12:27 - 12.06.2026

---

June 12, Fineko/abc.az. Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair faces a formal investigation by the UK’s antitrust regulator regarding its booking policy that structurally compels parents to pay extra fees to sit next to their young children.

According to ABC.AZ, citing retail market briefs by Sky News, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an inquiry into the airline's £8 mandatory fee per flight window. The watchdog is evaluating whether the pricing architecture represents an "unfair contract term" under standing consumer protection statutes.

Under Ryanair’s current commercial framework, children aged 2 to 11 are legally and operationally required to sit next to an adult, but ensuring this configuration requires at least one paid adult seat reservation. The CMA notes that Ryanair appears to be the only major carrier operating out of the UK applying this dynamic, raising concerns over "drip pricing"—a practice where unavoidable ancillary costs are concealed until late in the booking sequence. Ryanair has slammed the probe as "bogus", claiming its layout remains fully compliant with aviation guidelines.