Ryanair has officially modified its family seating policy, enabling parents to sit alongside their young children without incurring a seat reservation fee. This policy shift follows the initiation of an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) into the airline’s previous practices.<\/p>\n
Under the new rules, adults traveling with children who choose not to pay for a reserved seat will receive their free seat allocation after the check-in process. Ryanair noted that this adjustment aligns with the standard practices observed by most other European airlines. While Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary stated the company would “reluctantly adjust to this industry standard,” he maintained that the airline’s former policy was fully compliant with legal requirements and provided families with necessary booking certainty.<\/p>\n
The CMA launched its investigation earlier this month to determine whether the airline\u2019s previous approach was unfair under consumer protection laws. Previously, adults traveling with children were required to pay for one reserved seat, which then allowed them to select up to four adjacent seats for children at no additional cost. The CMA had noted that this often resulted in a charge of approximately \u00a38 each way and questioned whether parents were essentially being forced to pay for the airline to meet its child safety and disability obligations.<\/p>\n
Ryanair stated that its “free parent seats” will be located at the rear of the aircraft, as the front rows are generally reserved for other purposes. The airline described this change as a “minor policy tweak” that took effect on Thursday, adding that it does not expect the shift to impact its revenue. Regarding the investigation, O’Leary criticized the CMA for targeting a policy he described as having been “universally embraced by consumers as the most progressive and transparent in Europe.” He argued that the regulator’s actions were pushing the industry toward less transparent seating policies.<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for the CMA stated that they will thoroughly test whether Ryanair’s new policy complies with the law. While the regulator acknowledged that the change represents a win for families who will no longer pay to sit with their children, it noted that its broader investigation remains ongoing regarding the previous practice of charging for mandatory family seats. Consumer rights organization Which? also commented on the situation, suggesting that Ryanair should not have required regulatory pressure to stop these charges. The group indicated it would monitor the situation over the coming months to ensure all parents are effectively seated next to their children at no extra cost.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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