Are you tired of booking what seems like a cheap flight, only to be hit with a barrage of additional fees that quadruple the cost? Well, you’re not alone. A recent study by UK consumer researchers Which? has shed light on the hidden costs of flying with budget airlines, revealing that cabin bag and seat selection fees can significantly inflate the price of your ticket.
According to the study, selecting add-ons with airlines like Wizz Air, Ryanair, and easyJet can more than double or even quadruple the initial advertised fare. For example, when booking a return flight from London Luton to Lyon with Wizz Air, the advertised price of £29 per person skyrocketed to £124 per person when opting for the ‚Wizz Smart‘ fare, which includes a 10kg bag, a standard seat, and priority boarding. This means that 77% of the final price was made up of additional fees.
Similarly, Ryanair and easyJet were found to have similar pricing tactics, with around half of the final fare being composed of add-on charges. For instance, a journey from London Stansted to Nantes with Ryanair was listed at £33, but selecting a ‚Regular‘ fare bumped the price up to £84, more than doubling the cost. EasyJet also saw a significant increase in price when adding on extras, such as seat selection, a cabin bag, and priority boarding.
These sneaky ‚drip pricing‘ tactics can add hundreds of pounds to a family holiday, prompting Which? to call for a ban on charging parents to sit next to their children on flights. While some airlines claim they will do their best to seat families together, there is no guarantee, leading many travelers to pay extra to ensure their family can sit together.
Rocio Concha, Which? director of policy and advocacy, emphasized the need for transparency in pricing, stating, “Which? is calling on the government to ensure that additional fees for add-ons like seat selection and luggage are made clear at the very start of the booking process, to ensure travelers can easily compare the final price they’ll pay with different airlines.”
In response to these findings, airlines like Wizz Air, easyJet, and Ryanair defended their pricing strategies, arguing that optional add-ons provide customers with choice and flexibility. They also highlighted that many passengers choose to fly without extras, saving money each time they travel.
As the UK government prepares to implement the Digital Markets, Competing and Consumers Act 2024 in April 2025, travelers can hope for more transparency in airline pricing. In the meantime, it’s essential to be aware of potential hidden fees and carefully consider which add-ons are worth the extra cost when booking a flight.
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