We all strive to find the best deals online when planning to go abroad on a holiday, but as the travel industry becomes even more competitive, are cheap deals all they're cracked up to be?
Naysayers have filled Internet websites with gripes about budget airlines over the last couple of years with stories of flyers being hit with charges when arriving at the airport or even when booking initial flight plans. But should we be worried? In short: yes.
Due to many budget airlines struggling to stay afloat amid worrying economical times, said airlines have resorted to charging passengers extra for things such as EU taxes, exceeding baggage allowances and even increasing infant charges by 200%.
Yes, some of these charges have been in place for a considerable amount of time but print publications such as the Daily Mail have made it their mission to try and educate their readerships on the best way to avoid such charges through articles such as 'How to Avoid Sneaky Charges'. Let's be honest, the last thing anyone needs is unexpected charges added to our flight tickets, so any tips we can take onboard are worth reading about.
One budget airline in particular, Ryan Air hit the headlines when Parking4Less reported in their blog post 'Beware of Cheap Flights' that the airline were charging passengers £70 if they failed to bring their boarding passes to the airport.
However, not all of the so-called budget airlines have struggled in the last 24 months, and look to impose such charges on unsuspecting customers. Easy Jet has looked to counter this bad press by putting a positive spin on budget travel. In 2012 the Independent reported that the airline increased revenue by 51% due to improving allocated seating and also fast-tracking passengers through security.
In truth, the best way to avoid incurring such charges is through research. Each airline's rules and regulations will vary slightly, so it's worth reading up on all of the different variables you must adhere to in order to avoid any hidden penalties. Follow these simple instructions, and the likelihood is you won't face any unwanted costs.
