Ryanair's £8 family seat fee faces CMA probe that could help parents

Ryanair is being formally investigated by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) over a fee that the watchdog says typically costs parents £8 each way to sit next to their own children on flights. The BBC reports that the CMA will examine whether the charge is "unfair" under consumer law.

Ryanair's own terms say a parent must sit beside any child aged 2-11. This is done through what the airline calls a "mandatory family seat", and the CMA said the parent has to pay for it. Ryanair has hit back hard. It called the investigation "bogus" and insisted its family seating policy "fully complies with all relevant laws".

The outcome matters to parents and grandparents saving for a summer break. The CMA said it understood Ryanair was the only major airline flying from the UK to impose such a charge, while other carriers seat children with an adult for free.

Why the watchdog is questioning the mandatory family seat

The CMA's concern goes beyond the price tag. It said Ryanair's approach to seat reservations "may mean parents are being charged for the airline to meet its child safety and disability-related obligations as set out under aviation rules". Put simply, the question is whether families are paying for something the airline is already expected to do.

The watchdog will also check whether the fee is "dripped" during booking, meaning it is added bit by bit rather than shown at the start, and whether customers are shown the total price they will pay. Hayley Fletcher, the CMA's director of consumer protection, said extra charges can quickly bump up the price for families saving up for an affordable summer holiday. She added that the CMA had spent the past year telling businesses to show customers the total price upfront, and that firms which do not "face the very real possibility of action from the CMA".

Ryanair said adults travelling with children pay one reserved seat fee but can choose seats beside them for up to four children on the same booking free of charge. The airline went further and called the probe "a failed effort by the Starmer Govt to pretend it cares about consumers". It argued that abolishing Air Passenger Duty would bring lower fares, and said it looked forward to "disproving these false CMA claims".

Which families pay the fee and how airlines compare

The rule applies to parents flying Ryanair with children aged 2-11, because the airline's terms say at least one parent must sit with them. The BBC reports that the CMA puts the typical fee at £8 each way, and the CMA's own announcement describes it as around £8 per flight. According to the watchdog, this also affects parents of children with disabilities.

Ryanair says families only pay for the adult's seat. In its words, parents pay for "only one (adult) reserved seat but pay nothing for the four other reserved seats for their children". The consumer group Which? sees it differently. Its travel editor, Rory Boland, said the group had repeatedly highlighted Ryanair's "harsh approach to separating families and making parents pay a fee to sit next to children as young as three".

The CMA said other airlines either offer to seat children next to a parent or guardian without a fee or put family seats together automatically for free during booking. So the charge is a Ryanair issue rather than an industry-wide one, according to the watchdog.

Key numbers

• £8: the typical fee each way for a parent's mandatory family seat, according to the CMA.
• 2-11: the ages of children a parent must sit with under Ryanair's terms.
• Up to four: the number of children Ryanair says can be seated beside a paying adult at no extra cost on the same booking.
• 10%: the share of global turnover the CMA can now fine companies that breach consumer law.
• Under 12: the age of children that the Civil Aviation Authority says airlines should aim to seat close to their accompanying adult.

What happens next in the investigation

The CMA said its investigation has only just started and that it has "reached no conclusions about whether Ryanair has broken the law". No timetable for a decision has been published yet, so nothing changes yet for anyone booking a flight.

If the watchdog does find a breach, the stakes are high. Under new powers, the CMA can fine companies up to 10% of their global turnover. Rory Boland of Which? said Ryanair did not have to wait for the outcome and "could stop charging these unreasonable fees today".

What you can do now

If you are booking a Ryanair flight with children or grandchildren, check the total price on the final booking screen before you pay, including any family seat fee. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) says airlines are legally required to include all compulsory charges in the displayed ticket price. It adds that optional extras such as hold luggage should be clearly shown during booking.

Whichever airline you fly with, the CAA recommends contacting it to confirm its seating policy. Its guidance says carriers should aim to seat children under 12 in the same row, or no more than one row or aisle away, from their accompanying adult. You can find this and other travel advice on the Civil Aviation Authority's pages for air passengers.

If you are travelling with someone who is disabled or has reduced mobility, the CAA says airlines should make all reasonable efforts to seat them with the person accompanying them, so raise this with the airline when you book. The watchdog explains the case in its own words in the CMA's announcement of the Ryanair investigation.

Your questions answered

Do I have to pay to sit next to my child on Ryanair?

Ryanair's terms require at least one parent to sit with children aged 2-11. The CMA says the parent must pay for a "mandatory family seat", typically £8 each way. Ryanair says that once the adult seat is paid for, seats for up to four children on the same booking are free.

Do other airlines charge for this?

The CMA said it understood Ryanair was the only major airline flying from the UK to impose such a charge. It said other airlines offer to seat children with a parent or guardian without a fee, or put seats together automatically for free during booking.

Could I get my money back if Ryanair loses?

Nothing has been published about refunds. The CMA stressed that its investigation has just started and that it has reached no conclusions about whether Ryanair has broken the law.