- Ryanair has revised its family seating policy after the UK's competition watchdog opened an investigation.
- Parents will now be able to access free seats at the rear of the aircraft instead of paying a mandatory reservation fee.
- The airline says the change will not affect its overall revenue.
Ryanair family seating policy is changing after the airline came under scrutiny from the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) over charges imposed on parents travelling with young children.
The budget airline said it will make free parent seats available at the rear of its aircraft for future bookings. The move follows a CMA investigation into whether Ryanair's previous family seating policy complied with consumer protection laws.
Until now, parents travelling with children aged between two and 11 were required to pay for what Ryanair described as a mandatory family seat. The fee was typically around £8 each way, while children were assigned seats next to or close to the paying adult at no extra cost.
Under the revised system, parents can either accept a free seat allocated at the back of the aircraft or pay to reserve seats of their choice. If they choose to pay, children travelling with them will continue to be seated alongside them without an additional charge.
The CMA launched its investigation to assess whether the airline's previous policy was in line with UK consumer law. The regulator has not yet commented on Ryanair's latest changes.
Ryanair said the revised arrangement would be "revenue neutral", indicating it does not expect the policy to affect its earnings.
Airline hits back at watchdog
Chief executive Michael O'Leary criticised the regulator over the investigation, arguing that the airline's original approach had been well received by customers.
He reportedly said the CMA had focused on Ryanair's seating policy instead of addressing higher fares on routes where passengers have fewer airline choices. He also argued, as quoted in a news report, that the airline's previous system was among the most transparent family seating policies in Europe.
O'Leary said Ryanair would make what he described as a "minor policy tweak" rather than continue the dispute with regulators. However, he claimed families using the free option may now have to wait until check-in to learn their seat allocation and are more likely to be seated towards the rear of the cabin.
The change comes as airlines across Europe continue to face growing scrutiny over additional charges for services such as seat selection, baggage and priority boarding, with regulators increasingly examining whether such fees are clear and fair for consumers.
