Best budget airline?

Beaker99

Easyjet everytime... and it's not all about size to make you feel claustrophobic. I feel the cabin on the A319 so much lighter, quieter and airey.

Ryanair, as I'm whinged about before, are rarely cheaper unless you get one of their 'no taxes' fares. If you do then all well and good.

LHR777

I think the OP is looking at this the wrong way. I would suggest to consider where you live and where you want to fly to.

For example, for Ryanair, consider carefully which airport you are flying to, it may not be as close as you think. The accrued transfer costs can cancel out any savings made on the flight.

Additionally time of flights, able to check in online, choose seats etc. This is particularly prevelant if you are a nervous flyer. Spending £20 maybe well worth it.

Booking 3/4 months in advance BMI/BA can be just as competitive as the budget airlines.

Beaker99

LHR777 wrote: »

I think the OP is looking at this the wrong way. I would suggest to consider where you live and where you want to fly to.

For example, for Ryanair, consider carefully which airport you are flying to, it may not be as close as you think. The accrued transfer costs can cancel out any savings made on the flight.

Additionally time of flights, able to check in online, choose seats etc. This is particularly prevelant if you are a nervous flyer. Spending £20 maybe well worth it.

Booking 3/4 months in advance BMI/BA can be just as competitive as the budget airlines.

Very true - in the same manner, Ryanair can be useful if they fly nearer to where you want to go - this may be the case if you want to go to a small town that's out of the way. Just be careful using them to go to a major city as you'll be generally be dissapointed and those transfers will be expensive and lengthy.

moonrakerz

LHR777 wrote: »

Booking 3/4 months in advance BMI/BA can be just as competitive as the budget airlines.

Absolutely correct !

On the subject of safety, most European airlines are "safe" when compared to say, parts of Africa.

However there are still large differences within Europe. BA has had 2 fatal accidents since 1970. ***** airlines has had 10 in the same period, but only carries two thirds the number of passengers as BA.

BUT - there is a one in 34 chance of BA losing your bag, but ***** airlines only lose one in 232 !

sturll

moonrakerz wrote: »

Absolutely correct !

On the subject of safety, most European airlines are "safe" when compared to say, parts of Africa.

However there are still large differences within Europe. BA has had 2 fatal accidents since 1970. ***** airlines has had 10 in the same period, but only carries two thirds the number of passengers as BA.

BUT - there is a one in 34 chance of BA losing your bag, but ***** airlines only lose one in 232 !

And ***** is what?

moonrakerz

sturll wrote: »

And ***** is what?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7910189.stm

Beaker99

sturll wrote: »

And ***** is what?

if it's factually correct why not allow the airline name?

rumours or hearsay I can understand being removed, but not facts.

bockster

i travel to ireland quite a few times a year, usually with ryanair, flybe or air lingus.
don't think air lingus are a budget airline, but flights are booked for me and i guess on price basis but i love travelling with them.

i dread travelling with ryanair to be honest, even down to niggly things like they have turned the inside of the aircraft into an advertising hoarding.

flybe get my vote over ryanair any day as far as the budgets go.

MrSmartprice

eezer wrote: »

If you're traveling without hold luggage, check in online, have a visa electron card and are flexible with airports and dates, you really can fly with Ryan air for almost nothing. We've done it many times. If you're more limited then I'd recommend EasyJet.

We set up an Electron account solely for the purpose of avoiding the extortionate "card handling fee". It only took 5 minutes online and has saved a fortune.

Quite right. If you follow the Ryanair 'Rules' they can be extremely cheap. Start taking hold baggage, using airport check in, not using Electron etc, and you are subsidising my flights.;)

I have used all the budget airlines and find Ryanair are usually cheapest. They, and Easyjet, also use the newest planes. It is also not true that they always travel completely full. Sometimes there are more seats empty than occupied.

The worst of the 'budget' airlines is without doubt Monarch, and I refuse to fly with them again at any cost. They have the least legroom, the staff are rude and ignorant, they flout safety requirements and cut corners, and they have tatty old planes. Classic cattle class.

Incapuppy

MrSmartprice wrote: »

they flout safety requirements

Can you back this claim up?