UK competition regulator opens investigation into Ryanair family seat fee

LONDON — Britain's competition regulator has opened an investigation into Ryanair over the airline's mandatory "family seat" fee charged to passengers traveling with children aged 2 to 11. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the probe will examine whether the charge is unfair under consumer law. According to the regulator, the review will assess whether the fee is required to meet aviation rules on child safety and disability obligations. The CMA said the charge amounts to roughly £8 ($11) per flight, noting that seat reservation is mandatory for families but optional for other passengers. Ryanair is the only major carrier operating from the United Kingdom that applies the fee, the authority said. The airline stopped charging the fee on flights to and from Italy after the Italian civil aviation authority intervened on the matter. No further details on the timeline or potential penalties were immediately available.