Ryanair are facing an investigation in the UK over charges imposed on parents travelling with young children, after regulators questioned whether the policy unfairly penalises families.
The investigation has been launched by the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which is examining Ryanair's requirement that adults travelling with children aged between two and 11 must pay to reserve a seat next to them.
While seat selection is generally an optional extra for most passengers, Ryanair requires accompanying adults to purchase what it describes as a mandatory family seat. The charge currently costs £8 per flight segment, equivalent to almost €10 each way.
Families Forced to Pay Extra
Unlike several other airlines, which automatically allocate seats together for parents and children at no additional cost, Ryanair's policy means families must pay the fee to guarantee they can sit together during the flight.
The CMA is now assessing whether this practice breaches consumer protection laws by placing families at an unfair disadvantage without sufficient justification.
Regulators will consider whether the policy prioritises additional revenue over the welfare of children and the needs of vulnerable passengers, including those requiring assistance.
If the CMA concludes that the charge is unfair, it could order Ryanair to stop applying the mandatory seating fee.
Transparency Also Under Scrutiny
As part of the investigation, the CMA are also examining how visible the charge is during the booking process.
Officials want to determine whether the compulsory family seating fee is adequately disclosed from the outset, or whether it is only added later alongside airport taxes and other mandatory charges, potentially making the true cost of travel less transparent.
Summer Holiday Costs in Focus
The investigation comes as millions of families across the UK and Europe prepare for the busy summer holiday season, with many travelling to destinations including the Canary Islands.
Hayley Fletcher, Senior Director for Consumer Protection at the CMA, said the regulator was concerned about the growing impact of additional travel charges on household budgets.
The outcome of the investigation could have significant implications for airlines operating family seating policies and may influence how carriers present additional charges to passengers in the future.
Ryanair has not yet publicly commented on the CMA's investigation.
