Imagine booking a family holiday and discovering you have to pay extra just to sit next to your own young child on the plane. That is the reality for many families flying with Ryanair, and it has prompted the UK's competition watchdog to step in. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an investigation into whether the airline's policy of charging parents around £8 each way for a mandatory family seat is unfair under consumer law.
The core of the issue is straightforward. Ryanair's terms and conditions require at least one parent or guardian to sit with any child aged between 2 and 11, as well as children with disabilities. To guarantee a seat next to the child, the adult must pay a fee – typically about £8 per flight, though it can range from £4 to £12 depending on the route. This is known as the "mandatory family seat" reservation. The CMA says it understands that Ryanair is the only major airline flying from the UK to impose such a charge. Other carriers either offer free seat allocations for families or automatically seat children with their parents during booking at no extra cost.
“Explains Ryanair's family seating fee and the CMA investigation.”
Ryanair has strongly rejected the investigation, calling it "bogus" and insisting its policy fully complies with all relevant laws. The airline says that adults travelling with children pay one reserved seat fee, but can select reserved seats beside them for up to four children on the same booking free of charge. It also argues that the CMA's action is a "failed effort by the Starmer Govt to pretend it cares about consumers" and points to Air Passenger Duty as a bigger cost issue. However, the CMA's investigation is focused specifically on whether the contract terms are unfair – meaning they put customers at an unfair disadvantage – and whether the fee is correctly "dripped" (disclosed gradually) during the booking process so that consumers see the total price.
For UK readers, this matters directly. Families planning summer holidays with Ryanair face an unavoidable extra cost simply to comply with the airline's own safety rules. The CMA notes that extra charges can quickly bump up the price for families saving up for an affordable holiday. If the CMA finds against Ryanair, it could force the airline to change its policy, potentially removing the fee or making it optional. The case also sets a precedent for how airlines and other businesses can charge for meeting their own obligations under aviation safety rules.
Q: Is Ryanair the only airline that charges parents to sit with their children? Yes, according to the CMA, Ryanair is the only large airline flying from the UK that imposes a mandatory fee for parents to sit next to their child. Other airlines offer free seat allocation for families or automatically seat children with parents during booking without extra charge.
Q: Why is the CMA investigating Ryanair? The CMA is examining whether forcing parents to pay for a mandatory family seat is an unfair contract term under consumer law. Under that law, a term is unfair if it significantly tilts the balance of rights and responsibilities in favour of the business. The CMA is also looking at whether the fee is properly disclosed during booking, so customers see the total price.
Q: What could happen if the CMA finds against Ryanair? If the CMA decides the policy is unfair, the contract terms would not be legally binding on customers, and the watchdog can take enforcement action to stop Ryanair using them. The airline could be forced to end the fee or change how it is presented. The investigation has just begun, so no conclusions have been reached yet.
What happens next: The CMA's investigation is in its early stages. It has not yet decided whether Ryanair has broken the law. The watchdog will gather evidence, hear Ryanair's response, and then decide whether to take formal action. Ryanair has said it looks forward to disproving the claims. No specific deadline has been given for a final decision.