Ryanair has bowed to pressure from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) by scrapping extra seat charges for parents travelling with children, following a probe into whether the practice was lawful. The airline's move, which came into effect on Thursday, means families will no longer be charged up to £16 per adult each way for reserved seats that allow children to sit beside them.
The CMA had raised concerns that Ryanair's previous policy, where adults could reserve a seat for themselves and their children would then be seated together without incurring an additional fee, was actually charging families for the airline to meet its safety and disability obligations under aviation rules. The regulator had launched an investigation into whether this practice broke consumer law, prompting Ryanair to revise its seating policies.
Under the revised policy, parents who don't opt for reserved seats will be allocated a complimentary seat at check-in, usually located towards the rear of the plane as front rows are often reserved. The airline's chief executive, Michael O'Leary, described the change as 'a minor tweak', insisting Ryanair's previous approach fully complied with laws and provided families with certainty when booking flights.
The CMA has said its investigation remains active, and will test whether the revised policy genuinely complies with consumer law. If successful, it could be seen as a major win for families who have previously faced significant charges to sit together on flights. Consumer rights organisation Which? welcomed the change but noted that the airline should not need external pressure to adopt fairer practices.
Despite the changes, Mr O'Leary has hit back at the CMA's focus on Ryanair's family seating policy, suggesting it was forcing the airline to adopt a 'less transparent and less consumer-friendly' approach. However, Ryanair does not anticipate the revised policy to have any significant impact on its revenue.