Ryanair has abruptly reversed its policy of charging parents to sit next to their young children — a U-turn that came only after the competition watchdog opened an investigation into whether the practice broke consumer law.
Under the old rules, adults travelling with children typically paid a fee of £8 each way to reserve seats together, a charge the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said could amount to a mandatory cost for families.
“Ryanair scraps £8 fee for parents to sit next to children after CMA investigation”
But from Thursday, parents who do not wish to pay for a reserved seat will be told of their free seat allocation after check-in. The free seats will be at the back of the aircraft, as front rows tend to be reserved.
Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary described the change as a “minor policy tweak” and said the airline would “reluctantly adjust to this industry standard”. He insisted the old policy fully complied with the law and had given families “certainty” of where they would be sitting at the time of booking.
The CMA launched its investigation earlier this month, saying it was examining whether Ryanair’s “approach to seat reservations may mean parents are being charged for the airline to meet its child safety and disability‑related obligations as set out under aviation rules”. Other European airlines offer free seating for children next to parents automatically during booking, the CMA noted.
O'Leary hit out at the regulator, accusing it of forcing Ryanair to adopt a “less transparent and less consumer-friendly family seating policy” that is “the industry standard”. He said Ryanair’s old policy had been “universally embraced by consumers as the most progressive and transparent in Europe”.
A CMA spokesperson struck a more cautious tone. “Ryanair claims its seating policy now complies with the law, and we’ll test that thoroughly,” they said. “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’…”
Ryanair said it does not expect the change to affect its revenue. The airline’s about-face marks the latest clash between the budget carrier and the UK regulator, which has been flexing new powers to intervene in consumer practices.