Ryanair announces huge change for passengers with 'free seat' change

From squeezing your belongings into the smallest bag you can find to waving goodbye to your mate at the gate as you take seats at other ends of the plane, there’s a number of things we sacrifice for budget travel.

But sometimes, we find ourselves splashing out for what may be the simplest of things for our holidays.

Maybe you just want to be able to squeeze an extra pair of shoes in so you have to fork out for a slightly bigger, but still small, bag. Or perhaps, you’d simply like to be able to sit next to who you want.

And when you’re travelling with Ryanair, you’ll know that these things can come with annoying added costs.

However, the airline is introducing a huge ‘free’ change for passengers travelling as families.

The change comes into place today. (Getty Stock)

In a statement shared earlier today (25 June), Ryanair says there will now be free parent and child seats available sat together in the rear of its planes.

Basically, those travelling with kids who choose this new option will be told of their seat allocation after checking in for the flight. And it’s still an option for families to choose their seats in advance – but that comes with a seat reservation fee.

Ryanair explains: “Like all adults who select a reserved seat, adults travelling with children pay one reserved seat fee, but can select reserved seats beside them for up to 4 children on the same booking free of charge. This means that parents travelling with children pay for only one (adult) reserved seat – at a discounted rate – but pay nothing for the 4 other reserved seats for the children travelling with them.”

However, from today, adults travelling with children who don’t wish to select or pay for a reserved seat will now ‘be advised of their (free of charge) seat allocation after they have checked in for their flight’.

It’s most likely that this allocated seat will be at the back of the aircraft. So, if adults still want to know and pick their seat in a specific place in order to sit with their children, they need to pay. But if they are happy to be allocated a seat for ‘free’ next to their children, this is now an option.

The change comes as CMA investigates. (Getty Stock)

Ryanair boss’ statement

Michael O’Leary, CEO of Ryanair, said: “European regulators such as the UK CMA have consistently failed consumers by ignoring blatant anti-consumer reselling of inflated air fares by unauthorised OTAs, overcharging by airport monopolies and service failures by Europe’s ATCs. Turning a blind eye to the high fares charged by airlines on routes with no Ryanair competition, the CMA has now targeted our family seating policy which has been universally embraced by consumers as the most progressive and transparent in Europe. Instead of promoting competitiveness and lower fares for consumers, the CMA is on a mission to force Ryanair to adopt the less transparent and less consumer-friendly family seating policy applied by most other airlines – just because it’s the industry standard.

“We will reluctantly adjust to this industry standard as we don’t want to waste time explaining to misguided regulators how badly they misunderstand what is in the best interest of UK and Europe’s consumers. Under our revised family seating policy, families may have to wait until after they have checked in to find out their seat allocation and are more likely to be seated at the rear of the cabin but at least the CMA will be able to claim they have done something for consumers, but sadly most consumers won’t notice.”

CMA response

Ryanair’s new family seating policy comes during an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to determine whether the airline’s approach to seat reservations for families is in line with the law.

A CMA spokesperson said: “Ryanair claims its seating policy now complies with the law, and we’ll test that thoroughly. If true, it’s a win for families – who will no longer have to pay to sit with their children – and it shows the impact our new powers are having.

“But it doesn’t change the fact families have been paying for ‘mandatory family seats’. Our investigation remains ongoing.”