Summary

  • Ryanair loses appeal in Italy regarding extra fees for passengers choosing seats next to accompanying minors or travelers with a disability.
  • Italy’s top court sides with the country’s Civil Aviation Authority in banning Ryanair’s extra fee practice in such cases.
  • The US has also put forward legislation preventing airlines from charging extra for families with young children to sit together.

European low-cost carrier Ryanair has lost its appeal against a ban in Italy on charging travelers to sit next to accompanying children under 12 or people with disabilities. The dispute between the airline and Italian authorities regarding the issue has been ongoing for a few years, with the dismissal now coming from Italy’s top administrative court.

Ryanair loses appeal

The Council of State, Italy’s top administrative court, has sided with the country’s Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) to dismiss Ryanair’s appeal against a ban on its policy of charging passengers extra for sitting next to accompanying children below 12 or people with disabilities.

Ryanair Boeing 737-800 departing Tel Aviv Ben Gurion International Airport TLV shutterstock_2456911771

Photo: Felix Tchvertkin | Shutterstock

The carrier charges extra for passengers who wish to choose where they sit, which can be anywhere from €22-30 ($24.58-$33.52). However, according to the Council of State, “the need for proximity of the seats between minor and accompanying person is clearly connected with the safety obligation.” It said that this responsibility lies with the airline, which cannot charge extra for it.

The airline, however, told Reuters that it “does not charge any fee for children under 12 traveling with an adult” and that the ruling will not have any change in its policy.

Ryanair’s dispute with Italian authorities dates back to 2021 when Italy asked airlines operating in the country to eliminate seat surcharges. Later that year, Ryanair hit back at ENAC, saying that its claims regarding the carrier’s policies were incorrect.

Ryanair Boeing 737 aircraft on the ground at Frankfurt Hahn Airport HHN shutterstock_791220211

Photo: Vytautas Kielaitis | Shutterstock

ENAC warned Ryanair that it could take disciplinary action after discovering that it had not changed its IT and systems to eliminate extra charges for passengers choosing to sit with accompanying minors or someone with a disability.

The carrier said back then that it had already implemented temporary measures to “ensure adult passengers accompanying minors or special needs passengers have several options to avail (themselves) of free allocated seating,” as per Reuters.

The ENAC stated that Ryanair tweaked a contract detail, letting passengers not pay or obtain a refund of the surcharge at the end of a procedure that was seemingly complex. ENAC President Pierluigi Di Palma said that Ryanair’s behavior was based solely on profit and did not protect passengers’ rights or comply with safety rules. In return, a Ryanair spokesperson said,

“It is misleading for ENAC to categorise its interference with the airline’s commercial freedom to set prices as a safety issue.”

Similar sentiments in the US

The US Department of Transportation also recently came up with legislation to prevent airlines from charging extra fees for families with young children who wish to sit together. Under the legislation, airlines would be required to seat families traveling with kids aged 13 and under together.

American Airlines Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner on the runway.

Photo: Balta Mihaita Sorin | Shutterstock

While it said that families should be seated in the same row, if such an arrangement is not possible, then a seat across the aisle or directly in front or behind a parent is also acceptable. The rule applies to both US carriers and foreign airlines flying into the country.

US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg explained why the legislation was proposed, adding that “flying with children is already complicated enough without having to worry about that.”

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