| In modern 21st century air travel we have become | | | | We also need to take into consideration the checked |
| used to terms 'no frills' or 'low cost' airlines and using | | | | and hand luggage allowance. Ideally, if you are happy |
| their services for a simple reason. The idea is to | | | | to take up to 10 kg of luggage in a small trolley case |
| remove the simple luxuries like free lunches, drinks, | | | | of regulated measurements, you will not be charged |
| complimentary gifts or even business class seats to | | | | extra. However, if you carry an additional suitcase, |
| make the cost of air travel cheaper. Most of the low | | | | the low cost carriers will in most cases add on a |
| cost airlines have also reduced baggage allowance as | | | | charge. And if your luggage happens to be over the |
| this speeds up the ground handling procedures, | | | | weight restriction limits, you will also get charged for |
| facilitates quicker boarding and thus, maintains lower | | | | each extra kilo. Drinks and food are not included in |
| the overall prices. The airports have been equipped | | | | the price of our low cost flight tickets. These can be |
| with self-service check-in and fast bag drop services, | | | | purchased on board at rather high prices. Of course, |
| all helping to reduce the costs which would ultimately | | | | we have also the other option of bringing our own! In |
| reflect in the price of air tickets. Is this always a case | | | | most cases, our seats won't be assigned either and |
| though? Is the low cost air travel always managing to | | | | jumping the queue to get the best ones or priority |
| keep its promise of cheap flights to their clientele? | | | | boarding will also cost more. During weekends and |
| When booking 'low cost' flights online, we often see | | | | peak times, the 'low cost' fares usually increase |
| the prices starting very low, sometimes even from 1 | | | | tremendously in line with the demand. And finally, it is |
| Pound! Thinking that we can actually obtain a flight | | | | important to think about the amount of time and |
| let's say from London to Prague for a mere 1 Pound | | | | money we need to spend getting to and from the |
| would be absolutely unrealistic. There are bound to be | | | | 'low cost' airports which are in most cases located |
| additional costs involved. First of all, the airport | | | | outside the main cities. |
| charges and taxes. Although these would be typically | | | | All the above considered, no wonder the final price of |
| incorporated in the basic cost of ticket for | | | | 'no frills' travel gets to the point when we are unable |
| transparency purposes. Let's say the 1 Pound fare | | | | to call it 'low cost' anymore. The best way to obtain |
| then carries the obligatory charges, which means an | | | | real bargains on the flight market these days is to |
| automatic increase and the starting price being | | | | shop around and compare prices of low cost, charter |
| actually higher. We then need to decide if we want a | | | | as well as scheduled flights. The overall value the |
| one-way or return ticket. If the latter applies, we | | | | airlines offer us for our pound and the cost of the |
| need to double it. So, let's say for illustration | | | | 'hidden extras' will then be the indicator of whether |
| purposes, if our basic one-way fare is 30 Pounds, the | | | | we booked our ticket at a truly low cost. |
| cost of the return ticket will be 60 Pounds. | | | | |