Cheap European Flight

If Ryanair has popped up in your search for a cheap European flight this summer, give a thought to the additional fees and charges before snagging what appears to be a good deal.

A recent analysis in the UK revealed that Ryanair’s additional fees have skyrocketed by over 700% since 2006.  The analysis was prompted by Ryanair’s announcement of a 33% hike in the fee – to £20 per bag each way – for checked luggage during July and August.  Add this fee to Ryan’s £10 check-in fee and £5 per person per flight fee for using a credit or debit card to pay for your tickets.  These fees are in addition to fees for infants under age 2, luggage that weighs over 15 kg (about 33 lbs) or is over-sized, priority boarding, and on and on….

Did I neglect to mention that the above discounted fees are applied only if you purchase your cheap flights to Europe, check-in and pay for your checked luggage online?

If you wait to check-in at the airport, the charge jumps to £20 and the checked luggage fee becomes £40 per bag each way.

Best not to purchase food or beverages aboard the Ryanair flight – their pricing for in-flight food and drink is higher than any other Irish or British airline with an average mark-up of  520% over grocery store prices.

Plus if you indulge in too much liquid and need to use the restroom aboard  cheap European Ryanair flights, you may be subject to a £1 fee if Ryan proceeds with its plans to add a coin-operated device on its restrooms.

On a related note, The Associated Press reported that Boeing refused Ryanair’s request to replace 2 restrooms with 6 additional seats on new aircraft due to considerations for passenger safety.  It would seem that Ryanair determined there is more money to be made from 6 additional seats plus all their related fees than from a £1 fee per restroom use.

Ryanair maintains even with all the increased fees purchasing their cheap European flight is still the best deal for travel in Europe – but isn’t it much better when you know the true cost of airfare before you purchase your ticket?

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