Low cost airlines and their silly tricks
By Darren Cronian on Friday, June 5th, 2009

I love travelling and since I started writing Travel Rants I am more observant because what better way to research the types of issues that consumers have than actually experiencing them yourself. Not that I am suggesting I want a holiday nightmare from hell.

Low cost airlines and their silly tricks

Here are a few observations from my recent Jet2.com flight to Venice.

Toilets of a third-world country

Not the airline’s fault but the toilets at Leeds & Bradford airport, departure lounge were what you would see in a third world country and if people leave them in the state that I found them then I do really worry about flying in a confined space with such unhygienic passengers.

I am not asking for much; just nice clean toilets would be nice.

Airline mind games

The flight arrived in Venice, twenty minutes before arrival, which made me think that the flight times are probably out so that they can boast that they arrived ahead of schedule. In return you go home and tell all of your family and friends that you arrived early with the airline.

Refuse to pay baggage charges

I am a Yorkshireman, we are a little tight with our money but I refused to pay for baggage so took just hand luggage, and while it was a little inconvenient I loved walking through passport control straight to the arrival lounge and on to the bus for my hotel.

One group of passengers ranted that they had to go back to the check-in desk and pay for the luggage to be carried in the hold because it was 1kg overweight. The airline want to make sure that no one is taking advantage, but to send them back to the check-in desk is ridiculous.

Playing silly games

What I did not like about the flight was that I decided not to choose my seat and not pay upto £15 each way charge. Apparently, the system always puts you in the middle of one of the three sets of seats, so you get a couple and they sit them either side of you because they too did not reserve a seat.

It’s just a silly game to make it frustrating for those people who want to sit together and do not pay to reserve their seats. It did not bother me where I sat, but the couple wanted to sit next to each other, so I moved to the window and they sat next to each other. Solved.

What tricks have you come up against when flying with a low cost airline?


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6 responses to “Low cost airlines and their silly tricks”

Karen Bryan | 5 June, 2009 at 9:31 pm

I noticed the bizarre seating allocations when my husband and I tried to check in online with Jet2, we were going to be allocated seats at opposite window seats but didn’t want to pay to reserve our seats to “guarantee” we could sit together. We decided just to check in at the airport and were given seats together. I think that the system should enable passengers on the same booking to sit together automatically. Jet2 isnt’ even particularly low cost to be up these silly games, our fliights cost more than £200 each including hold baggage.

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Nick | 6 June, 2009 at 11:13 am

Darren

I hate the phase low cost airlines, and you know my feelings on their prices. As soon as you wish to checkin 1 bag they become expensive airlines.. London to somewhere in italy just 10 pounds, so total price return 87 pounds, london to venice just 89 return so total 89… no contest.

They are No Frills airlines NOT low cost.

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Lisa Corcoran | 6 June, 2009 at 12:32 pm

Darren,

I have no loyalty to Jet2 but I have to be honest I have always found them very easy to travel with. I used them last week and didn’t have any problem with the seating arrangement. I was travelling on my own and like you didn’t want to pay to choose a specific seat but I was assigned a window seat on the way out and an aisle seat for the return journey. I have always liked flying with Jet2 because the seats are allocated rather than a free for all like some of the other low cost airlines.

As for the timings, early arrival etc I was under the impression that all airlines gave themselves extra time for journeys to accommodate air traffic control and take off slots.

Can’t say I’ve ever had a problem with the toilets at LBA either, maybe you hit them at a bad time!

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Andy Hayes | 7 June, 2009 at 4:10 pm

Nick is right – as you know I don’t buy into the pricing games that the “low frills airlines” use. I’m sure they’re planning new sneaky tricks just as we speak.

Oh and by the way – regarding the schedules – I do believe all airlines pad, although some more than others.

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Nick | 9 June, 2009 at 12:30 pm

Darren

As to sending people back to check in, this is to do with security hold baggage scanners which bags from check in go though are way better than hand baggage scanners. So bags have to go back to check in and though these. (Hence limits on what you can place in hand baggage compared to hold).

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Tbc | 9 June, 2009 at 6:42 pm

I’m not rich and I usually use business class if it’s an overnight trip but I also nevermind using economic if it’s a decent airline. personally I really don’t like low cost airlines- the service is pure crap, business class or not. I see them no future. decent airlines get their fares lower every year and I think more and more people choose to use them, for the low cost- taxes go higher and it all becomes unprofitable. personally I know lots of people who don’t like low costs, like me.

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