Ryanair, a budget airline, has revised its family seating policy, introducing "free parent seats" in the back of its planes for future bookings. This adjustment comes after the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched an investigation into the airline for allegedly charging parents to sit with their children. Previously, Ryanair mandated parents traveling with children aged between two and eleven to pay for a "mandatory family seat," typically around £8 (approximately $9) each way, while their children were seated nearby for free. The CMA was investigating whether this policy complied with consumer law and child safety obligations, as Ryanair was reportedly the only major airline flying out of the UK to impose such a charge.
The CMA's investigation began after concerns that Ryanair's previous policy might be unfairly disadvantageous to consumers. The watchdog noted that Ryanair's terms required at least one parent to sit with their child, and this was achieved through the paid "mandatory family seat." While Ryanair stated that adults could pay one reserved seat fee and select up to four children's seats next to them for free, the CMA was examining if this fee was "dripped" during the booking process and if consumers were presented with the total price upfront.
Ryanair's CEO, Michael O'Leary, indicated that the airline would "reluctantly adjust" to this industry standard, despite his claims that the previous policy fully complied with all relevant laws. He suggested that the policy tweak was a response to regulators, implying that families might end up in the rear of the cabin and might not notice any significant improvement. The airline insists that this change will be revenue-neutral.
The CMA's investigation aimed to determine if Ryanair’s practices were in line with consumer law, especially considering that other airlines offer to seat children with a parent without extra charges or allocate seats together automatically. Travel editor Rory Boland from Which? had repeatedly highlighted Ryanair's approach to separating families and charging fees, urging the airline to cease these practices immediately. The outcome of the CMA’s investigation could have led to a finding of unlawful conduct or remedies but Ryanair has preemptively moved to alter its policy. gov.uk bbc.co.uk
