What's the best budget airline in Europe? An honest review of EasyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air
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European budget airlines abound: Vueling, Iberojet, AeroItalia, and we all know nothing beats a Jet2 holiday. Their fares are shockingly low — a feat made possible by starting with super-low base fares and charging for every possible add-on, from bringing a carry-on bag to sitting next to your travel companion.
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British carrier EasyJet operates in more than 160 airports in 38 countries. After navigating the complex website that made booking a ticket feel like solving a riddle, I booked a one-way from London Gatwick to Berlin for C$155. It was costlier than many comparable EasyJet flights, but it was the best option for the day I needed to fly. The fare did not include any luggage. I'd read on the website that all passengers can bring one small under-seat cabin bag free, so I rolled the dice on how strict that policy could be.
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I could check in online, and I got through the airport without issue. But at the gate with my duffel bag and a purse, my prospects didn't look good. Each passenger's bag was examined before entering the waiting area, and I watched other travellers argue with gate agents over charges for their carry-ons being too large. I was hit with a C$89 fee for exceeding my allotment.
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The legroom in economy was decent, an entire hand's length between my knees (I'm 5-foot-4) and the seat back — better than my recent Norse experience — but I got lucky with a random upgrade to an emergency row with even more space to spare.
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Pros: Clean and professional.
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Cons: Overly complicated website.
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Ryanair
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Hands-down the most cutthroat social media account in the corporate world, Ryanair takes cheap flights to another level — like a Dublin-to-Frankfurt, round-trip (sans baggage) ticket for September for C$59. It's also the largest budget airline in Europe, with more than 3,600 flights daily to 37 countries.
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My one-way basic fare from Barcelona to Lisbon was C$107, which only included a personal item that must be small enough to fit under a seat. I decided to upgrade to a package including another cabin bag and priority boarding for C$37. Ryanair warns that passengers will be charged about C$137 at the gate for bringing an extra cabin bag or having one that won't fit in the bag sizer (about 15 x 7 x 9 inches) — and if you have a connecting flight, you'll have to pay that for each leg.
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Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The two sides said that the document made public Thursday was only 'a first step in a process that can be further expanded to cover additional areas.' They are dealing with the vast range of goods traded between the two economies in what is the largest bilateral trading relationship in the world, involving $2 trillion in annual transatlantic business. 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