Updated July 13, 2026.
Families flying with children and teenagers now have a clearer Brazilian rule concerning seat assignments. Resolution 807 from Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency, known as ANAC, requires airlines to place passengers under 16 in a seat adjacent to a responsible person or family member.
The airline must provide the required placement when the ticket is purchased or when the reservation has to be changed. The child’s seat assignment needed to comply with the rule cannot generate an additional fee, except in the situations identified by the resolution.
Family-seating rule at a glance
- The rule covers passengers under 16.
- The minor must be seated next to a responsible person or family member.
- The airline must consider the requirement at purchase and when the reservation needs to be changed.
- The airline cannot add a fee for the child’s seat assignment needed to comply with the rule.
- Cabin changes and extra-legroom seats may still carry their normal charges.
- Families should check every seat again after an aircraft or schedule change.
What changed under ANAC Resolution 807?
Resolution 807 was published in July 2026 and replaced a 2023 ANAC ordinance that already addressed the right to an adjacent seat.
The new resolution formally sets out the requirement and provides that airlines that fail to comply may be subject to administrative penalties under Brazilian aviation regulations.
The underlying protection did not begin entirely in 2026, but it is now contained in a specific resolution with an express enforcement provision.
What does an adjacent seat mean?
An adjacent seat is a seat directly next to the seat occupied by the responsible person or family member accompanying the minor.
The rule is intended to prevent a passenger under 16 from being separated from the accompanying responsible person or family member. It does not necessarily mean that every member of a larger family has a right to occupy the same row.
For a family traveling with several adults and children, the airline may distribute the group across more than one row as long as the children’s placement complies with the rule.
Can the family choose any seat for free?
Not necessarily.
The resolution guarantees adjacent placement for the minor. It does not promise a free window seat, aisle seat, specific row, or particular position inside the aircraft.
An airline may assign standard seats that comply with the rule without allowing the family to choose the exact seats.
Resolution 807 permits the normal charge when the requested arrangement involves:
- A change to another class or cabin;
- A seat with additional legroom.
Airlines also sell products described as preferred seats, front seats, or similar names. Those classifications vary by airline.
When a charge appears, ask whether it is for an optional seat preference or whether it is being required only to keep the minor beside the accompanying responsible person.
The resolution’s fee prohibition specifically concerns the additional fee for the minor’s seat assignment needed to comply with the adjacent-seating requirement.
What happens after an aircraft or schedule change?
A schedule, flight number, itinerary, or aircraft change can modify the seat map and remove previously confirmed assignments.
Resolution 807 says that the required placement must also be provided when the reservation needs to be changed.
After receiving any airline change notice:
- Open the reservation again;
- Check every passenger’s seat;
- Review each flight segment separately;
- Confirm which airline actually operates each flight;
- Contact the airline if the minor has been separated;
- Save the new confirmation or a screenshot of the assignments.
Do not assume that an assignment confirmed for the first flight will automatically remain in place on a domestic connection or a flight operated by another airline.
Does the rule apply only to domestic flights within Brazil?
The text of Resolution 807 does not expressly state that it is limited only to Brazilian domestic flights.
ANAC also explains, however, that it cannot inspect events that take place outside Brazil, even when the transportation contract was entered into in Brazilian territory.
On a trip between the United States and Brazil, the practical application may depend on where the problem occurs, which carrier operates the flight, and which rules apply to each segment.
Families departing from Boston or another U.S. city should separately review:
- The international flight to Brazil;
- Codeshare flights;
- Segments operated by foreign airlines;
- Domestic connections within Brazil;
- The seat map of each operating carrier.
When there is uncertainty, confirm each segment directly with the airline operating the flight.
What parents should check before leaving the United States
Do not wait until boarding to discover that the family has been separated.
Before traveling, confirm:
- That names and dates of birth are correct;
- That children and accompanying travelers are in the same reservation whenever possible;
- That the airline has been told about separately issued reservations;
- Which airline operates each segment;
- The seats on the international flight and connections within Brazil;
- Whether the schedule, aircraft, or flight number changed;
- That the reservation contains current telephone and email information;
- That you have saved the confirmation codes and ticket numbers.
When travelers are booked in separate reservations, ask the airline or travel agency to note that they are traveling together. That information may help with service, but it does not replace checking the seats on every segment.
What to do when the reservation separates the child
Contact the airline first. Explain that the reservation includes a passenger under 16 and request a seat adjacent to the accompanying responsible person or family member under ANAC Resolution 807.
When requesting the correction:
- Have the confirmation code and ticket numbers available;
- Provide the child’s name and age;
- Identify the accompanying responsible person or family member;
- Explain that you are not requesting a cabin upgrade or extra-legroom seat;
- Request a case number or written confirmation;
- Save screenshots of the seat map and any charge presented.
If the issue remains close to departure, speak with the airline at check-in and again at the boarding gate.
Do not rely only on the possibility that other passengers will agree to exchange seats after boarding.
When the airline does not adequately resolve the problem, travelers can consult the official ANAC Passenger channel for information about documenting and submitting a complaint.
Is this the same as unaccompanied-minor service?
No.
Resolution 807 concerns a minor traveling with a responsible person or family member.
A child flying alone is subject to the airline’s separate unaccompanied-minor procedures. Those procedures may include age requirements, service fees, forms, connection restrictions, and special airport handling.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pay for my child to sit next to me?
The airline cannot charge an additional fee for the child’s seat assignment needed to place the child beside a responsible person or family member. Cabin changes and extra-legroom seats may still carry their normal charges.
Does the entire family have a right to sit in one row?
The rule protects the minor’s placement beside a responsible person or family member. It does not automatically guarantee that everyone in the reservation will occupy one row.
Can I require a window or aisle seat?
The resolution guarantees adjacent seats, not a particular position. Window, aisle, front-row, or other preferences may depend on availability and the airline’s seat policy.
What should I do if the assignments change after purchase?
Review the reservation immediately and ask the airline to correct the seating. The resolution also covers situations in which the reservation needs to be changed.
Does the rule cover someone who has already turned 16?
No. The resolution refers to passengers under 16, meaning travelers who are 15 or younger.
What if the child is traveling alone?
Review the airline’s unaccompanied-minor rules and the Chang Express guide to flights for unaccompanied minors.
Flying from Boston to Brazil with children?
Chang Express can help your family compare flights from Boston to Brazil, evaluate connections, review baggage and fare rules, submit requests, and understand airline changes made after ticketing.
Chang Express does not control an airline’s seat map or replace the airline’s operational decision. Our Somerville team can help customers understand the reservation, identify what to check, and determine the next practical steps.
Talk to a Chang Express travel advisor or send us a WhatsApp message.
Official sources
This article provides general information verified on July 13, 2026. Resolution 807 was issued in provisional compliance with a judicial decision, and procedures or interpretations may change. Confirm final details with the operating airline and official ANAC sources before traveling.
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