The UK's competition regulator has launched an investigation into Ryanair over charges for parents to sit next to their children, probing whether this constitutes "an unfair contract term".
Ryanair's terms require at least one parent to reserve a paid "family seat" when travelling with children aged 2 to 11, while seat reservations are optional for other passengers, according to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
The fee is typically about £8 (€9.30) per trip, the CMA stated, noting that this practice is barred in Italy but widely applied across Ryanair's UK routes.
Ryanair called the investigation "baseless", claiming full compliance with applicable laws. It added that no fees are charged for up to four child seats in one booking, with parents required to pay for only one reserved adult seat.
The CMA contends Ryanair is the only major airline operating in the UK to enforce such charges, though it acknowledged that in some cases, parents may sit next to their children without additional fees.
The regulator has not yet determined whether Ryanair has broken the law, with further updates on the investigation expected within six months.
