Ryanair’s Policy Pivot: Families to Sit Together for Free

Ryanair will allow families to sit together for free, adjusting its seating policy following a probe by Britain's Competition and Markets Authority. Previously, families were required to pay a 'family seat' surcharge. The adjustment aims to align with industry standards and respond to regulators' concerns.

Ryanair, Europe's largest carrier by passenger numbers, will 'reluctantly' permit families to sit together for free starting Thursday. The change follows a British probe into its policy that previously necessitated a 'family seat' charge for parents traveling with children aged 2 to 11.

Until now, Ryanair charged a fee, typically around £8 each way, for seating families together. The airline, however, insists that previous practices complied with relevant laws, but are now aligning with industry standards to avoid regulatory misunderstandings.

Despite this shift, the Competition and Markets Authority's investigation continues. The CMA aims to ascertain if Ryanair's updated policy fully adheres to legal requirements, emphasizing the ongoing scrutiny of past fees imposed on families.