General information on low cost airlines
The Low-cost airlines and their fares have revolutionized the field of flight. A low cost (or no frills and low fare) is an airline that offers flights at very competitive prices, removing, or making a payment, most of the services for passengers (in-flight meals, pre-allocated seats, etc.).. Conceptually, the cheap flights are born in the U.S. with Southwest Airlines in 1971 and have since spread throughout Europe in the early 90's first with the Irish airline Ryanair.
Statistics and a little 'history
To emphasize the strong growth of low cost will highlight some statistics: in 1994 about 3 million passengers flew at low cost prices, mostly with Ryanair and in 1999 17, 5 million passeggeri.Nell 'years 1995, British Airways decided to found a low cost division as Go, which began operating in 1998 from London Stansted. The same year also expanded its service from London Luton. Year 2000, Go was sold to easyjet with operating at a loss of more than 21 million pounds. In 2000 KLM also entered the world of start up low cost airline Buzz, which was bought by Ryanair in 2003 with a strong stand against. Currently, easyJet and Ryanair airlines belong to the most successful in Europe, operating on hundreds of routes. The current state of the market sees continued strong growth in the sector of low-cost airlines, new routes are open daily from major airlines. In the future, predicts strong growth in the segment of low cost long-haul flights, which will represent the new frontier of challenge.
Why flights are cheap
Low cost airlines are very flexible and efficient organizations and a cost structure very different from traditional airlines flight. The killing of many costs to the customer allows us to offer very competitive prices for the purchase of tickets. The costs are mostly optimized in the following areas: - ticket distribution means the sale is done directly, the most used channel is the internet shortening the chain of intermediaries costs are reduced - the airports, the airports are used smaller, more economical and less crowded facilities and staff-on-board meals are not served, the crew is therefore reduced and the aircraft is less dirty - use of the capacity: the planes of low cost airlines flying always full and make several flights in order to recoup the costs. Quick loading and unloading much faster (25/35 minutes versus 2 hours of the traditional airlines) and thanks to the punctuality have an efficient management of the fleet. - Modern airplanes and equal to each other: the fleets of low cost aircraft are made all the same, new and easy management and maintenance in order to keep them operational efficiency. All this generates a cost per pax / klm of 0.06 euros against a cost of 1.2 euros in traditional companies.
features of low cost airlines
Working in the segment of low-cost airline must possess certain basic characteristics, thanks to which the prices are very cheap, are: - single passenger class, free choice of seats sit - single model of airplane (so you can optimize maintenance costs), often an Airbus A320 or Boeing 737 (for example, Ryanair: Boeing-737 Series, Easyjet Boeing 737 and Airbus A319) - configuration of the aircraft with the highest number of seats, for example, Lufthansa Boeing 737-300 has 132 seats, that of the 148 seats Easyjet - will be allowed a lower weight for luggage, either by hand or shipped, compared to the airlines 'traditional' (the weight in excess of costs on average quite expensive) - Elimination the service of drinks and meals on board free of charge. They can be purchased for a fee. - One of the employees (hostesses and stewards play multiple roles) - Use of the fleet more intense (eg easyjet flies an average of 10.7 hours a day and British Airways about 7.1 hours) through quick stops at airports (tournaround - in general 25 minutes between flights), short flights - connections between secondary airports, often out of town, convenient without restrictions slot, without much traffic and airport taxes low. - Direct flights between two airports without luggage transfers to other connecting flights (check-out and separate check-in), no flight plan coordinated with other airlines. - Cost savings through direct distribution, especially through the Internet and call centers, check-in vending machines, where service fees. - Some offers of low cost (even? 0.99) are only valid for advance bookings or bounded, for a relatively low number of seats available. - Lean management (personal savings). Germanwings to Cologne for example has about 50 employees.
Being a low cost is not easy: some failures
There have been cases of new airlines that have flown only a short time suspending addiritura after a few months or a few days later, their activities, such as The JetGreen Airways (Irish company) which suspended the activity in May 2004 after only one week without pay to 40,000 tickets sold .- V Bird (flew on 23 October 2003 to October 8, 2004 with base at Dusseldorf) - VolareWeb - the daughter of Italian airline Volare for sale for cheap cost has filed for bankruptcy Nov. 23, 2004. Already October 30, 2004 the company had abruptly suspended the flights from Germany to Italy. In June 2005, the company has resumed its service flying especially in Italy and some destinations in Europe. Other failures more or less illustrious: Minerva, Gandalf, Blue, Air Sicilia, Italy, Air Liberté.
When to book cheap flights
usually necessary to book well in advance, at least 15 days before departure, the best deals are offered for departures from Monday to Thursday, avoiding where possible from the weekend. Book always return ticket and travel at unusual times (early morning or late evening).
Cancellation or rebooking
Before booking, always read carefully the regulations of the company on the issues of cancellation or change of booking! Generally, the unused tickets on the flight for which it was made are not refundable. The right of withdrawal provided for in respect of distance contracts does not apply to this type of sale in accordance with paragraph b) of Art. 7 of Legislative Decree no. 22 May 1999 185.Sul change of date of booking each airline has different regulations, that we invite you to always consult the website of the company itself. Normally change a reservation is not convenient, often better to make a new reservation and miss the old ticket.
How you pay your tickets
To shorten the chain of intermediaries and thus offer competitive prices, Low cost airlines are using the Internet as a preferred marketing channels and call center (on the latter is sometimes applied to a small surcharge). So get ready to payments by credit card (they are in safe mode, do not worry, be sure to always check the web address changes from http to https).
confirmation of tickets and check in
When booking online you will be sent to the e-mail address you specified, a confirmation email summarizing the data of all flight and reservation number. When booking through our call center for booking, confirmation will be sent via fax, e-mail or possibly by mail. For the latter possibility Some companies require a small additional amount for courier delivery. In the case of e-ticket, that is if you make your reservation online, booking confirmations and related code will arrive via email, to check in simply print and present at the airport counter with the same.
Secure Online Payments Online payments are the preferred channel of low cost, to ensure the privacy of your credit cards used for online companies use the latest Secure Socket Layer (SSL). SSL is currently the preferred method to securely transfer credit card and other sensitive data over the Internet. At the time of payment, if your browser supports SSL, you can select the Secure Mode option and your data will be protected by this technology. If your browser has limitations, you can use unsafe mode, but we recommend having the latest version of the browser for the sake of future transactions.
Watch out for taxes and fees
Unfortunately, offers many low cost airlines there is a bad habit, not yet regulated to offer only part of the price, excluding taxes and fees vary. So do not be fooled by offers of 0.01 cents, always calculated the total price including taxes, surcharges and costs of adaptation carburante.talvolta price rises dramatically. Arrange
good for travel
Low cost airlines, as a rule, they fly to secondary airports often very distant from the main destination, so check carefully (cost, time and travel time) and plan well for the transport of link to your point of arrival.
The reservation has a cost
With credit card, through the call center or Web pages, book a ticket has a cost, with the exception of bookings made with Virgin Express. For Ryanair, as well as SkyEurope, it is € 2.50 to use credit cards, expenditure to be considered for each passenger per one way, while Myair.com the figure rises to 2.75 euro. The use of credit card costs about € 3 with Wizzair (which includes a cost for the reservation call center for 5 €), a figure that rises to € 6 with Jet2.
main rule: no second thoughts
If the captain, the trip will not be as convenient. Change the name to the ticket, as well as date, time and destination has its price. We start from Ryanair: the date, time and route are subject to change based on availability and upon payment of a single charge per flight and per person. This is € 25 if the change is made on line 45 if made through a reservation center. In both cases it will also be charged for any difference between the original price paid for the flight and the minimum rate available at time of booking, whereas if the total price is lower than that originally paid, there is no refund. The name change has a cost instead of 65 €. Same service, different prices for Myair.com: changes in the ticket issued at a cost of 25 € with the exception of rates "Myflex" (the highest and most reported by this statement at the time of booking) that allow you to change your reservation without payment of any surcharge or price differences on the ticket. Wizzair specific penalties instead on his website for the name change is 30 €, 28 € for changing the flight if done online, from 35 call centers. Twenty-five euro is also the cost to any changes, always one way, per person, for Jet2 and SkyEurope (digit plus any fare difference), price rises to € 30 with Virgin Express.
invoice and Postage
the ticket is an invoice? Only SkyEurope, Virgin Express and Wizzair offer the service: the first two for free, the third fixed spending € 3 for sending the paper bill (the penalty is 5 for a change in the data of the invoice) and costs € 2 post.
rules for baggage
Baggage is something to which great attention on low cost in order to avoid spending more than that of free extra ticket. In fact, overruns weight very expensive, and low cost airlines are very strict on this issue. So, check carefully the amount of baggage on the airline and "weighed well" your suitcase, save yourself if possible to go beyond the franchise tax.
Cheap Point to Point, Connections unsecured
Low cost flights mean flying "point to point so it is not expected to be waiting for passengers and luggage, with neither the convergence towards a main hub where you can take coincidences. So the connections are not guaranteed, every flight is a story in itself (also with regard to cancellations, date changes, etc.)..
Regulations on Excess Baggage, Check In, and Cancellations Cancellations
Directory World Flights
international and domestic airports
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