Ryanair rubbishes another damning report
Ryanair has dismissed a study which says its fares are not the lowest due to its hidden fees.
It said the survey, by flight search engine WhichAirline.com, is "misleading and silly" and claimed it still has the lowest air fares.
"These so called surveys are worthless. 81m passengers this year already know that only Ryanair offers the lowest airfares. They also know that Ryanair has no ‘hidden’ fees since all our fees are open and well promoted (in order to change customer behaviour)," said a spokesman.
"In the last year, Ryanair’s average fare (which included all baggage and other fees) was €40, yet this survey comes up with a figure of €83.45, showing just how misleading and silly it is."
Although Ryanair was named the cheapest European low-cost airline based on average basic prices of tickets, WhichAirline.com said it was knocked down to fourth place when it added on transaction fees and charges for checking in luggage.
"When all costs are counted, there are three other airlines that come out cheaper: Pegasus Airlines, Wizz Air and Blue Air," said the report.
"Even though Ryanair is considered to be the cheapest airline, this is true only when comparing the basic fare without fees."
The research found that when the total fare is counted, including transaction fee and checked baggage fee for 20 kg bag, the cheapest carrier is Pegasus Airlines with a total average price of €63.19, followed by Wizz Air (€75.74) and Blue Air (€82.45).
Ryanair comes in at fourth place with €83.45.
The study looked at average ticket prices calculated from more than 300,000 prices of flights operated in the future (October 2013 and later).
Here are the findings:
Who’s The Cheapest: Average Prices of Flights
List of low-cost airlines according to the average ticket price.
Airline Average ticket price (in EUR)
Ryanair 58.45
Wizz Air 60.74
Pegasus Airlines 63.19
Blue Air 65.45
easyJet 72.97
Air One 80.00
Volotea 88.75
flybe 89.84
Vueling 95.01
Eurolot 97.05
HOP! 110.62
germanwings 111.18
Transavia 112.05
airBaltic 114.25
Meridiana 121.27
Norwegian Air Shuttle 133.70
Monarch Airlines 147.49
Jet2 148.95
WOW air 163.04
Fly Thomas Cook 184.76
Who’s The Cheapest: Total Price Including Fees
List of low-cost airlines according to the average total price (20 kg baggage and transaction fees included). *
Airline Total price
(in EUR)
Pegasus Airlines 63.19
Wizz Air 75.74
Blue Air 82.45
Ryanair 83.45
easyJet 89.97
Air One 91.00
Eurolot 97.05
Volotea 103.75
Vueling 108.01
flybe 111.84
Meridiana 121.27
germanwings 123.68
Transavia 132.05
airBaltic 140.23
HOP! 140.62
Norwegian Air Shuttle 142.70
Monarch Airlines 159.48
Jet2 165.45
WOW air 189.39
Fly Thomas Cook 206.76
*Checked baggage fee may vary according to the destination. The stated price is always for one-way international short-haul flights in the cheapest tariff operated in October/November 2013. Transaction fees are based on payments with a VISA debit card.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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