Ryanair’s terms and conditions require at least one parent to sit with their children aged 2–11 when they fly.
This is done through what Ryanair calls a “mandatory family seat”, which the parent must pay for in order to secure a seat next to their child. For all other passengers, reserving a seat is optional.
This fee applies to both outbound and return flights and typically costs around £8 each way. CMA evidence suggests this approach to seating is used across the majority of Ryanair’s UK routes.
Ryanair flies from a number of Scottish airports, including Glasgow, Prestwick and Edinburgh.
Ryanair’s chief executive Michael O’Leary (Image: Nick Ansell)
The CMA 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, and will examine whether this practice is in line with consumer law.
The investigation relates to whether Ryanair’s contract term is “unfair” under consumer law. Contract terms are considered unfair if they put customers at an unreasonable disadvantage.
The CMA said the law applies a fairness test that assesses whether the wording tilts the balance of rights and responsibilities in the contract too much in favour of the business.
Unfair terms are not legally binding on customers, and the CMA can take enforcement action to stop businesses using them.
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The CMA understands that Ryanair is the only major airline flying out of the UK to impose this charge.
Other airlines seat children with a parent or guardian without the need for a paid-for adult seat reservation, or allocate seats together automatically during booking at no extra cost.
Ryanair’s website refers to “Free reserved seats for kids under 12”, but parents and guardians must pay a booking fee to access these seats.
As part of the investigation, the CMA will also examine whether the mandatory family seat fee is “dripped” during the booking process and whether consumers are presented with the total price they will pay.
The CMS is carrying out the investigation into Ryanair (Image: NQ)
Under consumer law, businesses must show a total price that includes all unavoidable charges, rather than adding — or “dripping” — extra charges separately or later in the process.
This ensures consumers can effectively compare prices and understand the true cost of what they are buying.
The CMA is at the beginning of its investigation and has reached no conclusions about whether Ryanair has broken the law.
Hayley Fletcher, Senior Director of Consumer Protection, said: “Lots of families save up to afford a summer holiday, and we know that extra charges can quickly bump up the price.
“Our investigation will consider Ryanair’s approach to family seat reservations and how the cost is presented to consumers to determine whether it complies with consumer law.
“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.”
Ryanair flies from Glasgow Airport and other locations across Scotland (Image: Newsquest)
Ryanair called the investigation “bogus”, and denied it charged parents extra to sit with children.
Its spokesperson said: “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.”
The spokesperson added: “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.”
