Ryanair has hit back at the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) over its investigation into charges that parents must pay to sit next to their children on flights. The airline has labeled the probe as 'bogus' and defended its seating policy.
CMA Investigation into Ryanair's Family Seating Policy
The CMA is examining whether Ryanair's requirement for at least one parent to be seated with children aged between two and 11, via a mandatory family seat reservation, breaches consumer law. The fee for this reservation is typically around £8 each way. While seat reservations are optional for other passengers, the CMA is concerned that parents are being charged for the airline to meet its child safety and disability obligations under aviation rules.
Ryanair's Response
In a statement, Ryanair 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.'
The airline added: '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.'
Ryanair further criticized the investigation, stating: '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.'
The CMA will continue its investigation to determine whether the practice aligns with consumer law.
