You see a low cost airline ticket and you are delighted, and then at check-in, next to the scales, the delight disappears. These companies’ business model is clear and not hidden: the ticket is cheap because everything else is sold separately. For someone who knows the rules it really is a saving; for someone who does not, it is a trap. Below I have written how they work and what you have to watch out for.
What a low cost airline earns from
The ticket price means the seat and nothing more. Baggage, seat selection, check-in, even water on board are paid for separately. The aircraft are laid out densely, so there is little leg room and the seats do not recline.
The second source of earnings is the airports. Instead of the main airports these companies land at small airports far from the city, because the landing charges there are lower. Bergamo for Milan, Beauvais for Paris and Hahn for Frankfurt are examples of this.
When a low cost airline ticket really is cheap
| Worth it | Hand luggage only, a short trip, landing at the main airport |
| Not worth it | Checked baggage, travelling with a child, an outlying airport |
| Risky | A transit connection, because a delay is not compensated |
Do the arithmetic like this. To the ticket price add the baggage charge, the cost of getting from the outlying airport into the city and the time lost. If the result comes out below a traditional airline’s ticket, the choice is right. Comparing the prices of low cost and traditional airlines side by side shows that calculation on one screen.
Which mistake attracts the most penalties
In first place stands not checking in online. Some companies charge up to fifty euros for check-in at the airport, whereas the same operation on your phone is free. The check-in window usually opens two days before the flight; set a reminder on your phone for that day.
In second place is the size of the bag. A metal frame is placed by the gate and if the bag does not fit into it, a penalty is written. It is the size that is checked, not the weight, so choose the case at home to that size. The third mistake is the name being written wrongly on the ticket; a correction sometimes equals the price of a new ticket.
Your rights when a flight is cancelled
On flights departing from the territory of the European Union passenger rights are set by law, and the low cost companies are subject to it too. If the flight is cancelled or delayed by more than three hours, you have the right to claim compensation. The amount varies between two hundred and fifty and six hundred euros according to the distance.
In extraordinary circumstances such as the weather or a strike no compensation is paid, but food and accommodation must be provided. Ask for written confirmation of the delay and keep the boarding pass. The official text on passenger rights is on the European Union portal.
In conclusion
A low cost airline is an excellent tool for someone who knows the rules and an expensive lesson for someone who does not. Check in online, choose the bag by its size, count the transfer cost from an outlying airport. To plan the route and the visa together, fill in the application form.
Note: fare conditions and penalties vary by company, so read the rules when you buy the ticket.
