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Favourite/best airline for short haul?
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Whilst on a recent trip to Vienna, I ended up seated differently on the aircraft to my travelling companion. The chap I was sat next to and I then had a debate at 35,000 ft about which airline is best for short haul?
We were on a Jet2 flight, which we agreed seemed the best for baggage and not being as arsey over cms in size of hand luggage than the likes of Easyjet or Ryanair are, although jet2 are generally more expensive for a ticket on the same route. TUI was his airline of choice if your're doing a full package holiday (although I've done three jet2 package holidays and can't complain).
I like flying Jet2 and out of the other two mentioned would pick Easyjet if I had to. Never been on Wizz.
Which airline do you find best for short haul flights (eg within Europe?) |
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By *C44Man 9 weeks ago
Ipswich |
Ryanair by a long margin. If I'm flying less than 4 hours all I want is the cheapest possible seat on the bus. Living near Stansted also makes it a no brainer. They go everywhere from there. |
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By *C44Man 9 weeks ago
Ipswich |
"Ryanair/Wizz is the best for me. They're 90% as good for 50% of the price."
This is exactly the point. On a short haul flight, what can justify the extra? The other short hauls don't offer food. Everyone's cramming you in to the same 737. I'd rather save the money and enjoy it at my destination |
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We're using easyJet and Ryanair for this holiday. We travel with both around annually and the only problems have been external ones, e.g. weather related or strikes by air traffic control.
KLM are good for some routes if they have a sale on, but can be very expensive otherwise. Nice to travel with, mind.
Bear in mind I travel with easyJet and Ryanair as a wheelchair user and haven't had any issues whatsoever with them. In fact, the trip with easyJet the other day was my first experience of the crew providing an aisle chair, which enabled me to use the loo. Mr KC had to assist but still, the crew were fantastic. No complaints about either airline. |
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"Ryanair/Wizz is the best for me. They're 90% as good for 50% of the price.
This is exactly the point. On a short haul flight, what can justify the extra? The other short hauls don't offer food. Everyone's cramming you in to the same 737. I'd rather save the money and enjoy it at my destination"
I've flown with them all. I'd say Ryanair is the rawest. It's always cramped, no frills. The way I see it is like a bus, you get on, sit and get off. |
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"Ryanair/Wizz is the best for me. They're 90% as good for 50% of the price.
This is exactly the point. On a short haul flight, what can justify the extra? The other short hauls don't offer food. Everyone's cramming you in to the same 737. I'd rather save the money and enjoy it at my destination
I've flown with them all. I'd say Ryanair is the rawest. It's always cramped, no frills. The way I see it is like a bus, you get on, sit and get off."
I don't get what people expect on a short haul flight. If one wishes to sleep, you don't get long. None of the fancy airlines with beds are going to do Liverpool to Málaga and if it's a good time one wants, to quaff champagne and eat caviar, then you can buy champagne and snacks (not caviar, granted) on all short haul airlines and you can consume it sat on the same kind of plane, with a different colour seat, in close proximity to the people around you. Whether Ryanair, TUI or BA, the only difference is perhaps around cabin baggage but even then, there seems to be little material difference in what can be provided over the course of 2hrs 30mins. |
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"Ryanair/Wizz is the best for me. They're 90% as good for 50% of the price.
This is exactly the point. On a short haul flight, what can justify the extra? The other short hauls don't offer food. Everyone's cramming you in to the same 737. I'd rather save the money and enjoy it at my destination
I've flown with them all. I'd say Ryanair is the rawest. It's always cramped, no frills. The way I see it is like a bus, you get on, sit and get off.
I don't get what people expect on a short haul flight. If one wishes to sleep, you don't get long. None of the fancy airlines with beds are going to do Liverpool to Málaga and if it's a good time one wants, to quaff champagne and eat caviar, then you can buy champagne and snacks (not caviar, granted) on all short haul airlines and you can consume it sat on the same kind of plane, with a different colour seat, in close proximity to the people around you. Whether Ryanair, TUI or BA, the only difference is perhaps around cabin baggage but even then, there seems to be little material difference in what can be provided over the course of 2hrs 30mins."
The last company I flew with was easyJet and admittedly, it was a better experience than Ryanair. I think Ryanair squeezes an extra 12 seats in or something. Haha! |
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"Ryanair/Wizz is the best for me. They're 90% as good for 50% of the price.
This is exactly the point. On a short haul flight, what can justify the extra? The other short hauls don't offer food. Everyone's cramming you in to the same 737. I'd rather save the money and enjoy it at my destination
I've flown with them all. I'd say Ryanair is the rawest. It's always cramped, no frills. The way I see it is like a bus, you get on, sit and get off.
I don't get what people expect on a short haul flight. If one wishes to sleep, you don't get long. None of the fancy airlines with beds are going to do Liverpool to Málaga and if it's a good time one wants, to quaff champagne and eat caviar, then you can buy champagne and snacks (not caviar, granted) on all short haul airlines and you can consume it sat on the same kind of plane, with a different colour seat, in close proximity to the people around you. Whether Ryanair, TUI or BA, the only difference is perhaps around cabin baggage but even then, there seems to be little material difference in what can be provided over the course of 2hrs 30mins.
The last company I flew with was easyJet and admittedly, it was a better experience than Ryanair. I think Ryanair squeezes an extra 12 seats in or something. Haha!"
Possibly! My boarding experience is in the hands of the airport assistance team and the Ambu-lift operators, so nothing to do with the airline at all. I cause delays to most of them, quite outside my control unfortunately! |
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By *ripfillMan 9 weeks ago
Paris, New York, Hong Kong and Havant |
I use “ Squeezy jet” 🛩️ quite a lot from Gatwick which is easy from Havant via train. It’s fine if it goes ok …and it’s for flights under 3 hrs
Cyprus is hard 4 hrs plus …
But if there is an admin problem then frankly it’s easier to slash your wrists 😬🤪
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KLM , Noweigen, Air France , Air Malta, often as cheap as Ryan Air and 1000x better, meal and proper 7-12Kg multiple item hand luggage.
The only one I would avoid is Pegassus/Turkish air. They are a bit like Ryanair and with air with the luggage and food.
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" Whether Ryanair, TUI or BA, the only difference is perhaps around cabin baggage but even then, there seems to be little material difference in what can be provided over the course of 2hrs 30mins."
I don’t agree. I do shit loads of flights and every time I end up on Ryanair always there it’s an awful experience.
Even on a three hour flight, it’s nice to get a meal and couple of free drinks. Yes you can buy it on Ryanair. It will cost you the equivalent of £30 each way to match what you get for free on KLM so that immediately makes the ticket price more expensive than KLM. Then add on another £50 each way for taking hand luggage and they’ve gone from being the cheapest the most expensive option.
That’s before you consider things like seat size & comfort, charging points Wi-Fi and depending on the plane model , free movies, of which you get known on any of the Ryanair flights
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"I use “ Squeezy jet” 🛩️ quite a lot from Gatwick which is easy from Havant via train. It’s fine if it goes ok …and it’s for flights under 3 hrs
Cyprus is hard 4 hrs plus …
But if there is an admin problem then frankly it’s easier to slash your wrists 😬🤪
"
Canary Islands 4.5hr by easyJet was fine for us both on Friday. Mr KC is 6ft 4in and was fine in the regular seats. We are banned from the row over the wing near the exits because of my mobility impairments.
The crew brought out the folding aisle chair for my use to the loo, apparently the first time that crew had used it. The crew were kind, compassionate and listened carefully as to how they could help. They maintained my dignity (couldn't close the toilet door) and were firm with other passengers who refused to move out of the way. We couldn't fault them, the airline or anything about the journey at all.
The minor hitch was caused at the origin airport by someone leaving a door open, meaning assistance staff could not open a different door to bring the mobility assistance passengers down to the aircraft. |
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" Whether Ryanair, TUI or BA, the only difference is perhaps around cabin baggage but even then, there seems to be little material difference in what can be provided over the course of 2hrs 30mins.
I don’t agree. I do shit loads of flights and every time I end up on Ryanair always there it’s an awful experience.
Even on a three hour flight, it’s nice to get a meal and couple of free drinks. Yes you can buy it on Ryanair. It will cost you the equivalent of £30 each way to match what you get for free on KLM so that immediately makes the ticket price more expensive than KLM. Then add on another £50 each way for taking hand luggage and they’ve gone from being the cheapest the most expensive option.
That’s before you consider things like seat size & comfort, charging points Wi-Fi and depending on the plane model , free movies, of which you get known on any of the Ryanair flights
"
We get free seat reservations and free additional luggage items for having the disability stuff, so sometimes, there are bonuses. Downside - I am only allowed to sit on the rows at the back and unless Mr KC makes a separate booking and chooses the extra leg room, he is stuck with me in those seats. He chooses me every time. |
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We use Ryanair from London Luton when flying to Gran Canaria in October.
Our flights this year came to £345 in total for two people. And that's return.
It also included priority boarding where you choose your seats. Along with 2x 10kg cabin bags and 2x small backpacks.
We booked Gran Canaria again for next year in 2025 and it came to £440. So that's only a £100 increase from last year, inflation most likely.
This time we paid for the extra legroom as Ryanair flights are always a squeeze. We are both over 6ft so it is needed! So £485 this time.
4 hour 25 minute flight. Can't complain at those prices 👏
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If at all possible we try to use the flag carrier for the country, does seem to make a difference. You can usually get business class and sometimes it's not a massive cost to upgrade. For example we used Turkish airlines to Istanbul and got business class for 200 more than standard. Massive luggage allowance too. Clearly not as cheap as the budget airlines but the difference in cost for flights at a reasonable time often isn't unbearable |
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By *ornycougaWoman 9 weeks ago
MADERIA Wherever I lay my hat |
"If at all possible we try to use the flag carrier for the country, does seem to make a difference. You can usually get business class and sometimes it's not a massive cost to upgrade. For example we used Turkish airlines to Istanbul and got business class for 200 more than standard. Massive luggage allowance too. Clearly not as cheap as the budget airlines but the difference in cost for flights at a reasonable time often isn't unbearable "
Does that include BA? I have both had, and heard about, bad experiences (lost luggage, cancelled flights etc) with that carrier. Some such as Air Asia and Wideroe are great imho but in this country my go to is Ryanair. They get a lot of bad press but if you travel light and aren't bothered where you sit as its only short haul I would recommend them. I've flown with them hundreds of times and only once had an issue which was actually down to French air traffic control - not the airline. |
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The best airline for short haul was British Midland (RIP)
Most carriers these days are much of a muchness
I've heard good things about Jet2 but only flown with them once
Easyjet have been my carrier of choice when balancing the different packages - plus they were spot on in both remedying the situation and paying out compensation quickly and without a battle when things went wrong
That goes a long way with me
Service should be based on how they act when it goes wrong as opposed to when it's all going right |
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