to 10 kg and 65 cm, British Airways goes up to 12.5 kg, while Emirates also sets an age limit, around 8 months. On low-cost carriers like Ryanair and Wizz Air, a bassinet simply isn't available on board.

Rows to avoid: emergency exits

Seats in emergency-exit rows, or in those immediately before and after, are almost always forbidden for minors: safety regulations require anyone in those seats to understand and follow instructions and assist with evacuation—a condition children by definition cannot meet. That's also why, on all carriers, car seats cannot be installed in those rows.

Sitting near parents: what the law says, not just the map

In Italy, airlines are obliged to guarantee, at no extra cost, a seat next to a parent or guardian for children aged 2 to 12: if not possible in the same row, the maximum permitted distance is one row. Penalties for non-compliance range from €10,000 to €50,000 per violation. A European regulation will extend the requirement to age 14, but takes effect only from mid-2027: until then, on flights by non-EU carriers, it's worth checking the specific policy rather than assuming it. For broader seat-selection criteria, this guide goes into detail.

If it's unclear on the online map whether the bassinet or seat next to the parent is guaranteed, ask the airline for direct confirmation before paying for seat selection: an email or chat is worth more than an ambiguous icon.