The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has announced an investigation into Ryanair over charges that parents must pay to sit with their children on flights. The watchdog is examining whether the budget airline's seat reservation policy forces parents to pay for mandatory family seats, potentially breaching consumer protection law.
CMA Investigation Details
The CMA stated on Thursday that it has opened an investigation into compliance with consumer protection law by Ryanair UK Limited and Ryanair DAC. The probe focuses on whether Ryanair's use of a potentially unfair contract term requires consumers travelling with a child to pay a mandatory fee to sit next to that child. Additionally, the CMA is examining how this fee is presented on Ryanair's website, specifically whether it is included in the total price shown at the start of the booking process.
Under current aviation rules, airlines must ensure child safety and meet disability-related obligations. Ryanair's terms and conditions require at least one parent to sit with children aged 2-11 during flights. The airline enforces this through what it calls a "mandatory family seat," which parents must pay for to secure a seat next to their child. Competitors such as Easyjet, Jet2, and TUI also operate in this space.
Next Steps and Legal Context
The CMA will now engage with Ryanair and gather evidence to determine whether the company has infringed consumer protection law. At this initial stage, no finding of infringement has been made. The CMA may collect, use, and share personal data as part of its investigation under Part 3 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.
This investigation follows growing concerns about airline fees and transparency. The CMA's action aims to ensure that consumers are not unfairly charged for essential services. Ryanair has not yet commented on the investigation.
