Ryanair has revised its family seating policy, allowing parents to sit next to their young children without paying a seat reservation fee. The change follows an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which is examining whether the airline's previous policy breached consumer protection laws.
Under the updated system, families who choose not to pay for reserved seats will receive complimentary seat assignments after check-in. Ryanair said the approach matches the practice followed by most European airlines.
Previously, adults travelling with children had to pay for at least one reserved seat to ensure they were seated together. The fee, usually around £8 per flight, allowed parents to select seats next to up to four children at no extra cost. The CMA questioned whether this effectively required families to pay for seating arrangements that airlines are expected to provide under aviation safety rules.
Ryanair maintained that its previous policy complied with all legal requirements and gave customers the certainty of knowing their seat locations at the time of booking. The airline said the newly introduced free family seats will generally be located toward the rear of the aircraft, while premium front-row seats will remain reserved.
Chief executive Michael O'Leary described the move as a "minor policy tweak" and said the airline was "reluctantly" adopting the industry standard. He criticised the CMA, arguing that Ryanair's previous system was more transparent and consumer-friendly than those used by rival airlines. The company also said the policy change is not expected to affect its revenue.
The CMA welcomed the update but confirmed its investigation remains active. The regulator said it will assess whether the revised policy complies with consumer law while continuing to examine whether families were unfairly charged under the previous system.
Consumer group Which?, which had previously raised concerns over Ryanair's seating charges, welcomed the decision. Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, said parents should never have been required to pay to sit with their children and that the organisation will monitor how the new policy works in practice to ensure families are seated together free of charge.