T r a V e l
TEXT BY HEaTHEr ann Cosimo
PHoToGraPHs From sTriPEs FiLE
welcOMeTOeUrOpe
7
Budget ABudget AFLYING & FINDING
Extra fees for checked
baggage, price tags on
tap water, long check-
in lines and minimal
food options can put a
damper on any type of
travel excursion. Add on
the overpriced tickets, taxes
and notorious delays and even
the most ambitious frequent fliers can be
discouraged to take to the skies. Luckily,
there is a sunny outlook for the travel weary
set in the form of Budget Airlines.
Flying used to be a pleasure. I actually
enjoyed the adventure of going to the air-
port and people watching. I have lovely
memories of mostly on-time
flights, upgrades and
helpful custom-
er service.
Buck ling
up for
t a ke -
o f f
meant I would soon be munching on com-
plimentary peanuts, throwing back a bever-
age of choice and inhaling a hot meal.
Now I arrive hours in advance, armed for
battle in case my seat was double booked.
I do not feel the same serenity. Checking
in I find myself on the defensive. People-
watching has become necessary to fight off
people gunning for my spot in line. Instead
of appropriately standing behind me, fellow
travelers like to stand next to me invading
my personal space, ready to cut ahead when
I am not looking. Onboard, I am surprised I
don't have to pay for a seatbelt before buck-
ling up. I get dehydrated quickly because
all of my fluids
w e r e
confiscated at security. And the peanuts are
now extinct.
To avoid paying more for less, explore
the world of budget airlines. There
are greater possibilities of flying
without spending an entire life sav-
ings. Of course, paying less also
means I must expect what I am
paying for...next to nothing. No
frills, no free meals, just a seat
and prayer for a safe landing.
At least the seatbelt is still
included.
Booking budget fares is
common practice in Europe.
My husband and I flew on
Ryan Air from Frankfurt to Budapest for
30 Euros total. I discovered the deal in my
inbox. The weekly Ryan Air newsletter was
promoting flights for 5 Euro, including
taxes. The additional fees tacked on
were for check-in fees.
The beauty of budget travel
is the low cost and get you to
where you need to go mentally.
High expectations shouldn't
be placed on how you get
somewhere, especially if
you are traveling on a bud-
get airline. When looking
for affordable fares, there
are many options to con-
sider that won't be a bud-
get breaker. The number
fluctuates, but there are
currently over 60 bud-
get airlines operating
in Europe. Ryan Air and
easyJet are the two most
popular and well-known
budget carriers.
Flying onto the radar in
1985, Ryan Air now
covers 450 routes
and connects you
to 142 European des-
tinations. Offering
rock bottom rates
and frequent sales,
most of their 27 hubs
are situated outside
of the main city limits.
T r a V e l
welcOMeTOeUrOpe
7
Budget ABudget AFLYING & FINDING

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