HOW TO TACKLE THE MAZE OF BUDGET AIRLINES?

 

If you've ever purchased a ticket for a Low-Cost flight, you've probably noticed that almost every upgrade and service you want - whether it's luggage, plane meals, seat selections, etc. - will cost you a lot of extra money, and sometimes lead to high fines, to the point where the cheap and seductive price offered by these airlines will already become quite expensive when compared to a regular flight. I have, in my previous two blogs, described the problems with Budget Airlines:

Budget Airlines – Value vs. Botheration https://surajitbrainwaves.blogspot.com/2022/10/budget-airlines-value-vs-botheration.html

Budget Airlines – Are They Any Good? https://surajitbrainwaves.blogspot.com/2018/03/budget-airlinesare-they-any-good.html

In this blog I will help you identify all the important things you need to pay attention to when purchasing cheap flight tickets. This is a full Low-Cost guide to help make your next vacation free of unwanted surprises and expenses.

The important rules of Low-Cost flights

Be informed

Before ordering the ticket, log on to the airline's website and search for a tab that says "Information" or "FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions". Try to extract from these pages as many details as possible about company policies such as

·        check-in

·        seat selection

·        baggage included in the payment

This will help you to make an informed decision as to whether the price of the flight will indeed pay off after all the additions. If you did not book the flight on the official website of the airline but on an external site, chances are you will be taken to the airline's website to complete the ordering process and choose the desired upgrades. You don’t have to choose the extras you want when paying for your flight ticket, as you can usually return to the site after purchase to make any changes to your order, but note that some of the services may be reduced or closed, or become costlier as your flight date approaches.

Communication

After booking, keep an eye on any emails you receive from the airline and follow the instructions provided to avoid unnecessary or unexpected payment due to lack of attention. Know that some companies will give you coupons or points that you can use to lower your current or next flight. If you are debating whether to pay for a product or service in advance, chances are that you should “play it safe" and pay for it, lest they become costlier later.

Remote Airport landing

As I have told you in my previous two blogs, low-cost flights often land in secondary and remote airports from city centers, because airport taxes are higher at central airports. Take this into consideration and be prepared for the time and expense of arriving from a remote airport to the city center or to your hotel, and be sure you still save money when compared to a regular non- budget airline.

Time wasting flight schedule

Some Low-Cost flights offer flight times in hours that may bring you to your desired destination in the middle of the night and bring you back home early in the morning – meaning you’ll lose a day of your vacation. If you’ve purchased an intercontinental low-cost flight that includes a "connecting" flight, it is possible that the cheap and cost-effective price will be paid in full through very long waiting hours between flights.

Vacation prices

Low-cost flights are supposed to be significantly cheaper than regular flights or charter flights, but note that if this is a high demand period such as holidays or concentrated vacations, the cost of these flights may be the same as regular priced flights, or negligibly cheaper, so it is best to compare prices especially during these times.

Seat selection

If you are flying alone and don’t really care if you have a window, middle or aisle seat, you can skip to the next section. If this isn’t the case, and your seat on the plane is important to you, choosing a seat is a necessity. Some of the Low-Cost companies charge for seat selection - and each seat is prioritized: for example, a seat next to an emergency exit with a lot of legroom will cost more than a "regular" chair. By the way, if you don’t purchase a certain seat in advance, you will simply be given one at random. There are companies that charge extra only for better or more desirable seats, but even if your seat is included in the ticket price - you should make sure to book your seats through the airline's website and do so as soon as possible to make sure you sit with your family and friends on the flight. Please note that there is a possibility that if you don’t book seats in advance (either at a surcharge or at the ticket price) the airline may seat you separately. When it comes to flying with children, of course, we have to prepare in advance to prevent this situation and make sure that everyone is seated together.

Tip for a couple who want to gamble on their seating - try to order one window seat and one aisle seat. Most solo passengers won't book a middle seat, meaning you’ll most probably have the row to yourselves, but note that there is always the chance that a single passenger who didn’t book a seat in advance will be placed there by the airline.

Food

Most of the Low-Cost airlines don’t include a meal in the price of the flight ticket and therefore you’ll need to purchase the meal separately. However, even if you don't do so in advance, you probably won’t starve during the flight because the airlines want to sell you as many things on the plane as possible, including food, so the flight attendants roam around offering hot dishes, sandwiches and the like for purchase. However, if you are a strict vegetarian or a vegan you may find your choice of food missing in a Russian, Chinese or certain African airlines if you do not book in advance. The advantage of ordering a meal in advance is that in most cases you will pay less for the dish, and during the flight, your food will be served first. Keep in mind, however, that the supply of meals that will be left for passengers ordering their meal on the flight may be smaller, but in any case, don’t bet on the food being gourmet.

An important tip for those who travel to a relatively cheap destination is that the local duty-free food and restaurant stores may offer you low-cost meals and snacks, so you should consult with friends who have previously visited the destination and find out if you should eat there or before boarding. Of course, there is always the possibility of bringing food in your bag, and it’s even recommended to go to a local supermarket and buy fruit, snacks, and sandwiches and pack them for your flight However, drinks may be confiscated depending on security procedures of the local airport ot airline. It is important to remember that there are airlines that prohibit the entry of food onto the plane – so check the airline's website before attempting to do so.

In-flight Payments

You can pay for the food and duty-free products on the plane - in dollars, Euros and possibly in the local currency of your take-off and landing destinations, and on some flights by credit card even though different types of credit cards may not be respected by the airline. Please note that using a credit card outside the country involves high fees.

Luggage

Before you arrive at the airport, weigh your luggage at home, after checking the airline's website about the weight and size allowance of carry-ons, and stow away luggage. The weight of a stow-away can sometimes range between 15-20lbs, and there are companies that specify only the size of the suitcase in inches without any weight limit. Some companies don’t even allow a carry-on without an additional charge, and so you’ll have to send your luggage to be stowed and board only with a handbag.

Note that your luggage may not even be weighed if it doesn’t look heavy, but it’s best not to take the risk.  Tip: Please note that some airlines won’t allow you to board with both a carry-on and a personal handbag, so be sure to keep up with the conditions and prepare as needed. In such situations, you can put all your belongings into your carry-on, later taking out your smaller bag after you’ve settled in your seat.

Overweight baggage

If you arrived at the airport with a large suitcase but did not purchase stow away or if you exceeded the weight of your carry-on, note that this excess weight will cost you quite a bit of time when going through check-in and boarding. Also, note that many companies won’t let you be clever and move things around from one bag to another. If you are flying for a short time, try to pack all your belongings in a carry-on, and don’t exceed the permitted weight - this will allow you to avoid waiting at check-in and baggage pick up. A tip that will prevent you from unnecessary expenses is that in any case where you fear that the size and weight of your bag will go beyond what is permitted, certainly after a shopping trip abroad, you can purchase additional weight through the company's website, or during check-in.

Check-in

Check-in is the airline's way of making sure you're serious about getting on the plane, and it's another way to get you to pay a lot of money if you forget to do this simple thing in advance. The check-in process opens between one month and 48 hours prior to the flight depending on the airline and its policy and closes two to three hours before departure. The process is free, as long as it is done in advance on the company's website, and sometimes requires printing and presenting the boarding pass, which will be provided to you by the company website. Some companies allow you to check in on their mobile app without needing to print your boarding pass.

An important tip for those who want to save time is that without stow away baggage, you won’t need to go through the check-in counters, and rather you’ll go directly to the boarding gate with your boarding pass. In any case, whether you have suitcases going under the plane or only hand luggage, you must complete check-in before the option is closed - for both departure and return flights separately - and follow the airline's requirements on the site or its app regarding the need to print the ticket or boarding pass. If you don’t check-in before arriving at the airport, it is highly likely that you’ll have to pay a heavy penalty which may exceed the price of the entire flight. Another possibility is that your airline ticket will be canceled, and you won’t be reimbursed.

Cancellations and order changes

If you are forced to cancel or change the time of your Low-Cost flight, this will usually result in a charge set by the airline. The cancellation fee or the variable change depends on the cost of the ticket you paid for in advance, and the date of cancellation or change, in relation to the date of the flight. The best way to get information about this subject is to be informed in advance via your airline’s website. If you change your flight to another time that is more expensive, you‘ll probably be asked to pay the difference, and it's not definite that you’ll get a refund if the alternative flight is cheaper. If, by any chance, you are unsure about your trip, then opt for fully refundable regular flight rather than a budget flight, where tickets are usually either non-refundable or they give you back a pitiable amount.

An important tip to consider is that if you cancel or change a flight as a result of an illness, injury, or, God forbid, the death of a relative, and you have already purchased travel insurance, you may be reimbursed by the insurance company.

Before Low-Cost flights start charging for restroom use, what seems to be likely in the future, and before you book your tickets for your next vacation abroad - share your Low-Cost flight experience and your personal tips in the comments below!