Ryanair has blinked. The budget carrier’s controversial policy of charging parents to sit next to their children has been scrapped. The airline confirmed the change late last night, following a sustained campaign by consumer rights groups and a barrage of negative press.
For months, the airline insisted its previous stance was ‘perfectly legal’. It was. But legal isn’t the same as palatable. The backlash grew loud enough to reach the boardroom. Sources close to the airline tell me the final straw was a leaked internal memo showing a 12% drop in bookings from families with young children.
The U-turn is a rare victory for consumer advocacy in an era where airlines seem to treat customers as cattle. Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary, never one for humility, tried to spin the change as ‘responding to customer feedback’. But the truth is simpler. They got caught. They caved.
The new policy means children under 12 will automatically be seated with a parent at no extra charge. No more racing to check-in online at the 24-hour mark. No more gambling with seat selection fees. For the thousands of families who have been separated mid-flight, this is a genuine win.
But let’s not get carried away. Ryanair remains a low-cost carrier with a razor-thin margin. The free seat allocation will almost certainly be offset by another fee down the line. Watch for an increase in baggage charges or a reduction in carry-on allowance. The bean counters always balance the books.
Politically, this is a gift for the government. The Transport Secretary was under pressure to act after a high-profile case of a mother being forced to pay £100 to sit next to her toddler. Now they can claim they ‘encouraged the industry to do the right thing’ without actually legislating. Classic Westminster. A crisis managed, not solved.
Still, the campaign groups deserve their moment. They mobilised social media, lobbied MPs, and made Ryanair’s life difficult. For once, the little guy won. The victory is small, but the precedent is important. Airlines have been warned: families are not a cash cow.
What happens next? Expect other budget carriers to review their policies. EasyJet and Wizz Air will be watching closely. If they don’t follow suit, the Transport Secretary might just find the courage to regulate. But I wouldn’t hold my breath.
