Event: British

AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTThe airline said it had “reluctantly” changed course after a British regulator began investigating whether its fees were illegal.Ryanair was the only major airline operating in Britain that imposed this type of fee, according to a regulator.Credit...Adrian Dennis/Agence France-Presse — Getty ImagesJune 26, 2026Ryanair, Europe’s largest airline, said on Thursday that it had scrapped a fee that parents had to pay to sit next to their children, after a British regulator said it was looking into whether the charges were unfair and unlawful.The low-cost carrier previously charged parents or other accompanying adults typically around 8 British pounds, or $11, to secure adjacent seats for their children. But Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority, a consumer protection watchdog, said earlier this month that it was investigating the policy.“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 U.K. and Europe’s consumers,” Michael O’Leary, Ryanair’s chief executive, said in a statement.Regulators in other countries, including the United States and India, also want airlines to ensure families can sit together free of charge.Under the new policy, families who choose not to pay for reserved seats will receive seat allocations together for free after they check in for their flight, Ryanair said. They would probably be in the back of the aircraft because rows in the front tend to be reserved and sell out first, according to the airline.Under the new policy, if a parent pays for a reserved seat, that customer can save adjacent seats for up to four children at no additional cost. Ryanair said that the change would not affect its revenue.The Competition and Markets Authority said earlier this month that Ryanair’s terms and conditions required children under 12 to sit…