UK watchdog investigates Ryanair charges for parents sitting with children

Ryanair is being investigated by the Competition and Markets Authority over charges that parents must pay to sit beside their children on flights, including in cases involving disability-related obligations.

The budget airline’s terms and conditions require at least one adult travelling with children aged two to 11 to reserve a seat, through what Ryanair calls a “mandatory family seat”. That reservation typically costs around £8 per flight, meaning the charge can apply on both outbound and return journeys.

Parents charged where seating is required

The CMA is examining whether Ryanair’s approach means parents are being charged for the airline to meet child safety and disability-related obligations under aviation rules.

The watchdog will investigate whether the practice complies with consumer law, including whether the contract term may be unfair.

Under consumer law, contract terms can be considered unfair if they place customers at an unfair disadvantage by tilting the balance of rights and responsibilities too far in favour of the business. Unfair terms are not legally binding on customers, and the CMA can take enforcement action to stop businesses using them.

Fee applies across majority of UK routes

CMA evidence suggests Ryanair’s family seating approach is used across the majority of its UK routes.

The CMA understands Ryanair is the only major airline flying out of the UK to impose this charge. Other airlines either offer to seat children with a parent or guardian without requiring a paid adult seat reservation, or allocate seats together automatically during booking for free.

Ryanair’s website refers to “Free reserved seats for kids under 12”, but parents and guardians must pay a booking fee to access those seats.

Booking process also under scrutiny

The CMA will also examine whether the mandatory family seat fee is “dripped” during Ryanair’s booking process, and whether consumers are shown the total price they will pay.

Under consumer law, businesses must display a total price that includes all unavoidable charges, rather than adding extra costs separately or later in the process. The purpose is to allow customers to compare prices properly and understand the true cost before buying.

The investigation is at an early stage, and the CMA has reached no conclusion on whether Ryanair has broken the law.

Families facing extra holiday costs

Hayley Fletcher, Senior Director of Consumer Protection at the CMA, said:

“Lots of families save up to afford a summer holiday and we know that extra charges can quickly bump up the price.

“Our investigation will consider Ryanair’s approach to family seat reservations and how the cost is presented to consumers to determine whether they comply with consumer law.

“For the past year, we’ve told businesses to ensure their customers are shown the total price upfront – those who don’t face the very real possibility of action from the CMA.”

Key figures behind the case

The Ryanair website states that reserving a mandatory family seat costs between €4.50 and €13.50, equivalent to around £4 to £12, with CMA evidence showing it is most commonly £8 per flight.

In 2024, almost a third of people surveyed — 32% — planned to reduce spending on holidays to cover the cost of living, according to ABTA’s Holiday Habits 2025 research cited by the CMA.

The investigation forms part of the CMA’s wider work to ease cost-of-living pressures and protect vulnerable consumers.

Since its strengthened consumer powers came into force, allowing it to fine companies for breaches and secure refunds, the CMA has launched investigations into 15 businesses across sectors including ticketing, gyms, homeware and online reviews.

What happens next

The CMA will now investigate Ryanair’s approach to mandatory seat reservations. The outcome will depend on the evidence and could result in a finding of unlawful conduct, remedies being imposed, or the case being closed.

Ryanair’s terms and conditions require that where a person travels with a child under 12, other than an infant under two sharing the adult’s seat, at least one adult in the booking must reserve a seat. That reservation allows up to four children to be allocated seats next to and/or near the adult.

The CMA understands Ryanair does not apply the fee on every flight, with evidence suggesting that in a limited number of cases parents may be seated with their children at no additional cost. This will form part of the investigation.

Following action by Italy’s Civil Aviation Authority, ENAC, Ryanair does not apply the fee on flights to and from Italy.

The CMA expects to provide an update within six months. If a company is found to have infringed consumer protection law under the new regime, the watchdog can impose fines of up to 10% of global turnover, or £300,000 where that is higher than 10%.

For families booking flights from the UK, the investigation puts a sharp spotlight on the gap between advertised fares and the final price paid — particularly where a charge is linked to keeping young children seated safely with an adult.