The annual statistics, and with it experts in passenger transport, have long argued: an airplane is one of the safest modes of transport. Moreover, traveling in this way is quite comfortable and much faster. That's just the price of a ticket for an air flight forces our compatriots to look for another way to travel, cheaper.
But flying an airplane does not always mean paying a lot of money for a ticket. Low-cost airlines, also known as discounters, low-cost airlines, low-cost airlines, have been operating quite successfully on the European market for a long time. Unfortunately, Russia and neighboring countries have very little knowledge of these concepts. And the industry of cheap flights in our country is developing quite slowly for a number of reasons. What is a low-cost airline, and how can a low-cost airline offering tickets at extremely low prices reduce the cost of a flight?
Low cost: is it always low price - low quality?
One of the main reasons why low-cost airlines are not too actively taking root in Russia, airline analysts call the opinion of our compatriots that "good cannot be cheap." Perhaps someone at the word “discount” seems to have a terrible picture with poor service or old planes falling apart almost in the air. But how does this correspond to the truth?
Of course, cheap flights involve the rejection of some of the amenities that are traditionally offered to passengers of traditional airlines. So, in the aircraft of a low-cost airline, as a rule, there is no free food. Or they can provide the passenger with food, but they will have to pay extra for this. For a fee, various in-flight entertainment is also offered - music, watching movies, games or the press.
However, such savings only offset a small percentage of discounts on cheap flights. In fact, low-cost airlines have developed a whole system to reduce the cost of passenger transportation. In fact, they save on everything except, of course, flight safety.
Aircraft and staff
A significant share of the cost of air travel to low-cost airlines can be maintained by a competent policy regarding the purchase and operation of air transport. This does not mean at all that a low-cost airline saves by buying up "decommissioned" obsolete aircraft, and squeezes the latest opportunities out of these vehicles. On the contrary, low-cost airlines use only new aircraft of modern models. Moreover, aircraft are bought exclusively from the factory conveyor. The savings in this case are as follows: new aircraft do not require large maintenance costs. Repair and unscheduled downtime of the new aircraft are scanty, almost zero. In addition, the fleet is regularly updated - low-cost airlines prefer not to carry out scheduled overhauls, simply reselling planes to other companies.
Another way to save using airplanes is to purchase the same type of air transport, which not only reduces maintenance costs, but also saves airline money for additional staff training - pilots, stewards, mechanics.
In addition, there is no division into classes on low-cost aircraft, and on tickets there is no indication of the seat number - passengers occupy those seats that are free. Low-cost aircraft refuse additional equipment on board for less fuel consumption and practically do not stand idle at airports, reducing the cost of paying for a landing place and making the maximum possible number of flights per day.
Do not be surprised that budget companies, saving on the comfort of travelers, increase the number of passenger seats in the cabin, and in some aircraft there is not even the opportunity to recline the seatback. Holding thus a larger number of passengers, the discount reduces the cost of the flight, and, consequently, the price of boarding passes.
Affordable airline companies have found a way to reduce the cost of flights by using competent personnel. In addition to reducing training costs, which were mentioned earlier, often employees combine several labor functions, for example, a loader and a cleaner.
Ticket sales and reservations
Significantly reduce the cost of discounts and helps that all the tickets of these airlines are sold exclusively through the Internet, on the official websites of low-cost airlines or through agents. At the same time, there is no need to maintain a cash desk and hire cashiers. For the same reason, in order not to pay for the work of staff at the counters at airports, a passenger can register for a flight for free online. For traditional registration with an airport employee, most low-cost airlines will have to pay extra.
Another rule of ticket sales, which is widely followed by low-cost airlines in Russia, Asia and European countries: "The sooner - the cheaper." The price of low-cost tickets increases as the aircraft fills. Passengers who bought a ticket for several weeks and even months pay the least for a flight.
At the same time, it is either impossible to change the time and date of the flight, return the ticket, or make changes to budget companies, or is allowed only for an additional payment.
Baggage and carry-on baggage: how to avoid additional costs
When buying a ticket for a traditional airline, the passenger gets the opportunity to carry in free hand luggage and the right to one seat for his suitcase in the luggage compartment of the aircraft. Low-cost airlines all over the world are limited only to free hand luggage. You will have to pay extra for luggage, and a very significant amount. This measure is dictated by the same desire to reduce the weight of the aircraft, which means to save fuel.
In order not to have to lay out for suitcases an amount sometimes exceeding the price of a ticket, it is better to limit yourself to hand luggage if possible. By the way, this category of baggage includes a bag weighing up to 8 kg (and in some low-cost airlines - up to 10 kg) and a maximum size of 55x40x20 cm. It is quite realistic to fit all the things necessary for travel in such a framework.
Those who can not do without bulky suitcases, it is better to pre-order via the Internet and pay for a place in the luggage compartment. This will reduce the cost of transportation.
How to save on discounts
Certainly, it is profitable to fly low-cost airlines. But are there any ways to save on a low-cost airline flight?
The first thing you should know about a passenger buying a budget ticket: be sure to pay attention to the time of departure and arrival. The overwhelming majority of discounters sell tickets for flights at night at discounted prices. Thus, you can reduce costs not only by paying for a seat on the plane for several months, but also by taking a night flight.
The best way to save on paid discounter services is to not use them. With a short flight, it is quite possible to do without quite expensive food on the plane or watching a movie. If you still have to use one of the paid services, it is better to order and pay everything in advance, when you purchase a ticket - everything will cost much cheaper.
There is a clear advantage to selling tickets online: it’s much easier to keep track of various promotions and discounts on airline tickets that any low-cost airline regularly arranges. More often than not, empty seats that are not booked a day or two before departure are sold in this way.
European low-cost airlines in Russia
Currently, the largest number of flights from Russian cities are carried out by low-cost airlines in Europe and Asia. Two of them - the British EasyJet and the Polish WizzAir - although they offer excellent discount conditions, they send their flights exclusively from the Russian capital. Other most popular European and Asian low-cost airlines in Russia cover a much larger number of cities:
- Airbaltic - An airline from neighboring Latvia, operates flights almost all over Russia. In addition to Moscow and St. Petersburg, you can become a passenger of the Latvian low-cost airline in Krasnodar, Sochi, Yekaterinburg, Vladivostok, Anapa, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and in more than a dozen cities of our country.
- Germanwings - one of the leading discounters in Germany. Departures are made from Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, St. Petersburg and Samara.
- Air berlin - A traditional German airline company with the most affordable prices. Flights from Moscow, Kaliningrad, Volgograd, St. Petersburg, Perm, Sochi, Novosibirsk, Krasnodar and a number of other Russian cities.
- Flyubai - Asian representative of low-cost airlines in our country. Officially, this company is recognized as the most economical carrier. You can board a specified low-cost airline in cities such as Moscow, Volgograd, Mineralnye Vody, Kazan, Ufa, Rostov-on-Don, Samara and Yekaterinburg.
- Vueling airlines - Spanish low-cost airline, the leader of low-cost flights from Russia to Mediterranean resorts. It is represented only in 4 cities: Moscow, Kazan, Kaliningrad and St. Petersburg.
Russian low cost airlines
What is the situation with domestic airlines? Are there low-cost airlines in Russia that can compete with similar companies in Asia and Europe?
We have to admit: the first discounts of our country crashed and stopped working. Today, only one low-cost airline operates in Russia - Pobeda, an airline formed by the oldest domestic carrier Aeroflot.
Russian low-cost airline officially exists since 2014. Pobeda is an airline that provides several budget tariff plans and offers tickets starting at 1,500 rubles. The Russian low-cost airline carries out international flights from Moscow and direct flights within the country.
