C4.28 Budget Airlines
What are the optional low-cost airlines?
What is a low-cost airline?A low-cost airline is not a specific company, but a particular type of airline. All airlines with the following characteristics fall into this category:
Tickets are much cheaper.
No free drinks or food (including water) are provided.
Only one piece of carry-on luggage is allowed; there is no free checked luggage.
Online check-in is required. Low-cost airlines generally require passengers to check in online themselves or at self-service check-in kiosks at the airport. Checking in in advance allows priority seat selection.
In-flight comfort is relatively basic.
Reminder from Shishengmiao: The carry-on luggage allowed on board is strictly limited to one piece, with strict requirements on both size and quantity. Restrictions on items prohibited from being carried on board are also strict. I once took a low-cost flight for only twenty to thirty pounds to travel to another country. At that time, I only carried a schoolbag and pulled a cabin suitcase. When I arrived at the airport, I was worried that the cabin suitcase didn’t meet the requirements. There were luggage size check frames everywhere at the airport for passengers to test their suitcases themselves. If the suitcase couldn’t fit into the frame, it was deemed non-compliant.
Fortunately, my small suitcase passed the check. But when I lined up to board the plane, I didn’t expect there would be inspectors who required passengers to have only one piece of luggage before boarding. So I stuffed my schoolbag into the suitcase. Luckily, I don’t wear makeup or carry many items, so the suitcase was quite empty and could fit it in. However, other passengers who couldn’t squeeze their extra luggage into one piece were fined on the spot—also tens of pounds, which exceeded the ticket price!
So which airlines are low-cost airlines?
EasyJet
EasyJet Airline Company Limited is a British low-cost airline that advocates not providing unnecessary services. It is popular among the British public for its low prices and straightforward services.
Headquarters of EasyJet Airline Company Limited: Luton, United KingdomIATA code: U2ICAO code: EZYCall sign: EASY
Official website: https://www.easyjet.com
Ryanair
Ryanair is an airline headquartered in Ireland. Founded by Christy Ryan in 1985, it is Europe's largest low-cost airline.
Official website: https://www.ryanair.com/gb/en
Vueling
Vueling Airlines is an airline based in Barcelona, Spain. Its low-cost tickets are popular among many Europeans. Founded in 2004, Vueling Airlines became Europe's third-largest low-cost airline in 2006, following Air Berlin and easyJet.
Official website：https://m.vueling.com
FLYBE
Flybe is headquartered at Exeter International Airport in the UK. Airports in cities such as Birmingham, Southampton, Belfast, Manchester, Jersey, Guernsey, Inverness, Edinburgh, and Glasgow also serve as its main operating bases. Flybe is one of Europe's largest regional airlines, the UK's largest domestic route operator, and also one of Europe's largest regional airlines.
Official website：https://www.flybe.com
Jet 2
Jet2.com is a British low-cost airline headquartered in Leeds. Its six hub airports connect to 45 European cities, and it also offers some charter flight services. Its main base is Leeds Bradford Airport. Founded in 2002, the airline initially operated short-haul charter flights and medium-haul routes using Boeing aircraft for its international flight services.
Official website: http://www.jet2.com
TUI
TUI has been named "World's Best Leisure Airline" at the World Airline Awards for five consecutive years. With a fleet of over 60 aircraft across the UK and Ireland, it operates from 24 regional airports, ranging from Gatwick to Glasgow and Dublin to Doncaster.
Official website: https://www.tui.co.uk
Okay, those are the main low-cost airlines. It’s worth mentioning that while you might encounter celebrities or politicians on regular flights, you can also run into them on low-cost airlines. Back in 2015, former British Prime Minister David Cameron took a low-cost flight—he was on an EasyJet flight to Portugal, eating crisps. A girl named Ashleigh sitting in the same row spotted him and excitedly took a photo. She later posted enthusiastically on Twitter: “Guys, I’m almost crying! He’s eating such cheap crisps!”
