Airline carrier Ryanair has adjusted its policy regarding seat allocation for parents travelling with young children, following scrutiny from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The change means that for future bookings, parents will now be able to secure a free seat in the rear of the aircraft when flying with children aged between two and 11 years old. Their children will then be allocated seats next to or near them without charge.
The CMA initiated an investigation into Ryanair's previous seating policy to ascertain its compliance with consumer protection law. Under the airline's former approach, parents were required to pay a fee, typically around £8 per single journey, to reserve what Ryanair termed a 'mandatory family seat'. Once this payment was made, their children would then be assigned seats adjacent to them free of charge.
Under the newly revised policy, the option for parents to pay for a specific seat of their choosing, ensuring their children are seated alongside them at no additional cost, will remain available. This provides flexibility for families who prefer to select their seating location rather than accepting the free allocation at the rear of the plane.
Michael O’Leary, Chief Executive of Ryanair, expressed strong disapproval of the CMA's intervention. He accused the regulatory body of overlooking what he described as high fares on routes where Ryanair faces no competition, while targeting the airline's family seating policy. Mr O'Leary stated that Ryanair's previous policy had been 'universally embraced by consumers as the most progressive and transparent in Europe', and that the airline was reluctantly adjusting to what he called an 'industry standard' to avoid further disputes with regulators.
Mr O'Leary further commented that the change could mean families might have to wait until after check-in to discover their seat allocation and are more likely to be seated towards the rear of the cabin. Despite the criticism, Ryanair has indicated that the policy adjustment is expected to be 'revenue neutral' for the company.