CMA INVESTIGATES RYANAIR OVER MANDATORY FAMILY SEAT FEES

The UK's competition regulator has opened an investigation into Ryanair over fees the airline charges parents who want to sit next to their children on flights, the strongest enforcement action yet in a years-long saga that consumer advocates have described as harsh.

Under Ryanair's terms and conditions, at least one parent or guardian must sit with children aged between two and 11 when they fly. The airline enforces this through what it calls a "mandatory family seat", typically costing £8 per flight. Parents who do not pay the fee risk being separated from their children.

The Competition and Markets Authority is examining whether the charges are "unfair" under UK consumer law, which requires businesses to show customers a total ticket price upfront. The CMA believes Ryanair is "the only major airline flying out of the UK" to impose such charges.

THE FEE STRUCTURE

Ryanair's policy requires one paid reserved seat for an adult traveling with children, but the airline states adults can select reserved seats beside them for up to four children on the same booking "but can select reserved seats beside them for up to four children on the same booking FREE OF CHARGE" of charge. Children under 12 otherwise receive free reserved seating. The mandatory family seat fee applies specifically when a parent must accompany a child in the two-to-11 age range.

The CMA will examine whether the fee is dripped during the booking process and whether consumers are presented with the total price they will pay. Extra charges can quickly bump up the price for families saving up for an affordable summer holiday, a point the regulator noted in announcing the investigation.

WHAT DID RYANAIR SAY

Ryanair called the investigation "bogus" and insisted its family seating policy "fully complies with all relevant laws". The airline issued a statement attributing the CMA's action to the Starmer government: "This bogus CMA investigation is a failed effort by the Starmer Govt to pretend it cares about consumers when it has failed to abolish APD [Air Passenger Duty] which would immediately deliver lower fares for all consumers and growth for the UK aviation, tourism and wider economy.". A spokesperson added that Ryanair looks forward to disproving these false CMA claims during this bogus investigation.

The airline has already been forced to drop the fees in one market. Ryanair no longer imposes these charges on flights to and from Italy after losing an appeal in 2024 against the country's civil aviation authority, which ruled the practice unlawful under Italian consumer protection rules.

THE WIDER PATTERN

Which has repeatedly highlighted Ryanair's approach to separating families and making parents pay a fee to sit next to children as young as three. Rory Boland, a Which? spokesperson, said: "Which? has repeatedly highlighted Ryanair's harsh approach to separating families and making parents pay a fee to sit next to children as young as three" He added that "so it's good to see the regulator investigating the airline's behaviour" and noted that Ryanair could stop charging these fees today without waiting for the investigation's outcome.

The investigation is part of the CMA's wider aims to help ease cost of living pressures. Hayley Fletcher, the CMA's senior director for consumer protection, said: "For the past year, we've told businesses to ensure their customers are shown the total price upfront – those who don't face the very real possibility of action from the CMA." The regulator has not reached conclusions about whether Ryanair has broken the law.

WHAT'S AT STAKE

Under new powers, the CMA can fine companies up to 10% of their global turnover if they breach consumer law. That penalty structure gives the investigation real teeth, particularly for an airline of Ryanair's scale. The CMA will examine whether parents are being charged for the airline to meet its child safety and disability-related obligations, a question that goes to the heart of whether the fee is a service or a penalty.