The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an investigation into Ryanair over charges that parents must pay to sit with their children on flights.
Ryanair’s terms and conditions require at least one parent to sit with their children aged 2-11 when they fly. This is done through what Ryanair calls a “mandatory family seat”, which the parent must pay for in order to secure a seat next to them for their child. For all other passengers, reserving a seat is optional. This fee applies to both outbound and return flights and typically costs around £8 each way.
CMA evidence suggests this approach to seating is used across the majority of Ryanair’s UK routes, News Cover reports, citing the UK government's official website.
The CMA is investigating whether Ryanair’s approach to seat reservations may mean parents are being charged for the airline to meet its child safety and disability‑related obligations as set out under aviation rules – and will investigate to determine whether or not this practice is in line with consumer law.
Specifically, its investigation relates to whether Ryanair’s contract term is “unfair” under consumer law. Contract terms are unfair if they put customers at an unfair disadvantage. The law applies a fairness test that asks whether the wording tilts the balance of rights and responsibilities in the contract too much in favour of the business. Unfair terms are not legally binding on customers, and the CMA can take enforcement action to stop businesses using them.
The CMA understands that Ryanair is the only major airline flying out of the UK to impose this charge. Other airlines offer to seat children with a parent or guardian without the need for a paid-for adult seat reservation, or allocate seats together automatically during booking for free. Ryanair’s website refers to “Free reserved seats for kids under 12”, but the parents and guardians must pay a booking fee to access these seats.
As part of the investigation, the CMA will also examine whether the mandatory family seat fee is “dripped” during the booking process and whether consumers are presented with the total price that they will pay.
Under consumer law, businesses must show a total price that includes all unavoidable charges, rather than adding – or “dripping” – extra charges separately or later in the process. This ensures consumers can effectively compare prices and understand the true cost of what they are buying.
The CMA is at the beginning of its investigation, and it has reached no conclusions about whether Ryanair has broken the law.
