Ryanair has scrapped its £8 fee for parents to sit next to their young children – a reluctant concession after the competition watchdog opened an investigation into the policy. From Thursday, adults travelling with children who do not want to pay for a reserved seat will be told of their free seat allocation after check-in, the airline said, bringing it in line with most other European carriers.
The move came after the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said earlier this month it was examining whether the previous approach – which typically cost parents £8 each way – was unfair under consumer law. Under the old policy, a single reserved seat fee allowed adults to sit beside up to four children for free, but the charge effectively made the arrangement compulsory for those wanting to guarantee proximity.
“Ryanair drops £8 family seating fee after CMA probe; O'Leary 'reluctantly' adjusts policy.”
Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary said the airline would "reluctantly adjust to this industry standard", while insisting its long-standing policy fully complied with the law and had given families "certainty". He hit out at the CMA for targeting a policy he claimed had been "universally embraced by consumers as the most progressive and transparent in Europe".
"Instead of promoting competitiveness and lower fares for consumers, the CMA is on a mission to force Ryanair to adopt the less transparent and less consumer-friendly family seating policy applied by most other airlines – just because it's the industry standard," O'Leary said. He added that the change would not affect Ryanair's revenue.
The new "free parent seats" will be located at the back of the aircraft, as front rows tend to be reserved, the airline said. Ryanair described the adjustment as a "minor policy tweak".
The CMA said it would "test thoroughly" whether the new seating policy complies with the law. A spokesperson said: "Ryanair claims its seating policy now complies with the law, and we'll test that thoroughly. If true, it's a win for families – who will no longer have to pay to sit with their children – and it shows the impact our new powers are having. But it doesn't change the fact families have been paying for 'mandatory family…'" The regulator confirmed its investigation continues.