By Shahab Siddiqui
Online booking has made it much easier for people to look for and book cheap plane tickets independently of the traditional high street agent. This has lead to consumers saving a significant sum of money on their air flights. The "down side" however is that numerous other "extras" have been added by many traditional airlines as an incentive for more people to fly. These extras, such as in-flight entertainment, meals and various refreshments have pushed the overall price up by a fair amount. These turn of events eventually lead to a really low cost form of flight beginning to become increasingly popular - "the no frills budget airline".
These low cost airlines are challenging the usual carriers with their extremely cheap and highly competitive offers. Established brands such as British Airways, Lufthansa and even Air France have had to cut their prices significantly to keep up with this phenomenon. It is plain to see that these budget carriers have "taken off" in a major way in Europe, North America and Asia.
The burning question on many peoples minds is how on earth is it possible for these budget airlines to offer such low prices on their carriers? Well the answer is quite simple, firstly they absolutely streamline their overheads. They cut out all extra amenities and just give you the basic no frills flight. That coupled with cutting out certain staff expenses by instituting online booking systems and a large number of people flying at really cheap prices on their jets, they are able to survive and even make a profit.
Moreover, they make extra money by selling food, drinks, cancellation fees and collecting extra money for changing pre-booked seats. Another major money saving strategy employed by budget airlines is by using secondary, lesser known airports to depart and arrive from. On many occasions this could be a fair distance from the intended final location. This results in less expensive landing fees, but means that on many occasions the traveller must take a journey by another form of transport to their final destination. The question for the consumer is whether or not he/she is more concerned about longer travelling times or saving that extra bit of money on cheap airfares.
It is highly possible that conventional airlines will offer better deals than the budget airlines during peak seasons. This is because the low cost airlines bank primarily on this period to make some major profit and tend to raise the prices on their airfares. A lesser known strategy to save some extra cash is by flying on a different airline on the way back then when you flew there. Check the deals, you may well be pleasantly surprised.
Finding inexpensive airfares requires some research, but if you hunt diligently and are serious about saving money then this form of travelling is definitely for you.
Top Ten tips when looking for budget flights:
1.Book your flight early to guarantee yourself a good deal. the best time is at least 20 days before departure.
2. Shop around. One company never always has the best deal, try to check at least three different sites.
3. Watch out for extra taxes, fees and surcharges. Always check the FINAL PRICE before booking the flight.
4. Be flexible with your destination airports, try a smaller secondary airport at a close proximity to your desired destination.
5. Try to be flexible with your preferred airline. Lesser known carriers can offer big savings.
6. Remember to check in early, check in times for low cost airlines are very strict.
7. Always book your flight with reputable companies. Ensure that you check the travel company is officially recognised.
8. If your flight is overbooked and you cannot board, know your legal rights, many airlines will compensate you with a heavily discounted fare.
9. Know your baggage limitations on your cheap flight. Check the rules before you decide to pack.
10. Check for special discount fares for - Groups, Senior citizens, Students and children.
With the above points becoming increasingly simple to check online, finding and booking a great deal on a budget airline has never been easier.
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Shahab Siddiqui is a professional website publisher and founder of the informative travel portal
Cheap Flights Finder
Budget Airlines - Why Are They So Cheap?
