UK probes Ryanair over fees for parents to sit with children

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LONDON: The United Kingdom competition watchdog has launched a formal investigation into Ryanair over allegations that the airline unfairly charges parents to sit with their children.

The Competition and Markets Authority is examining whether the budget carrier's mandatory family seating policy violates consumer protection laws or exploits safety obligations.

Current Ryanair terms require at least one adult to purchase a reserved seat, typically costing eight pounds to guarantee proximity to children aged between two and eleven. This practice reportedly makes Ryanair the only major airline in the country to impose such a fee for family seating.

Regulators are specifically investigating if the contract terms are unfair and if the costs are improperly dripped during the booking process. Ryanair has strongly rejected the claims, calling the probe bogus and insisting its policy complies with all regulations. Potential penalties for confirmed breaches of consumer law could include significant fines of up to 10% of global turnover.