- BA better value when extras such as baggage and seat selection are added in
BA often beats budget rivals on price, according to a new study that turns assumptions on the cheapest way to fly on their head.
Experts at Which? have discovered that the low headline fares advertised by the likes of Ryanair and Wizz Air are not what they seem.
Once ‘sneaky fees’ covering things such as baggage and seat selection are taken into account, the likes of BA are better value.
The findings will dent the claims of Ryanair to be the ‘cheapest airline’ for flying between the UK and holiday hot spots in Europe.
Which? carried out a snapshot price analysis of three April 2024 routes for return trips from London airports to Malaga, Athens and Naples – returning a week later.
It assessed the fares charged by BA, easyJet, Jet2, Ryanair and Wizz Air based on the headline figure and then what people are likely to pay once fees for a cabin bag and seat selection are added.
Based on this scenario, BA was ultimately cheaper than both Ryanair and Wizz Air on two out of three routes.
Which? found that baggage and seat selection fees accounted for 49 per cent of the total ticket price with Wizz Air when averaged across the three routes.
These fees made up 27 per cent of the final cost with easyJet and 20 per cent with Ryanair.
The editor of Which? Travel, Rory Boland, said: ‘It’s easy to assume that budget airlines are always the cheapest option – but if you want to sit next to your kids or take more than a few items of clothes then you’ll increasingly find better prices elsewhere.’
Ryanair described the research as ‘fake news’. EasyJet said: ‘Our customers only pay for the extras they choose.’
