Ryanair Lets Parents Sit with Children for Free After CMA Probe

Ryanair has amended its family‑seating policy, now allowing parents to sit with their children without paying the reserved‑seat fee after a review by the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

Under the previous rule, adults had to pay about £8 each way for a reserved seat for themselves and could place up to four children for free – a practice critics said was inconsistent with consumer law.

The CMA confirmed it was investigating whether the policy misused the seat‑reservation charge to cover safety and disability obligations and whether the practice aligned with legislation, and will test the new arrangement.

Michael O’Leary said the change was a “reluctant adjustment to an industry standard” and that the airline’s rules had previously provided families with certainty at booking.

Consumer‑rights group Which? welcomed the move and will monitor if parents are consistently seated next to children without charge, while the airline expects no impact on revenue.