Ryanair ends family seating fees after UK CMA investigation
Ryanair has reluctantly changed its policy requiring parents to pay an £8 fee to sit with children aged 2-11, following a UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) probe into potential consumer law violations. CEO Michael O'Leary criticized the regulator, calling the policy change "less transparent." Starting July 25, 2026, free adjacent seats will be offered, but likely at the rear of the plane. The CMA continues its investigation into past fees.
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Ryanair Reluctantly Ends Mandatory Family Seat Fees After Regulator Pressure
Ryanair has changed its family seating policy, effective July 25, 2026, following an investigation by the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). Previously, the airline required parents of children aged 2-11 to pay for a reserved 'mandatory family seat.' Under the new policy, adults will be offered seats next to their children free of charge, though these are likely to be at the rear of the aircraft. Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary expressed reluctance, criticizing the CMA for forcing what he called a 'less transparent' industry standard. He warned families may have to wait until check-in to learn their seat allocation. The CMA stated it will test whether the new policy complies with the law while its investigation into past fees continues.
HuffPost UK - Athena2 - All Entries (Public)Ryanair 'Reluctantly' Ends Fee for Parents to Sit with Children on Flights
Ryanair has changed its family seating policy after an investigation by the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). Previously, the budget airline required parents traveling with children aged 2 to 11 to pay a fee for a reserved 'mandatory family seat,' with up to four children seated beside them for free. As of July 25, 2026, adults will be offered free seats next to their children, though the airline warns these will likely be at the rear of the plane, as front rows are reserved or sold out first. CEO Michael O'Leary criticized the change, calling it a response to 'misguided regulators' that will reduce transparency and force families to wait until check-in for seat assignments. The CMA stated it will test whether the new policy complies with the law, while noting that its investigation into previous mandatory fees remains ongoing.
HuffPost UK - Athena2 - All Entries (Public)Ryanair blasts CMA as 'misguided' over family seating probe, reluctantly changes policy
Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary has sharply criticized the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) for its investigation into the airline’s family seating rules, calling the regulator 'misguided' and accusing it of turning a 'blind eye' to more serious issues such as ticket touting and airport monopolies. The CMA opened a probe earlier this month over Ryanair’s policy requiring adults traveling with children to pay a reserved seat fee. Ryanair has now reluctantly changed its policy to allow families to sit together without a fee, though it warned that families opting not to pay the charge are likely to be seated at the back of the plane and will only learn their seats at check-in. The CMA responded that Ryanair is not forced to seat non-paying families at the back and that its investigation remains ongoing. Ryanair framed the change as a concession to regulators who it says want to 'stifle innovation'.
City AMRyanair Faces UK Investigation Over Family Seating Fee
Ryanair, the Irish low-cost airline, is under investigation by the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) for charging parents a fee of approximately £8 (€9.30) to sit next to their children aged 2-11 on flights. Consumer advocates in Germany, including the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (vzbv), have condemned the practice as an 'absolute outrage,' arguing that the airline is legally required to seat parents with young children. Ryanair defends the fee, stating it complies with all regulations and that the fee covers up to four children. The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) reports that families of four pay average surcharges of €80-200 for seat fees across 29 airlines, with one case reaching €300. The CMA is expected to comment on its investigation within six months.
Nachrichten - WELTRyanair faces UK watchdog probe over mandatory parent-child seat fees
The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an investigation into Ryanair's policy requiring parents to pay a fee to sit next to their children aged 2-11 on flights. The Irish budget airline calls this a 'mandatory family seat,' typically costing around £8 each way, and applies it to both outbound and return flights. The CMA is examining whether this practice violates consumer law by adding unavoidable charges separately rather than showing the total price upfront—a practice known as 'drip pricing.' The watchdog notes Ryanair is the only major UK-operating airline imposing this charge. The investigation will assess whether the fee effectively forces parents to pay for the airline's own child safety and disability-related obligations under aviation rules. No conclusions have been reached yet.
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