Ryanair investigated over charging parents to sit with their children

The CMA understands that Ryanair is the only big airline flying out of the UK to impose the charge. Photograph: Holger Burmeister/Alamy View image in fullscreen The CMA understands that Ryanair is the only big airline flying out of the UK to impose the charge. Photograph: Holger Burmeister/Alamy Ryanair investigated over charging parents to sit with their children UK competition watchdog investigates whether charge of about £8 is an unfair contract term under consumer law Business live – latest updates Europe’s biggest low-cost airline, Ryanair , is facing an investigation over the mandatory fee it charges a parent to sit with their child. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the Irish carrier’s terms and conditions require at least one parent to sit with their children, including those with disabilities, and bills them about £8 per flight to do so. The watchdog will investigate whether this is an unfair contract term under consumer law. It understands that Ryanair is the only big airline flying out of the UK to impose this charge. Air passengers ‘risking lives by grabbing bags and filming in emergencies’ Read more Hayley Fletcher, the CMA senior director of consumer protection, said: “Lots of families save up to afford a summer holiday and we know that extra charges can quickly bump up the price. “Our 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. “For the past year, we’ve told businesses to ensure their customers are shown the total price upfront – those who don’t face the very real possibility of action from the CMA.” Ryanair said that it does not charge any fee for children to sit beside their parent of accompanying adult. However, parents and guardians must pay a booking fee to be seated next to themThe carrier’s rules state that at least one parent must sit with their children aged 2-11 when they fly, through a “mandatory family seat”. This fee applies to outbound and return flights. Reserving a one of these seats costs between €4.50 and €13.50, which is equivalent to £4-£12, and is typically £8 each way. The CMA has founded that this approach is used across most of Ryanair’s UK routes. For all other passengers, reserving a seat is optional. The CMA is investigating whether Ryanair’s approach may mean parents are being charged for the airline to meet its child safety and disability‑related obligations as set out under aviation rules, to determine whether or not this practice is in line with consumer law. Specifically, its investigation relates to whether Ryanair’s contract term is “unfair” under consumer law. Contract terms are unfair if they put customers at an unfair disadvantage. The law applies a fairness test that asks whether the wording tilts the balance of rights and responsibilities in the contract too much in favour of the business. Unfair terms are not legally binding on customers, and the CMA can