Ryanair's family seating policy has undergone a significant overhaul following an investigation by the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The changes, which come into effect from Thursday, mean parents travelling with children will be offered free seats adjacent to their offspring once check-in is complete – as long as they are allocated them.
The revised policy ensures all children on a booking will sit alongside their accompanying adult without an additional fee. However, families opting for this free allocation may find themselves seated towards the rear of the aircraft. The airline explains that front rows tend to sell out quickly, leaving those who prefer seats in the forward section with no option but to pay for seat reservations at the time of booking.
The policy change marks a departure from Ryanair's previous practice, where parents travelling with children aged two-11 paid £8 per single journey to reserve what was termed a 'mandatory family seat'. The CMA estimated this charge affected thousands of families each year and sparked an investigation into its compliance with consumer law.
Notably, the CMA found Ryanair to be the only major UK-based airline imposing such a charge. Chief executive Michael O'Leary has downplayed the significance of the policy change, labelling it a 'minor tweak'. However, he has been vocal in his criticism of the CMA's intervention, accusing regulators of overlooking high fares on routes without competition and forcing Ryanair to adopt an industry standard that is 'less transparent and less consumer-friendly'.
O'Leary suggested that families may have to wait until check-in for seat allocation and could end up seated at the back of the cabin. Despite this, Ryanair insists the policy change will not impact its revenues – a claim the CMA has yet to verify.