Ryanair has changed its family seating policy to allow parents to sit next to their young children without paying a seat reservation fee, after the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) opened an investigation into whether the policy was unfair under consumer law. Adults travelling with children who do not wish to pay for a reserved seat will now be told of their free seat allocation after check-in, which Ryanair said was in line with most other European airlines.
Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary said it would "reluctantly adjust to this industry standard", but insisted its long-standing policy fully complied with laws and had given families "certainty". The CMA said it would test whether the new seating policy complies with the law, and that its investigation continues. Under the old policy, adults travelling with children paid one reserved seat fee and could select seats beside them for up to four children for free, typically £8 each way, the CMA said when it launched its investigation earlier this month.
“Ryanair drops family seating fee after CMA probe; cost of living pushes young adults like Natasha Suman to live with parents longer.”
O'Leary hit out at the CMA for targeting the family seating policy, which he said had been "universally embraced by consumers as the most progressive and transparent in Europe". A CMA 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." The "minor policy tweak" came into effect on Thursday, with the free parent seats at the back of the aircraft, as front rows tend to be reserved.
The policy shift comes as many young adults face mounting financial pressures that force them to extend stays with their parents. When 24-year-old Natasha Suman moved back into her parents' home in Bedford after university, she expected to stay only a "few months" while searching for her first job. Almost three years later, she is still there, saving for a deposit on her first home. The marketing coordinator pays towards bills but does not pay rent, allowing her to put aside £1,000 a month in a Lifetime ISA – a tax-free account topped up by the government – which she says would have been impossible had she lived by herself, given the "cost of living".
Natasha admits she has "less freedom" than when she lived independently and argues more with her family than she used to, despite feeling very fortunate. "When I left home [for university], I was a very different person, and by the time I came back, I had essentially become an adult," she says. "Because of that, there have definitely been some clashes between me and my parents." For Natasha and her parents, Rita and Pawan, flashpoints have included shared use of the family car after her own vehicle broke down, disagreements over chores, and how much time to spend together – with her parents wanting to see more of her. Problems have been avoided by having conversations early on, she says, with her parents setting "clear expectations" such as cleaning up after herself and making her own lunch. The family also discussed privacy, with Natasha asking her parents to knock before coming into her room.
Loss of privacy is one of the most common issues adult children face when living with parents, says Dr Fenia Christodoulidi, head of training and consultancy at counselling service Relate. Disagreements about overnight stays, guests, noise levels and use of shared spaces are all common problems. The proportion of people in their 20s and 30s living with their parents has increased sharply over the last three decades, as rising house prices and rents have forced many to move back in to save for their first home.