Boost for full-service carriers
Full-service airlines often offer better value than their “no-frills” rivals, according to a report by the Air Transport Users Council.
The passenger watchdog conducted the study after many complaints that they were confused by the plethora of routes and fares available. It studied more than 1,500 fares being offered by eight carriers and came to the conclusion that “the difference in fares was often minimal and, on occasion, full service airlines were actually cheaper than their no-frills rivals”.
In general, the report suggests, there is little difference in price for passengers who book two weeks or more in advance. The no-frills carriers tended to be cheaper as departure approached, but the council warned that cheap fares did not necessarily mean the best deal.
It took the example of a flight from London to Frankfurt, on which British Airways’ fare was £49 more than Ryanair’s. But while Ryanair flights land at Hahn airport, 75 miles from Frankfurt, BA passengers arrive just a 15-minute transfer from the city centre. The report concludes that BA passengers pay £22 more overall, but that they could spend three extra hours travelling on a return trip.
The survey also reportedly criticised Ryanair’s “habit” of “stripping out taxes and charges to make the headline price appear as cheap as possible”.
The survey, which is available online at http://www.caa.co.uk/auc/default.asp?page=1591, concludes: “Our advice is to book as early as possible and shop around – with the advent of the internet shopping around has never been easier or quicker. But we also recommend you to look beyond the fare – find out which airport the airline flies to, what sort of service you are likely to get, and how easy it is to book.”
Ryanair, unsurprisingly, made a forthright response; a spokesman reportedly told The Times: “The Air Transport Users Council wasted their money confirming what our 24 million passengers this year already know; Ryanair offers the lowest fares, the greatest choice in routes and the best customer service.”
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