Ryanair to drop fee for family seating – and calls it an intervention

According to a Ryanair spokesperson, families will still be able to sit together on the aircraft even if they have not purchased a seat reservation. Adults and their children who do not have a paid reservation will be assigned to the rear rows of the plane. Paid reservations, on the other hand, will usually be allocated in the quieter front section of the jet.

Seat allocation: front versus back

According to Michael O'Leary, families will in future only learn their specific seat assignment at check-in and will tend to sit in the rear cabin area. The new procedure applies immediately to bookings made through the airline's British and European channels.

The competition authority had argued that seat reservation "für andere Passagiere dagegen freiwillig" (is voluntary for other passengers). Against this backdrop, it put the airline under pressure to revise its practice for families. In Ryanair's UK terms and conditions, it is currently stipulated "dass mindestens ein Elternteil einen "Familiensitzplatz" neben seinem Kind oder seinen Kindern im Alter von zwei bis elf Jahren buchen muss" (that at least one parent must book a "family seat" next to their child or children aged two to eleven).

O'Leary criticises the regulators

O'Leary launched a sharp attack on the regulators. "Die Behörden hätten nicht verstanden, was im besten Interesse der Verbraucher sei" (The authorities had failed to understand what was in the best interests of consumers), the group CEO said. In a statement from the airline, it said, "da wir keine Zeit damit verschwenden wollen, fehlgeleiteten Regulierungsbehörden zu erklären, wie sehr sie das, was im besten Interesse der Verbraucher in Großbritannien und Europa liegt, missverstehen" (since we do not want to waste time explaining to misguided regulators how much they misunderstand what is in the best interests of consumers in the UK and Europe). The adjustment is therefore being made only "widerwillig" (reluctantly).

At the same time, O'Leary warned of negative consequences for customers. The authority was forcing Ryanair into a "weniger transparenten und weniger verbraucherfreundlichen Regelung" (less transparent and less consumer-friendly arrangement), he said. From management's perspective, the move means that families will only learn later where they are sitting on the aircraft – and will usually end up in the rear rows.

The decision follows a prolonged tug-of-war between Ryanair and the competition authorities. The authorities had repeatedly objected that families could not reliably sit together without a paid reservation. With this adjustment, Ryanair is now formally complying with the demands – albeit with considerable displeasure at the top of the company.

Significance for the German market

For travellers in Germany, the practical situation will only change in part. In Germany too, an adult travelling with Ryanair on a Basic or Family Plus fare must purchase a seat reservation if they want to reserve seats for accompanying children under twelve. Those who do not buy a reservation will in future fly with their children – but without knowing in advance which row that will be in.

Market observers see the move as a further sign that low-cost carriers are increasingly having to align their ancillary services with stricter requirements. While Ryanair is publicly emphasising its resistance to the requirements, in practice the airline's approach is likely to match that of other European carriers, which seat families together at no extra charge.

O'Leary announced that the new rules would initially only be implemented "widerwillig" (reluctantly). The airline left open whether it intends to take legal action against the requirements. For the time being, the rule is: those who do not book a seat in advance will fly with their family in the rear rows – and will only learn their exact assignment at check-in.