Which Budget Airline Should I Fly With?
How to Choose a Flight on a Low Lost or Cut Price Airline Route
Jun 28, 2009
Budget airlines offer a good way of getting leisure or business travel cheaply. But there have been complaints from some of their customers about hidden charges, and not everyone is happy with their service. Here are some tips on using them successfully and economically.
Main Differences Between Scheduled Airlines and Low Price Airlines
- Most scheduled airlines offer flights at definite prices, which rarely changes. With low cost airlines, on the other hand, the price of a flight may change daily or even hourly, and the time of booking may be crucial.
- When using a scheduled flight the passenger can choose his or her own seat. But with most budget airlines seats are unreserved – it is first come, first served.
- Scheduled fights usually include meals, and sometimes drinks and other perks. But when using a budget airline, everything like this is usually extra…and can be quite expensive.
- The total cost of a scheduled flight is usually obvious. This is not always the case with a budget airline – the passenger may have to pay extra for luggage, checking in, using a credit card, etc etc. So he or she needs to be very careful to take note of the total cost; it may not be as cheap as it at first appears.
How to Save Money and Use the Budget Airlines Effectively
Firstly, the traveler needs to do a certain amount of research. He should check websites, and find which airlines offer the route he requires. Many low lost airlines fly to smaller or regional airports, and this can save a lot of money. But there are questions he should ask; for instance, will he end up spending a lot of money or taxis on arrival, effectively negating all the coast savings?
Usually the longer in advance the traveler books, the cheaper the flight is. But this is not always the case, and it is worthwhile to keep checking the airline’s website, and try to note what the prices are doing. Sometimes traveling on a certain day of the week can save money; for instance, it is often more expensive to travel at weekends. So if the traveler can take an extra day and fly on a Friday rather than a Saturday, this could save a great deal of money.
The passenger should look at obvious ways of saving money. For instance, it is worthwhile to take one's own food on a low cost flight, rather than paying the often extortionate costs of airline meals.
Booking the Actual Low Cost Airline Flight
The traveler needs to remember – with most budget airlines the basic price means very little. It is the bottom line, ie the price after all extras have been added, which is the true price.
The passenger should note where he can save money. For example, does he really need the so-called ‘priority check-in’ which some airlines offer, but for which he will pay? Does he need to check in baggage, or can he manage to travel with only hand luggage and save money that way? Can he pay with a debit card, as this may be cheaper than a credit card? It may be worth continuing with the booking process right to the finish, but stopping before paying and checking with another airline to see if the same route can be done more cheaply.
With care, a lot of money can be saved by using the low cost airlines. But there are many things to be considered if the cost is not to increase due to added extras….so take care. Remember, budget airlines need to make money somehow, and often they sell their tickets at a loss...but don't let them make money from you!
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