Low Cost Airlines – Are They Worth the Hassle?

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Budget Airline Travel

Sep 13, 2008

With many low cost airlines competing and prices getting lower, air travel has never been more popular. But is travelling with a budget airline all it seems?

Ryanair, Easyjet, BMIbaby and many more…the list of competing low cost airlines gets longer on a daily basis. But with the credit crunch and escalating fuel costs, numerous small airlines have collapsed in recent times, and more are expected to follow. And even when they work well, there are some disadvantages to low cost air travel, and some passengers have experienced problems. So is it really worth it?

The Advantages of Budget Airlines

Some of the prices are amazingingly low. If passengers time it right, they can travel almost for free, often paying little more than the cost of the airport taxes. For those willing to be flexible with times and/or book well in advance, there are definitely some bargains to be had.

But travellers do have to bear in mind that low cost airlines are not the same as others….

Disadvantages

Travellers must realise that practically everything apart from the actual flight ticket costs extra. They will need to pay extra for hold baggage, and it cost one person nearly £100 to transport golf clubs. There is no charge for those travelling with only hand luggage, but this is becoming more difficult to do, owing to so many recent restrictions on hand luggage for airline flights.

Food and drink will not be provided on the plane unless the traveller pays. Some passengers have complained about the high cost of meals on board these flights. It is quite possible to take one’s own food on the flight, but again, carrying drink may be a problem due to restrictions on liquids which can be carried in hand luggage.

With many of these airlines one cannot book a specific seat, and checking in can resemble a rugby scrum, with everyone trying to get a good seat. It can seem more like bus travel in the rush hour than airline travel!

Changing passenger details and/or dates can prove very expensive or even impossible. It is essential to read the small print before booking.

Prices can change very quickly, even going up while the passenger is booking on-line. Costs need to be checked carefully.

Finally, with the recent worrying economic situation, more airlines are expected to go bust. Many of these will be the low cost airlines. Passengers need to make sure that they are aware of their rights if the airline does collapse after they have booked a holiday.

Overall, low cost airlines should be treated with care. They do indeed offer offer bargains, but travelling with them is not the same as booking a flight with a more established airline. it’s worth bearing in mind that sometimes passengers get exactly what hthey pay for - no more, no less!

Source

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