Ryanair 'seating families apart' complaint goes to EU

Balearic regional consumer protection office CONSUBAL filed the case after receiving 'a multitude of complaints' from travellers, saying this practice went 'against the rights of customers'.

According to CONSUBAL, passengers on Ryanair flights travelling as a family group have repeatedly been split up, and the airline, the organisation argues, is using its 'random seating' policy as 'an excuse', saying that if families want to guarantee they will sit together, they need to pay the seat reservation fee or for priority boarding.

CONSUBAL filed the complaint with the European Parliament in March, and has just been notified that the case has been accepted, reveals the consumer group's spokesman Alfonso Rodríguez.

But the Irish-based airline hotly denies 'abusive practices'.

“Ryanair's family seating policy is clear and requires families with children under 12 to sit together and for one adult in the party to reserve their seat for the price of just €4,” said a written communication from the company.

“Children's seats are reserved free of charge, and families can save even more money thanks to our Family Plus service.”