Ryanair is facing an investigation by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) over concerns that families may be forced to pay extra fees to ensure children sit alongside their parents on flights.
The watchdog is examining whether Ryanair’s “mandatory family seat” policy breaches consumer protection rules. Under the airline’s current system, at least one adult travelling with a child aged between two and 11 must purchase a reserved seat, typically costing around £8 each way, to guarantee adjacent seating.
The CMA is assessing whether these charges represent an unavoidable cost that should be included in the headline ticket price, rather than being added later during the booking process. It is also reviewing whether the policy complies with child safety and disability-related obligations.
According to the regulator, Ryanair is the only major airline operating from the UK that requires families to pay a specific fee to secure seating arrangements for children. Most rival carriers either automatically seat children with a parent or guardian or provide family seating arrangements without an additional charge.
Ryanair strongly rejects the allegations, insisting its family seating policy complies with all relevant laws and regulations. The airline argues it does not charge children to sit with their parents, noting that one adult reserved seat purchase allows up to four children on the same booking to receive adjacent seats free of charge.
The airline has criticised the investigation, describing it as politically motivated and maintaining that its approach helps keep fares low for families.
The CMA now has powers to impose fines of up to 10% of a company’s global turnover for breaches of consumer law, making the outcome potentially significant for Europe’s largest low-cost airline.
The investigation will focus on whether Ryanair’s family seating fee is genuinely optional or effectively mandatory, and whether customers are given clear and transparent pricing from the start of the booking process.
