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Ryanair says it will reluctantly let parents sit with children for free
The airline said the change is revenue-neutral and will leave families saving about £8 each way, while free seats may be assigned after check-in.
- On Thursday, June 25, 2026, Ryanair adjusted its family seating policy, offering "free parent seats" in the rear of its aircraft as a "minor policy tweak" effective immediately.
- The Competition and Markets Authority launched an investigation into the airline's previous policy, which required parents to pay about £8 for "mandatory family seats" to sit with children aged two to 11.
- Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary accused the Competition and Markets Authority of "turning a blind eye" to "high fares" charged by airlines on uncompetitive routes, calling regulators "misguided."
- Rory Boland, editor of consumer magazine Which? Travel, welcomed the move but said his organization will monitor implementation to ensure all parents are seated next to their children without charge over the coming months.
- Under the revised policy, families may wait until check-in for seat assignments and likely sit at the rear of the cabin, though Ryanair insists the change will be "revenue neutral.
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Locoster lets his parents sit next to the kids for free.
Ryanair 'reluctantly' allows parents to sit with their children for free
Ryanair will "reluctantly" allow parents to sit with their children for free from Thursday, a change it said would be revenue-neutral and comes two weeks after Britain's competition watchdog launched a probe into its policy.
·New York, United States
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Until now, adults traveling with children aged two to eleven had to pay for a family seat, while children sat for free.
Coverage Details
Total News Sources74
Leaning Left17Leaning Right9Center22Last UpdatedBias Distribution46% Center
Bias Distribution
- 46% of the sources are Center
46% Center
L 35%
C 46%
R 19%
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