Ryanair, Europe’s largest airline, is under investigation by the UK’s competition watchdog over charges it imposes on families with young children to sit together. The airline requires parents to pay for a “mandatory family seat” to ensure they can sit with their children, which can cost around £8 ($11) per flight.

Investigation Details

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating “suspected infringements of consumer law in relation to Ryanair’s use of a potentially unfair mandatory fee.” The CMA believes this policy is used across the majority of Ryanair’s UK routes. Ryanair has called the investigation “bogus” and claims its seating policy “fully complies with all relevant laws and regulations.”

The investigation aims to determine whether the practice is “unfair” under consumer law. The CMA understands that Ryanair is the only airline flying out of the UK to impose such a fee. The investigation is part of a broader intention by the CMA to ease the impact of cost of living pressures in Britain.

Parental Rights Angle

The issue raises concerns about parental rights and the ability of parents to make choices about their children’s travel arrangements. The CMA’s 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.

Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.