Can it be worthwhile buying connecting flights on LCC like Ryanair, Easyjet, Vueling, or Transavia?
In principle Low Cost Carriers (LCC) like Easyjet, Ryanair, or Vueling offer 1 leg journeys alone. Still they offer some interesting "connecting" opportunities. Especially if you start combining between different LCC's. So far I have refrained from combining LCC tickets, because I guess the penalty when you miss a connecting flight can quite high. Is this perception of mine correct, or are there still ways to buy connecting flights on LCC's?
Best Answer
I don't think you can buy 'connecting' flights as the term connecting in air travel has a specific meaning in that they are two flights that can be booked on a single ticket with luggage transferred. However you can reasonably buy two flights that arrive depart from the same airport.
Things to watch out for:
Changing carriers where you need to change terminals, will require something like this border control -> baggage collection -> customs -> baggage drop off/check in -> security -> border control this happened to a friend of mine when he changed from Fly Dubai to Easy jet in Amman he also got stung with a $20USD for a single entry visa.
Does your travel insurance cover missing a non connecting flight if your not even in the country when it departs?
Missing bags might not get forwarded to your destination as the carrier you took your first flight with may not service your finial destination.
Make sure you have a backup plan so you don't spend your entire trip re-routing yourself around only end up where you started 2 weeks later having seen nothing but the inside of airports and train stations.
How likely are you flights to be delayed? Summer is probably less likely than in winter, are there any events taking place in the area that would make finding temporary accommodation expensive or unavailable such as festivals or sports matches?
From my observations you have two options:
A. Pay more and take a full priced carrier to your destination with the security that goes along with a connecting flight.
B. Spend more time (waiting at airports as a buffer encase flights are delayed collecting / re-checking baggage) and pay less.
Essentially it's a cost benefit analysis, which do you have more to spare, money or time?
I have noticed that Easy jet in their in-flight magazine started referring to certain City's as 'hubs' which suggests to me there could be in the near future true connecting flights with Easy Jet.
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Are connecting flights worth it?
Yes, those stressful multi-stop trips are almost always cheaper than direct routes. Bottom line: Depending on the domestic route you can realize from about 20% to 60% savings by skipping the nonstop in favor of a connecting flight.Are flights with connections cheaper?
Are connecting flights more expensive? Connecting flights are generally not more expensive than direct ones. In fact, they are generally cheaper as some passengers may wish to pay more in order to get to their destination quicker with a direct flight.Is Transavia better than Ryanair?
And Transavia came out on top with an overall score of 7.47 out of 10. In second place came Norwegian with a score of 7.42 and then Air Baltic took bronze medal with 7.23. Britain's easyJet finished in sixth place with a ranking of 7.14 and Ireland's Ryanair was in 8th with a grade of 6.43 out of 10.Is Transavia better than EasyJet?
How does EasyJet compare to Transavia, and is there a clear winner? Easyjet has a strong standing in the budget airline industry. Over the years, people have reported fewer delays and more seamless flight experiences. Transavia sometimes has delays and some reports that these delays seem to occur on specific routes.Vueling Flight Review - Is Excellence Fare Worth It?
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Answer 2
If you're planning on transferring between carriers on separate tickets (rather than a single combined ticket issued by a codeshare partner), best make sure there's ample time for the connection to account for delays, baggage handling (as said, it might involve rechecking your bags manually, travel to different terminals, customs, etc. etc.) and things like that. Several hours at least over what you'd want for a codeshare is the minimum.
And make sure you're really saving money. Tickets with LCCs can turn out (after all the "mandatory optional fees" to exceed those for their mainline competitors. E.g. most will charge for all your luggage at rates not dissimilar to the excess luggage rates used by mainline carriers. Some will even charge you for taking cabin luggage at rates of up to 25 Euro+ per bag, even for a small purse.
If your mainline flight leading up to the transfer is delayed enough that you miss the LCC flight, you'll also have to buy a new ticket and neither the mainline nor the LCC carrier is going to reimburse you for that. If you had a codeshare ticket, you'd get all that handled and free, plus depending on the length of the delay financial compensation, food, or even a hotel room.
For me, that added security is worth the extra cost, and I will not use LCCs except for point to point transportation if I have a choice (some destinations of course are not served by mainline carriers).
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