Ryanair Faces UK Probe Over 'Mandatory Family Seat' Fees
Ryanair is under investigation in the UK by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) concerning mandatory fees for parents to sit with their children. The CMA is assessing if these charges, around £8 per flight, are unfair under consumer law and violate upfront pricing rules. This probe could impact airline pricing practices for families flying from the UK.
Key points
- The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating Ryanair's policy of charging parents fees to sit with children aged 2-11.
- Ryanair mandates that at least one adult sits with young children, labelling these as 'mandatory family seats'.
- Fees for these seats are reportedly around £8 (approximately $10) per flight.
- The CMA is examining if these charges are unfair and violate UK consumer law regarding upfront pricing.
- The investigation suggests Ryanair may be the only major airline from the UK imposing such seating fees on families.
The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an investigation into European airline Ryanair regarding its practice of charging parents to sit with their children. The probe centres on whether these mandatory seating fees are fair under consumer protection laws.
Under Ryanair's policy, parents or guardians are required to sit with children aged between 2 and 11. While the airline calls this a "mandatory family seat," the CMA states that parents are often charged a fee, reportedly about £8 ($10) per flight, to guarantee these adjacent seats. The CMA is scrutinizing whether this practice violates UK consumer law, which mandates that businesses must present a total ticket price upfront rather than adding separate charges during the booking process.
Officials noted that Ryanair's website may offer free reserved seating for children under 12, but parents are still being charged a booking fee to secure these spots. The CMA believes Ryanair might be the sole major airline operating from the UK to implement such charges for families, raising questions about competitive practices and consumer fairness.
Sources
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