Air tickets for flights of low-cost airlines are in increasing demand. We tell you what you need to pay attention to when buying a ticket for a budget airline.
What is a low-cost airline?
Low-cost airlines (from English low cost – low costs) are budget airlines that sell tickets at very attractive prices for travelers. For example, a ticket for 10-15 dollars is not a fairy tale, but a reality. Well-known low-cost airlines include Irish Ryanair (the largest low-cost airline in the world),
Hungarian Wizz Air, English EasyJet and Russian Pobeda.
What do they charge extra money for?
- Luggage. Checked baggage is the biggest expense for a traveler choosing a low-cost airline. It is best to take hand luggage with you weighing no more than ten kilograms – most low-cost airlines will not have to pay for it. If you are flying with a suitcase that you plan to check as luggage, be sure to go to the airline’s website and check how much it will cost you.
- Hand luggage. The standard rule is this: carry-on luggage is considered to be a small suitcase weighing up to ten kilograms and measuring 55x40x20 centimeters plus a small handbag. There is usually a stand in front of the check-in counter with a special measuring frame in which you can place your bag to make sure it passes the airline’s standards. But it’s still better to familiarize yourself with the rules of a particular carrier before you start packing your suitcases: low-cost airlines are very scrupulous about luggage, and it may turn out that even your backpack, which formally passes the standards of hand luggage, will be required to be checked in as luggage and you will have to pay almost nothing for it. the same amount as the ticket itself cost. This is what they do in Pobeda. And at Fly Dubai you can take on board for free one piece of hand luggage weighing no more than 7 kilograms, one laptop, or one handbag/briefcase or Duty Free bag (the total weight of your hand luggage should not exceed 10 kilograms). The cost of checked baggage depends on the season (high or low),
route and whether you registered it online or decided to do it at the airport. The cheapest way to pay for luggage from home is via the Internet.
We tell you more about the rules and regulations for baggage transportation of popular low-cost airlines in this article.
- Check-in at the airport. The airline pays the airport for the check-in counter, so low-cost airlines are trying to save money. Of course, there will be a counter, but you will most likely be asked to pay for registration. For many novice travelers, this comes as an unpleasant surprise, but in fact the airline warns about this in advance. To avoid overpaying, simply check in for your flight online and print out your boarding pass on a regular printer – the airline will send a reminder letter to your email inbox. Otherwise, be prepared to pay 10-20 euros at the airport for a regular piece of paper.
- Corrections in the ticket. You misspelled your first or last name? You will have to pay extra; low-cost airlines usually do not make any concessions and require money for making any changes to the booking that you make after paying for the ticket. Moreover, inattention will cost you a pretty penny: Air Arabia, for example, charges from 20 euros for one correction (and if the last name appears on the ticket several times, you will have to pay for everything).
- Late fee. Check-in for a flight usually ends 40 minutes before boarding, and if you are late, you will not be allowed to check-in, and the plane will take off without you. But some airlines, including low-cost airlines, accommodate passengers who are not too punctual – as you understand, not for free. If you are late you will have to pay 70-80 euros.
Will you be able to choose your own seat on the plane?
Most likely, the low-cost carrier will initially seat you in not the most comfortable seats. If you are flying together, be prepared to find yourself with your companion at different ends of the cabin – and there is a possibility that the flight attendant will not meet you halfway and will not allow you to change seats. This is done precisely so that you pay for more convenient or nearby places. This may not seem very fair, but these are the airline’s terms and conditions, and you agree to them by purchasing a ticket. All seats on the plane are divided into sections with different prices. The closer to the exit, the more expensive. Seats with more legroom are the most expensive. It is best to buy more comfortable seats online; at the airport the price of this service will most likely be higher. It’s also worth adding that some low-cost airlines don’t give you a seat at all during check-in, and here, like on a bus at rush hour, the first person to get on gets on.
Will there be food during the flight?
If your favorite flight question is “When will they feed you?”, then you won’t like low-cost airlines: food here is either paid for or not available at all. It’s best to buy meals, if they are provided on your flight, online in advance – you can save a little. Or stock up on apples, snacks and sandwiches at home; the crew is usually loyal to their food on board. Tea, coffee and juices will also cost money, and the prices are often inflated. The only exception is regular water, it is offered free of charge, but be prepared that you will not be given more than one glass. Buy a bottle at the airport – unfortunately, you won’t be able to take it from home – they won’t let you in due to security rules.
So, in order to fly really cheaply and not give the low-cost airline an amount comparable to the price of the ticket, you need to follow some rules.
First, take a minimum of things with you. Secondly, eat a hearty meal before your trip, stock up on snacks and sandwiches, and buy a bottle of water at the airport. Thirdly, be prepared to sit in not the most comfortable seats and far from the person you are flying with. Fourthly, check the information you provide before paying for the ticket. And finally – don’t be late! We can say it in short: before you buy a low-cost airline ticket, read the rules of transportation. They describe all the nuances, and you will definitely be spared any unpleasant surprises.
