Ryanair Changes Policy on Family Seating After CMA Investigation
Ryanair has revised its policy to allow parents to sit with their young children without paying a seat reservation fee, following an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
The New Policy
- Under the updated rules, adults traveling with children who do not wish to pay for reserved seats will be informed of their free seat allocation after check-in. These seats will be located at the back of the aircraft.
The Previous Policy
- Previously, Ryanair charged a fee for one reserved seat per adult traveling with children, then allowed free adjacent seats for up to four children. This typically resulted in a fee of £8 each way.
The CMA Investigation
- The CMA had been investigating whether the policy was unfair under consumer law, and whether the airline was charging for meeting child safety obligations under aviation rules.
Ryanair's Response
- Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary stated the airline will "reluctantly adjust to this industry standard" but maintained that its previous policy complied with laws and gave families certainty. He criticized the CMA for targeting the policy.
Consumer Reaction
- Consumer rights organization Which? had previously highlighted the issue and said it will monitor the implementation of the new policy.
Impact
- Ryanair stated the change does not expect to affect revenue.
- The policy change took effect on Thursday.