You know, if you are on a budget and cheaper fares are your main concern if you want to fly somewhere, common sense would tell you to opt for a low cost carrier. You know the ones, Easyjet, Go, Ryanair etc etc.
Well get this – British Airways are offering return fares from £59 for the bulk of it’s European services from Birmingham. £59 to fly to Milan???? On BA????? You can forget those low cost airlines, I know who I’d choose to fly with!
Not only that, but British European are offering fares as low as £25 on one way fares to certain cities…….And British European are a bloody good airline!! Of course, these low fares from Birmingham have arrived at a time when BMIbaby and Go are commencing operations out of nearby East Midlands Airport…..The great thing about all this competition is that it benefits us passengers – We can now get cheap flights and still get a high level of onboard service.
By the way, I don’t work for any of the airlines mentioned – I just felt like bringing this to your attention because I believe this trend of low fares from premium carriers will continue.
Regards,
V1
By: mongu - 24th March 2002 at 21:40
RE: Pah, who needs Low Cost carriers anyway?!?!?
I guess most people would choose “full service” carriers over the low cost airlines if the price was roughly similar.
The drawbacks of low cost airlines are infuriating! They drop you off in a field 50 miles from the city you are trying to get to; if their services are cancelled they’ll put you on the next one – but go and find a park bench in the mean time! And the unallocated seating policies just seems silly.
As long as you can avoid the taking-the-piss type of fares which the big carriers still charge if they can get away with it (or charging £500 for a biz class ticket even though the seats are the same as economy!). I’d personally stick with the devil I know best!
By: forwardjumpseat - 24th March 2002 at 21:37
RE: Pah, who needs Low Cost carriers anyway?!?!?
Couldn’t agree with you more V1, I do work for one of the carriers you mention and it’s about time we offered some realistic fares to these destinations to compete with the low cost carriers. The low cost carriers do a good job and obviously offer the travelling public what they want, cheap air travel. We have to compete or lose out and I’m sure my company has no intention of doing that. At the moment it seems everyone and his dog is having a go at BA, it’s like open season! Perhaps for good reason though. I can see all sides of the argument. However I am convinced that when all this crap is over BA will be better than ever. I believe there’s room for BA and the low cost carriers, each offering different products to different types of passenger.
I took an Easyjet flight to BCN last year with a group of friends from LTN and I was very impressed. I only paid £90.00 return for a firm seat, really good value. Mind you two things made me laugh about the British, (like myself) two women sat behind me were moaning that they had to pay for soft drinks and there was no meal, checkin at BCN was very very slow as only one checkin agent for two flights, LTN and LPL. It took well over an hour to check us all in. Across the terminal, 50 yards away at the BA desk, 6 checkin staff and just a few passenger waiting for no more than 10 – 15 minutes. Again several passengers were moaning, somebody should tell them, erm…that’s why it’s cheap, you get what you pay for, Easyjet probably only pay for one checkin agent but it gets the job done, it just takes longer. Some passengers, they want it cheap but still all the frills!!! My experience with them was very good. Can’t say the same for FR though but that’s anther story!!!
By: andrewm - 24th March 2002 at 14:10
RE: Pah, who needs Low Cost carriers anyway?!?!?
From Belfast City to Heathrow used to be run by BA until last October when they closed route. Now bmi run the route for £39 return. The nearest price to this is easyJet who charge £25 one way to Luton. I like easyJet and all but everyone in Northern ireland is currently choising bmi as pratically all the flights are full 24/7.
Regards,
Andrew M
By: keltic - 24th March 2002 at 13:48
RE: Pah, who needs Low Cost carriers anyway?!?!?
I prefer the airline which lower fares. But Low costs are usuful for several reasons. Tariff structure is not restrictive. No penalties for one way ticket. No sunday rule, and more important if well planned you get crazy fares. And the most impontant thing, regular airlines only have good fares when launching a new service or when forced by a low cost to do so. Low costs have made a lot of good for passengers because have bent many knees in entering in markets where Schedules one had a shameful monoply and suspiciously high fares. And more important, destinations negleted by regular ones are profitable for low cost. Please I need a low cost in Spain…..NO MORE IB…….PLEASE. Almost 300 € for a domestic fare…..
By: dan330 - 24th March 2002 at 12:23
RE: Pah, who needs Low Cost carriers anyway?!?!?
Good news indeed that prices are coming down, all because of the low cost carriers. bmi used to charge £200-£300 to fly from EMA to Scotland but with Go and bmibaby I can’t see this continuing.
Lets hope they are both a success at EMA!
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By: V1 - 23rd March 2002 at 18:35
RE: Pah, who needs Low Cost carriers anyway?!?!?
Indeed, and not only does it benefit the industry, but it rewards passengers with lower fares. The days of £259 fares on short intra-European flights are nearing an end…..and about time too!
By: Rabie - 23rd March 2002 at 18:31
RE: Pah, who needs Low Cost carriers anyway?!?!?
IMHO the big names will eventually reform and run good efficent and cheap service like go, buzz, easyjet eventually and come off better for the good of the indutry
what low cost airlines have doen is intorduce real competion into the industry that has higlited post sept 11 how bad the the big names are.
rabie :9
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March 23, 2002 at 6:24 pm