Photo: Chubarova Iryna / Shutterstock.com Ryanair has announced changes to its family seating policy that will bring its approach more closely in line with other European airlines, while continuing to guarantee that children can sit alongside a parent or accompanying adult free of charge.
The policy change applies to new bookings made from June 25, 2026, and affects families who choose not to pay for seat reservations. Under the revised system, these passengers will receive their seat assignments free of charge after completing online check-in, rather than selecting seats during the booking process.
Photo: RyanairAccording to Ryanair, families using the free allocation option will still be seated together, but are likely to be assigned seats toward the rear of the aircraft, where more availability typically exists. Families who wish to secure specific seats, including preferred locations closer to the front of the cabin, will continue to have the option of purchasing seat reservations.
The airline stressed that its long-standing family seating policy already complied with all relevant regulations and did not charge children to sit beside a parent. Under the previous arrangement, one adult travelling with children could purchase a discounted reserved seat and select adjacent seats for up to four children on the same booking at no additional cost.
Ryanair said the updated process mirrors the seating policies used by many other airlines across Europe. The carrier described the change as a minor adjustment that will have no significant impact on overall revenues while preserving what it says are substantial savings for families choosing to fly with the low-cost airline.
Chief Executive Michael O’Leary used the announcement to criticize European regulators, arguing that authorities have focused on family seating policies while failing to address issues such as online travel agency practices, airport charges, and air traffic control disruptions.
“Families may have to wait until after they have checked in to find out their seat allocation and are more likely to be seated at the rear of the cabin,” O’Leary said. “But at least the CMA will be able to claim they have done something for consumers.”
The airline maintains that the revised policy remains family-friendly, as parents and children will continue to be seated together without additional charges. However, passengers seeking certainty over their exact seat locations will need to continue paying for reserved seating.
The changes take effect immediately for all new bookings.
The move brings Ryanair's family seating policy closer to the approach used by many major European airlines. Carriers including easyJet, Jet2, Wizz Air, British Airways, Lufthansa and Air France generally aim to seat children alongside a parent or accompanying adult, even when seat reservations have not been purchased.
However, in many cases families receive their seat assignments closer to departure or during the check-in process rather than at the time of booking. Ryanair's previous policy stood out by allowing one adult travelling with up to four children to reserve adjacent seats during booking while paying for only a single adult seat reservation.
Under the revised system, families choosing the free seating option will continue to be seated together but may not know their exact seat locations until after check-in, bringing the airline's process more closely in line with industry practice across Europe.