In brief
Ryanair has amended its family‑seating rules to let parents sit with children without paying the reserved‑seat fee following an investigation by the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The airline’s prior booking required a payment of roughly £8 each way for each adult, a practice critics argued violated consumer law. The CMA will test the new seat allocation for compliance, while Ryanair’s chief, Michael O’Leary, calls the move a “reluctant” shift to industry standards. Travel watchdog Which? applauds the change and will monitor whether parents consistently receive free seats. The change is expected to keep Ryanair’s revenue slice unchanged.
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.
