The budget carrier concept started in the UK around fifteen years ago
and it has changed the way people holiday in Europe. With weekend
breaks to Dublin and Barcelona costing from just a '1 many flew on
impulse.
Budget carriers such as Ryanair became popular and they grew rapidly
soon becoming the largest airlines in Europe, carrying double the
passengers that British Airways did.
With such fierce competition, the traditional carriers fought back by
cutting back on luxuries such as assigned seats, meals and free drinks
in return for cheaper fares.
In July last year it looked for a while that the days of finding cheap
flights were over as airlines looked to raise their fares by up to 10%
due to rising fuel costs. This of course led to fears that many
carriers would go out of business, whilst also causing concern to
holidaymakers who had become comfortable using budget airlines such as
EasyJet and Ryanair.
The media speculated that low cost airlines would increase fares
through additional charges such as priority boarding and checking
baggage, or by cancelling unprofitable routes. For a while airlines
like EasyJet and Ryanair who were offering the cheapest flights
appeared to be cutting capacity.
Reports of stranded passengers following the collapse of a number of
airlines soon began to hit the news. Among others, Denmark based
Sterling Airlines and the long haul budget, Zoom were forced into
bankruptcy.
However the big budgets have survived as they have proven to be more
affordable than other operators, whilst larger carriers such as
British Airways have begun to introduce their own low cost brands.
Naturally the question, "which airline offers the cheapest flights?"
is to some degree dependent on the route, although EasyJet, BMI Baby,
Flybe, and Ryanair are just some of the more important names to keep
in mind.
It is fair to say that the Internet and cheap flights have changed to
way we travel. In the past we were inclined to shop around for the
cheapest package from a tour operator, but with so many flight and
hotel comparison websites it is now a better option to plan your own
holiday tailored to individual specifications.
Although the UK airline brands dominate they don't have it all their
own way when it comes to offering the cheapest flights, as Air Berlin
and Germanwings fly from Stanstead to the main cities in Germany,
Norwegian and Iceland Express fly from Stanstead to Norway and Iceland
and Sky Europe and Wizzair compete for Gdansk, Warsaw and Budapest.
If you are planning a ski holiday, the one low cost airline who
operate out of Heathrow and worth considering is Swiss, who offer
London to Geneva for less than eighty pounds and Manchester to Basel
for just under seventy pounds. These prices include free carriage of
snowboards and ski equipment.
To find the cheapest flights, use the Internet and be prepared to be
flexible with times and dates. Consider midweek flying and book early.
It's always a good idea to check the cost of travelling to and from
the airport, as flying from one close to home can save money.
Copyright (c) 2009 directline-holidays.co.uk

Secrets of Cheap Airfare From a Fired Airline Travel Agent:
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