The policy may violate UK law by forcing consumers to bear additional costs for the company to meet obligations related to children’s safety.
Low-cost airline Ryanair is being investigated by the British Competition and Markets Authority for charge a mandatory fee to parents who wish to travel sitting next to their children.
The investigation was announced by the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which aims to determine whether the carrier’s policy violates consumer protection legislation. At issue is the requirement that at least one adult travel with children between the ages of 2 and 11, upon purchasing a paid reserved space.
According to the CMA, the fee applied by the company varies between 4 and 12 pounds per journey, being usually about 8 pounds. The cost is charged on both outbound and return flights and applies to most routes operated by Ryanair from the UK, explains .
Although the company states that it does not charge children anything to sit next to their parents, adults are required to pay for the reservation of the place. The policy allows one adult to reserve one seat and select adjacent seats free of charge for up to four children included in the same reservation.
The British authority intends to determine whether this practice constitutes a unfair contract clauseby forcing consumers to bear additional costs so that the company fulfills obligations related to the safety of children and passengers with disabilities. The investigation will also analyze whether the fee is presented in a sufficiently transparent manner during the purchase process.
Another aspect under analysis is the possible use of “drip pricing”, a practice in which the initial price presented to the consumer increases throughout the reservation due to the inclusion of unavoidable charges. This type of trading strategy was banned in the United Kingdom in 2024.
Ryanair rejected the accusations and classified the process as a “baseless investigationThe company ensures that its family seating policy complies with all applicable laws and regulations and maintains that it continues to offer the lowest fares on the market.
The case could have major implications for the aviation sector, as the CMA considers that Ryanair is currently the only major airline operating in the UK that charges a mandatory fee to ensure that parents and children travel seated together. The final decision could force the carrier to review one of its most controversial policies.
