UK Regulator Opens Probe Into Ryanair Over Fees for Parents Sitting With Children

Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has opened an investigation into Irish airline Ryanair over charges imposed on parents who want to sit next to their children on flights. The BBC reported that, according to the CMA, it is examining whether the company’s policy, which it says usually leads to a charge of about 8 pounds each way, is "unfair" under consumer law.

It was also reported that the company’s terms state that a parent must sit with children aged two to 11, and that this is done through what the airline calls a "mandatory family seat," for which a fee is charged. Ryanair called the investigation "fake" and stressed that its family seating policy "fully complies with all relevant laws."

The CMA said it is examining whether "the company’s approach to seat booking may result in parents being required to pay so that the company meets its obligations on child safety and accessibility as set out in aviation regulations, and whether the practice complies with consumer law." The British regulator said that, to its understanding, Ryanair is the only major airline flying from Britain that imposes such a charge. According to the CMA, other airlines offer seating for children next to a parent or guardian at no extra cost, or automatically allocate seats together at booking without charge.

However, it was made clear that the investigation has only just begun and that no conclusions have yet been reached on whether Ryanair broke the law. Ryanair, for its part, says that an adult traveling with children pays for only one reserved seat, but can choose, free of charge, adjacent reserved seats for up to four children in the same booking. The company added that "this means that parents traveling with children pay only for one reserved seat, the adult’s, and pay nothing at all for the other four reserved seats for their children."

The company said: "This fake CMA investigation is a failed attempt by the Starmer government to pretend it cares about consumers, while failing to abolish the Air Passenger Duty (APD), which would immediately lower prices for all consumers and boost growth in the aviation, tourism and wider UK economy. Ryanair looks forward to disproving these incorrect claims during this fake investigation."

The CMA added that it would also examine whether the mandatory charge for family seats is shown only at later stages of the booking process, and whether consumers are shown in advance the total price they will pay. Hayley Fletcher, the regulator’s consumer protection director, said that additional charges can quickly increase the cost for families saving for a cheap summer holiday, and stressed that "our investigation will look at Ryanair’s approach to family seat bookings and the way the cost is presented to consumers, to determine whether it complies with consumer law. Over the past year we have told businesses to make sure customers see the total price upfront, those that do not may face enforcement action from the CMA."

The British consumer rights group Which? welcomed the launch of the investigation. Rory Boland, the organization’s travel editor, said that "Which? has repeatedly highlighted Ryanair’s tough approach to separating families and charging parents to sit next to children as young as three, so it is good to see the regulator examining the company’s conduct."

He added that "Ryanair does not have to wait for the CMA’s investigation results, it can stop charging these unreasonable fees today, and we encourage it to do so."

The investigation is part of broader CMA goals to ease cost of living pressures. Under new powers, the authority can impose fines of up to 10% of a company’s global turnover if it violates consumer law.