Ryanair is under investigation in the UK over its policy of making parents pay to sit next to their children, a practice the budget carrier defends as lawful and family-friendly. I have to admit that I am very sympathetic to Ryanair here.
The Competition and Markets Authority is looking into whether Ryanair’s “mandatory family seat” charge may violate consumer law by forcing parents to pay for something the airline may already be required to do under aviation safety and disability rules.
Under Ryanair’s policy, at least one parent or accompanying adult must sit next to children between the ages of two and 11. To accomplish that, the adult must purchase a reserved seat, typically costing about £8 each way. Ryanair says that once the adult purchases that reserved seat, up to four children on the same booking can be seated next to that adult for free.
A great solo travel tip spotted this week on Live and Let's Fly.
