Ryanair is being investigated by the competition watchdog for charging parents to sit with their children on flights.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the airline requires at least one parent to sit with their children aged between two and 11.
This is done through what Ryanair calls a mandatory family seat, whereas reserving a seat is optional for other passengers. The fee is typically about £8 each way.
The regulator said it 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”.
It added that it will “determine whether or not this practice is in line with consumer law”. Ryanair called the investigation “bogus”.
Ryanair said in a statement: “Ryanair’s family seating policy fully complies with all relevant laws and regulations, and saves families money when travelling on the UK’s lowest fare airline.
“Ryanair does not charge any fee for children to sit beside their parent or accompanying adult.
“Like all adults who select a reserved seat, adults travelling with children pay one reserved seat fee, but can select reserved seats beside them for up to four children on the same booking free of charge.
“This means that parents travelling with children pay for only one (adult) reserved seat but pay nothing for the four other reserved seats for their children travelling with them.
“This bogus CMA investigation is a failed effort by the Starmer government 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.
“Ryanair looks forward to disproving these false CMA claims during this bogus investigation.”
