For a few weeks we have been witnessing the numerous incidents that occurred on planes of the low-cost airline par excellence. Mechanical problems, lack of fuel, in some cases resulting in minor injuries at various Spanish airports. The alarm has gone off and the debate on the safety of low cost flights has been reopened. Are low cost carriers safe? Do they offer us cheap flights at the expense of our security?
Cheap flights
Through insistent advertising campaigns, companies offer us flights at truly incredible prices. Undoubtedly, the introduction of these low-cost airlines meant the democratization of air travel and, therefore, of vacations. The success of these companies is unstoppable despite the suspicious eyes they continually attract and despite the accusations they receive from traditional airlines of cutting costs at the expense of traveler safety. Indeed, all users have ever wondered what this price difference is due to.
In the first place, low cost companies operate in secondary airports, which considerably reduces expenses. These companies usually offer non-stop routes, which means that their crew always returns to the base and overnight stays are saved. This issue of low-cost company personnel is one of the most debated, assuming that they have more unstable working conditions than in a traditional company and with marathon work days that border on the healthy and legal limits.
Expenses are also reduced in services to travelers, with less space between seats, they do not offer meals or press to travelers and in most airports they do not have customer service offices.
Is it worth a low cost flight?
Despite the latest incidents, users are reassured by ensuring that no company operates without the legally established minimum security standards. Therefore, in terms of security we should be calm. However, the continuous complaint by traditional companies that these low cost airlines operate on the limit of legality does not stop causing us some uneasiness.
The truth is that many times it is not worth it for us to buy a low cost flight and yet, we opt for it because of the aggressive advertising. The next time you are considering a flight, look at how the initial price that has caught your attention varies, how expenses, baggage, fuel, taxes are added, depending on the day you choose to fly… To these additional expenses you have to add the costs of the transfer from the airport, which is usually quite far from the chosen destination and, depending on the time of arrival, you may have to resort to a taxi because there is no public transport. And if on the way back you have gone too far with the purchases and you have to invoice, the most likely thing is that the flight will cost you the same price as in a traditional company. Goodbye to the initial bargain. The truth is that the bargains of these flights are only caught by professional low-cost travelers, those who have full availability of dates to avoid traveling on key days and peak hours and who spend as little time in the destination city as possible. your hand luggage.