While many budget airlines carriers offer both affordable and budget flights for travellers, there are also many things to consider, including different fare groups, bag allowance, flexibility, and additional services such as seat reservation and priority boarding.
This article will walk you through some of the budget airlines that travellers frequently fly with in the UK.
Here is all you need to know before buying your next budget airline ticket! Fare structures, baggage policies, and add-on services walk-throughs of easyJet, Jet2.com, Ryanair UK, and TUI Airways.
easyJet
There are three fare levels that travellers can choose when flying with easyJet, including Standard, Standard Plus, and Essentials.
With a Standard ticket, travellers can bring one small under-seat cabin bag with a maximum size of 45 x 36 x 20 cm and a weight of up to 15 kg.
When flying with Standard Plus, in addition to the small cabin bag, travellers can also carry one large cabin bag with a maximum size of 56 x 45 x 25 cm on board.
Passengers can also enjoy an up-front seat and speedy boarding with this price.
For passengers who need more space and would like to check their luggage allowance, an Essential ticket might be a good option, as it allows travellers to have a 23 kg hold bag, and passengers will be offered a standard seat.
Jet2.com
Everyone booking with Jet2.com will be offered a 10kg hand luggage allowance with a maximum size of 56cm x 45cm x 25cm. Travellers can also bring a small under-seat bag onboard with a maximum size of 40cm x 30cm x 15cm.
For extra baggage allowance, each passenger is allowed to add up to three 22 kg bags per flight with an additional charge.
While travelling with children, travellers can bring up to two items with a maximum weight of 32 kg per child or infant for free, such as a collapsable pushchair, pram or buggy, a car seat or booster seat, a baby carrier, and a travel cot.
Ryanair UK
There are four different types of fares that travellers can choose from Ryanair, one of the famous budget airlines. This includes basic, regular, plus, and flexi plus.
With the basic fare, travellers can only bring a small under-the-seat bag with a maximum size of 40 cm x 30 cm x 20 cm onboard.
For those who are paying the regular price, travellers can bring a 10 kg overhead locker bag with a maximum size of 55 cm x 40 cm x 20 cm onboard. In addition, seat reservation service and priority boarding are also included in the type of ticket.
For passengers who want to be more carefree with the overhead bag, the plus option is considerable. With this fare group, travellers can bring a small bag and a 20 kg check-in bag for the trip and still be able to enjoy the seat reservation service.
Flexi Plus, the most expansive fare group offered by the airline, provides more flexibility. With the price, travellers can not only bring a 10 kg overhead locker bag and a small bag and enjoy seat reservation service and priority boarding, but also gain access to the speed-through-security service, change flights with no fee (only pay for the fare difference), and move to an earlier flight.
TUI Airways
TUI Airways included 10 kg of hand luggage allowance with the maximum size of 40 cm x 55 cm x 20 cm in its basic fare ticket.
For passengers who need more space, the airline offers a pay option to add check-in luggage for 15 kg, 20 kg, and 25 kg.
Passengers can pay for seat reservation service from £10 per person, including options to upgrade and enjoy extra legroom.
Which budget airline have you travelled with the most? How was the experience? Would you recommend others to choose a budget airline for their next trip? Leave your comment below!
