CMA probes Ryanair family seating charges

The UK Competition and Markets Authority has begun an investigation into fees charged by Ryanair for parents or accompanying adults who wish to sit with their children on flights. The move centres on a requirement that at least one adult sits with children aged between two and 11, enforced through what the airline describes as a mandatory family seat.

The CMA has indicated that the cost of this family seat arrangement is typically around £8 each way. The regulator is focusing on flights operated by Ryanair from the UK, where it said it understands the carrier is the only major airline to impose such a mandatory family seat charge.

The investigation will assess whether Ryanair’s family seating rules and related charges comply with UK consumer protection law. One area of scrutiny is whether the requirement to purchase a reserved seat for an accompanying adult constitutes an unfair contract term for families travelling with young children.

The CMA is also examining how the cost of the mandatory family seat is presented during the booking process. It will consider whether the way this fee appears could breach rules on so‑called drip pricing, where unavoidable charges are only revealed later in the transaction rather than upfront.

In addition, the watchdog has highlighted concerns that families might effectively be paying for the airline to fulfil obligations related to child safety and disability under aviation rules. The review aims to determine whether shifting these costs onto passengers is compatible with consumer law.

Ryanair has strongly defended its family seating policy and dismissed the CMA’s probe as “bogus”. The airline maintains that its approach fully complies with all applicable laws and regulations governing air travel and consumer protection.

The carrier states that adults travelling with children pay a single reserved seat fee. Once that seat is purchased, the adult can select reserved seats beside them for up to four children on the same booking free of charge, meaning no additional seat reservation fee is levied for those children.

Ryanair also asserts that it does not charge any fee for children to sit beside their parent or accompanying adult beyond the initial reserved seat payment made by the adult. The company has not announced any changes to its policy in response to the investigation.

The CMA has emphasised that its inquiry into Ryanair’s family seating fees is at an early stage and that no finding of unlawful conduct has been made. The current focus is on gathering evidence about how the policy operates in practice and how prices are displayed to consumers.

As part of its work, the regulator will evaluate both the structure of the mandatory family seat rule and its impact on families planning and booking holidays. Any further action will depend on the CMA’s assessment of whether the pricing and contractual terms meet the requirements of UK consumer law.