The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an investigation into Ryanair over its mandatory fee for parents to sit with their children on flights. The low-cost carrier charges approximately £8 per flight for a parent to be seated next to their child, a practice the CMA believes may be an unfair contract term under consumer law.
Investigation Details
The CMA stated that Ryanair's terms require at least one parent to sit with their children, including those with disabilities, and imposes a fee of about £8 per flight to do so. The watchdog understands that Ryanair is the only major airline operating out of the UK that charges for this service.
Hayley Fletcher, CMA 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 they comply with consumer law.”
Ryanair's Response
Ryanair has stated that it does not charge any fee for children to sit beside their parent or accompanying adult. However, parents and guardians must pay a booking fee to be seated next to them. The airline's rules require that at least one parent sits with children aged 2-11 through a “mandatory family seat,” which applies to both outbound and return flights. The fee ranges from €4.50 to €13.50 (equivalent to £4-£12), typically around £8 each way. The CMA has found this practice across most of Ryanair's UK routes. For other passengers, seat reservation is optional.
Consumer Law Concerns
The CMA is investigating whether Ryanair's approach may force parents to pay for the airline to meet its child safety and disability-related obligations under aviation rules. Specifically, the investigation focuses on whether the contract term is “unfair” under consumer law. Contract terms are considered unfair if they put customers at an unfair disadvantage. The law applies a fairness test to determine if the wording tilts the balance of rights and responsibilities too much in favor of the business. Unfair terms are not legally binding on customers, and the CMA can take enforcement action to stop their use.
Other airlines offer to seat children with a parent or guardian without charging adults for a seat reservation, or automatically allocate seats together during booking for free. The CMA will also examine whether the mandatory family seat fee is “dripped” during the booking process without full transparency. Under consumer law, businesses must show a total price that includes all unavoidable charges, rather than adding extra charges separately or later.
Next Steps
The CMA has just begun its investigation and stressed that it has reached no conclusions about whether Ryanair has broken the law. The inquiry is part of the CMA's wider work to help ease cost of living pressures and protect vulnerable consumers. Since its strengthened consumer powers came into force, allowing the watchdog to fine companies and secure refunds, the CMA has launched investigations into 15 businesses across sectors including ticketing, gyms, homeware, and online reviews.
