Are you a UK resident or a visitor wishing to explore the European suburbs on a budget flight? No need to get overly concerned. This review aims to enlighten our esteemed readers on the inside doings of discounted air ticket packages and provide a list of top choice airlines to consider when travelling on a budget.
There is more than one way to save on spending than just inexpensive tickets. The airlines cut down on luxury factors and operating costs, which lets them offer discounts to their customers. Read on to discover how to maximize your budget airline experience.
Budget Flights Luggage Allowance & Additional Services
Budget flights were established as an affordable alternative for air travel with a few or no extra services such as free food offered on ordinary flights. Most of the flights charge low prices for basic transportation while providing options to pay for additional services of your choice, such as priority boarding.
The size of luggage allowed is also minimal and hence might greatly inconvenience travellers on long term journeys. This is where luggage delivery companies step in to offer value for your money and save you from ridiculous charges imposed on baggage that surpasses the carry on limit. Tried and tested luggage delivery companies offer comprehensive delivery services without compromising on the security of items, damage of any property on transit or inconveniencing their customers with delays. A good luggage delivery service should collect luggage at your current location and deliver at your destination of choice.
You should know that even budget flights need to sustain a profit margin to pay for labour and maintain a considerable bottom line. For this reason, such operators are very strict on specific rules more so, those on extra carry on and special flight privileges. It would be best to get conversant with individual airlines and the type of packages they offer to their customers in off-peak and peak seasons. Checking in early at airports is also paramount to avoid extra fees or cancellations. Penalties are often costlier than the flight itself.
Top 3 Budget Flights in the UK
1. Ryanair Flights
At the top of the list is Ryanair; one of the biggest airlines in Europe serving 27 countries. Morocco travellers also use these flights, totalling the number of destinations to 220. Flying on one of these planes, you would be served as an economy class passenger. For as low as £30 you may book a flight with the airline, not forgetting the amazing holiday deals they offer.
Like most budget flights, Ryanair allows online check-in and may charge much more for airport checking. The airline offers a variety of Plus, Family Plus and Flexi packages, which offer a different set of features such as extra cabin bags and priority boarding. They have a strict cabin baggage policy, hence the need to follow each step carefully. Only priority boarding passengers can bring a 10 kg cabin bag free of charge and other travelers are only allowed a small bag that fit into the sizer. As a non-priority traveler you will have to pay extra for checking in a 10 kg bag at the airport if you haven’t booked it online so it’s best to prepare your tickets and luggage in advance.
2. EasyJet
The orange-painted planes provide some of the best luggage deals among budget flights in Europe. They have relatively more generous restrictions to luggage, allowing bags of different sizes below 15kgs. Beyond that, you have to pay extra for luggage, which might be costlier than your initial travel fee. Instead, most passengers opt for luggage delivery services.
The airline has a wide European network, connecting 33 countries and 156 destinations. The airline whose headquarter is based in Luton London has a fleet of more than 200 planes, to cater to the huge traffic they receive. EasyJet is mostly popular among regular travellers due to the low charges.
3. Vueling
This one is relatively smaller than the previous, considering that it has an estimate of 114 aircrafts, connecting 133 European destinations. As a British Airways Partner, Vueling is the budget flight available at the recently Airport Health Accredited London City Airport. A free luggage allowance of 10kgs may be taken together with a small item. Among some of their packages are Family, Optima and TimeFlex. However, the basic package is quite limited, offering no extras and a single checked bag.
It would be important to mention that the airline allows priority boarding for mothers with children under 2 years of age, in their Family package. Their headquarters are based in El Prat, Barcelona. A good alternative for this airline could be Wizz Air.
Budget flights are a great save. They leave you with extra money to spend on your travels. However, considering that you might need to leave behind some of your important baggage for them to accommodate you, paying for a luggage delivery service goes a long way to supplement your travelling budget. Besides, the fee charged is way cheaper than what the airlines would charge for the same.
