Airline forced to scrap ‘unfair’ fees for parents to sit with their children
One of Europe’s biggest airlines has been forced to scrap a fee it charged for parents to sit together with their children on a flight.
Ryanair will now “reluctantly” allow families to sit together for free, after an investigation was launched into the charge, bringing the airline in line with European industry standards.
The UK consumer watchdog launched an investigation onto Ryanair charges. iStock
Ryanair’s terms and conditions state a parent must sit with their child if aged between two years and 11. However, the airline charged a ‘mandatory family seat’ fee to do so.
In an investigation, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) looked into whether the fee – usually around £8 ($15) each way – was “unfair” under consumer law.
Ryanair was the only airline flying from the UK to charge such a fee.
Two weeks after the investigation was launched, the low-cost carrier has announced changes to its family seating policy.
The changes will still give families the option of paying the charge to reserve seats. However, if not, they will be allocated random seats together for free after check-in, likely towards the rear of the plane.
“We will reluctantly adjust to this industry standard as we don’t want to waste time explaining to misguided regulators how badly they misunderstand what is in the best interest of UK and Europe’s consumers,” Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said in a statement, per Reuters.
Ryanair has been forced to scrap its 'mandatory family seat' fee. AP
A CMA spokesperson said it will test whether the new policy complies with the law and that if it does, the change will be “a win for families.”
“But it doesn’t change the fact families have been paying for ‘mandatory family seats.’ Our investigation remains ongoing,” the spokesperson said.
It comes after Ryanair initially hit back at the investigation calling it “bogus”, and insisted its family seating policy “fully complies with all relevant laws”.
