What constitutes a cheap flights? I have asked myself this many times in recent years. The problem is that low cost airlines have got more expensive and traditional airlines have dropped their prices to compete and the two industries have converged in many ways.
The main problem I have is with the hidden charges – these make it nigh on impossible to compare prices fairly and they are a great source of frustration and time wasting. Often you have to get right to the end of the booking process before you realise how many extras they have tacked on.
Not only are baggage and taxes often extra, which we are now pretty much used to, but things such as online check in and priority boarding (i.e. the pleasure of boarding in a semi orderly fashion rather than a stampede). There is even talk of toilets being charged for next!
Long gone are the days of a free sandwich and a cup of coffee on your flight. Or are they? Although the traditional airlines have had to cut some of their extras to be able to match the prices, if you look really hard there are some that still do provide a higher level of service.
If you manage to get through all the quotation processes without tearing your hair out, there is every chance that these traditional airlines are often cheaper than the low cost ones.