Budget airline Ryanair is under investigation for its policy of charging parents to sit with their children on flights. The Competition and Markets Authority is looking into whether this practice aligns with consumer law. Ryanair has criticized the inquiry as baseless, accusing the government of using it as a facade to show concern for consumers.
The Irish carrier mandates that at least one parent accompany children aged between two and 11, requiring them to purchase a “mandatory family seat” for around £8 each way. While this reservation is optional for other passengers, the CMA is questioning whether Ryanair is passing on child safety and disability-related costs to parents. Ryanair is singled out by the watchdog as the sole major airline in the UK imposing such charges.
Comparatively, other airlines offer free seating arrangements for children flying with parents or automatically assign seats together during booking, according to the CMA. The investigation will also explore how Ryanair presents its mandatory family seat fee during the booking process, particularly if all charges are transparent upfront.
Hayley Fletcher, a senior director at the CMA, emphasized the importance of ensuring families are not burdened with unexpected fees when planning holidays. Ryanair has defended its family seating policy, stating it complies with all regulations and benefits families by saving on travel costs. The airline claims it does not charge children to sit next to their parents and that parents only need to pay for one reserved seat per child.
Ryanair criticized the CMA’s investigation as politically motivated, alleging that it is distracting from more significant issues like air passenger duty. The airline looks forward to refuting the allegations put forth by the CMA.