When planning the budget for an upcoming trip, a considerable amount has to be set aside for the purchase of air tickets. However, most tourists dream of saving on travel costs in order to spend this money on pleasant experiences during the trip itself. Today, such an opportunity is provided by numerous carriers who offer to book a seat on board at very reasonable prices. Low-cost airlines from Poland are currently in great demand.
We decipher the term "low-cost"
Low-cost airlines are airlines that currently occupy a fairly large segment in the field of air transportation and attract services at reduced prices. The savings in flight costs are carried out due to the refusal of the service, which the passenger may well do without during the trip, and the decrease in the quality of service during the flight, which makes it possible not to include it in the ticket price at all.
For example, on board the aircraft of such a carrier, all drinks and food will necessarily be paid, and the staff will perform several functions at the same time.
In fact, for a low price list, carriers provide their customers with only one high-quality service - the flight itself.
Other features of low-cost airlines include:
- these airlines do not have their own ticket sales offices, and at the airports they do not have their own check-in counter for the flight;
- restriction on the weight of luggage (most often you can only take hand luggage up to 8 kg, sometimes up to 12 kg on board);
- a long queue at the counter where you have to check in before boarding the plane;
- high density of seats in the cabin, which creates some discomfort during the flight.
And although sometimes there are companies that try to lower the already cut service level, still most of the carriers try to adhere to certain standards even with low ticket prices.
Which Polish airports accept low-cost airlines
Most of the air ports that provide takeoff and landing for low-cost airlines are located near the Ukrainian and Belarusian borders. Residents of neighboring countries can get to them for no more than 20 euros by train or bus.
Let's name the 7 main cities, the ports of which accept low-cost airlines:
- Warsaw. The Polish capital has two air terminals: the name of Frederic Chopin (the main one, you can get there quickly and inexpensively by public transport) and Modlin (a regional one, a transfer to it will cost more and take more time, but you can fly away from it much cheaper).
The main thing to do after buying a ticket is to find out which of the two ports you got - Warsaw-Modlin Mazovia Airport or Warsaw Chopin Airport. Special transport runs to both points: trains from the train station to Chopin and a bus from the bus station to Modlin. From Warsaw you can always find great deals on flights to Rome, Milan, Paris, Oslo, Madrid, London and many other cities.
- Gdansk. It occupies a leading position in the air transportation market in Northern Europe. It is a serious competitor to the ports in Riga and Stockholm. It is one of the few places from which you can fly inexpensively to Iceland. From Gdansk it is profitable to buy tickets to Sweden, Denmark, and the Baltic countries.
- Lublin. The main flights from Lublin are planned to the UK, Norway, Sweden and Ireland. There is only one airport here - Svidnik. It is 10 km away from the city, and you can get there by a company bus for only 2.5 euros.
- Krakow. At its disposal is the country's second largest air port, which bears the name of John Paul II. You can get to it at any time of the day by train (there is a railway station near the airport) or by bus. The flight map is quite extensive: Sweden, Spain, Italy, Great Britain, Israel, Cyprus, France.
- Rzeszow. Despite the fact that this airport is located in the province, it has international status and also accepts low-cost flights. From here, low-cost airlines fly to Britain, Denmark, Ireland, Norway.
- Katowice. The services of this terminal are used not only by Poles, but also by Czechs. The airport has two terminals with a passenger traffic of 4 million people a year. Flights to Greece, Spain, Great Britain, Ireland are possible.
- Lodz. V. Reymont Airport is located just 6 km from the city center. Serves flights to the UK, Norway.
Famous low-cost airlines and their offers
The demand for the services of air carriers that offer tickets at budget prices is growing every year. This is due to the tendency to open borders between states in order to attract tourists, and the desire of the latter to visit the most different parts of the world. Thanks to low-cost airlines, this can be done quickly, cheaply and relatively comfortably.
When planning your trip, pay attention to the following companies:
Wizz air
Wizz Air is a Hungarian transport holding company that operates flights between European cities.
Flight map: Italy, Estonia, Sweden, France, Ukraine, Great Britain, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Iceland, Norway, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Switzerland, Iceland, Israel. Malta, Greece, Georgia.
Departures are carried out from Warsaw, Katowice, Gdansk, Lublin, Wroclaw, Poznan. You can buy a ticket to Stockholm from Wroclaw for only 9 euros. A flight to Oslo from Lublin will cost the same.
In 2021, the company was named the best in its industry by Air Transport World magazine. The carrier explains the affordable level of prices by the fact that it cooperates not only with large airports in Europe, but also with small regional ones, which set not so high tariffs for service.
You can buy cheap air tickets from Warsaw and other cities with an additional discount as a member of the company's discount club.
Its participants can get minus 10 euros for a ticket and 5 euros for luggage. For staying in the club, an annual fee of 29 euros is paid.
Food and drinks during the flight are charged separately. The cost of tickets for children under 2 years old is fixed at 27 euros, regardless of direction. Hand luggage is carried free of charge, the luggage limit is up to 32 kg (paid separately).
Ryanair
Ryanair is an Irish airline that works closely with 200 airports around the world and has 84 bases throughout Europe. Every day, the company's aircraft (Boeing 737) make almost 1,800 flights to 33 countries, providing services to about 100 million people a year.
The company entered the Polish market in 2005 and continues to develop successfully, improving the quality of service. Departures are possible from Warsaw, Lublin, Bydgoszcz, Krakow, Poznan, Gdansk, Szczecin, Katowice.
The most common ticket price for international flights is 10 euros. Inland, you can get from one city to another for only 2.5 euros. For children under 2 years old, the flight will cost 20 euros.
Unaccompanied by adults, a child will be able to travel only from the age of 16.
Food and drinks are not included in the ticket price. Hand luggage that you can take with you to the cabin must not exceed 10 kg. Limit on the weight of the main baggage - up to 32 kg (paid separately).
Easy jet
Easy Jet is one of the first low cost carriers in Europe. Today, the aircraft fleet consists of 250 aircraft, which fly to 150 leading airports in the world. The total number of routes reaches 800, connecting almost 30 European countries.
Only Polish Krakow offers passengers flights to 14 destinations: Venice, Lyon, Hamburg, Manchester, Paris, Naples, London and others.
You can buy tickets on the company's website.In this case, the traveler can not only choose the route, but also indicate the amount that he can spend on the flight. After analyzing all flights, the system will display possible cities to which you can fly with a designated budget.
Easy Jet's prices are quite capable of competing with other low-cost airlines. On average, the flight will cost 17 euros one way.
When booking a seat on board, you need to be extremely careful with entering personal data, since the correction of inaccuracies will cost about 60 euros. Children under 2 years old do not need a separate ticket, but such a trip will cost at least 25 euros.
Only hand luggage will be allowed free of charge. But the carrier does not limit its weight. The main thing is that the size of the bag or suitcase does not exceed 56 x 45 x 25 cm (including handles and wheels) per passenger. The rest of the baggage is subject to payment, its size must be 45 x 36 x 20 cm.
AirBerlin
AirBerlin is a German carrier that has been providing transportation services for over 40 years. The number of routes - 160. The number of countries - 40. The fleet consists of Airbus and Boeing aircraft, the age of which does not exceed 5 years.
The company cooperates with airports in Warsaw, Gdansk, Krakow. You can fly from Poland on board AirBerlin not only to a European country, but also to a number of countries around the world. The most popular long-term flights are carried out to the directions of Chicago, New York, Los Angeles. About 25 flights are planned daily from the Polish capital to Berlin.
The cost of the flight depends on the class and duration of the flight. A ticket Krakow - Berlin costs about 50 euros. But to New York you will have to pay 4-5 times more.
Children under 2 years of age travel free of charge with their own ticket and unpaid baggage. For all other passengers, carry-on baggage is carried free of charge, additional baggage is subject to tariffs.
LOT
LOT is a Polish carrier with 36 aircraft at its disposal. Domestic flights are operated by Embraer 170, 175, 195 and Boeing 737-400. International flights are operated by Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. The company is based in the Polish capital at Chopin Airport. By 2021, the LOT management plans to increase the passenger traffic up to 10 million people a year.
The cost of tickets depends on the flight distance and the class the passenger is traveling with. For example, a flight to London will cost 115-120 euros, to Georgia - 190 euros, to New York - about 600 euros in both directions. You can get from one Polish city to another for 25-30 euros one way.
Children under 2 years old will have to pay 10% of the cost of the flight, provided that they do not need a separate seat in the cabin. A ticket for children 2-11 years old can be bought with a 25% discount.
On routes that last no more than 6 hours, passengers will be offered free drinks and a light snack; on longer flights, they will have a full meal.
Both hand luggage and luggage are included in the ticket price. But their size is limited by class and range. For example, within Europe, you can take no more than 8 kg into the cabin, and on intercontinental flights it is allowed to carry up to 12 kg.
How to use the services of low-cost carriers
To find really cheap tickets and enjoy your flight, there are some rules to follow:
- all services that you want to receive additionally will have to be paid separately from the cost of the seat. If savings really matter, settle for what the carrier has to offer - otherwise the flight will cost significantly more;
- you should redeem tickets for a flight only when you are sure that the trip will take place exactly on these dates;
- all things that are of value to you are best placed in your carry-on baggage. Luggage is often difficult on these flights;
- you need to arrive at the check-in in advance, as the queue at the counter can be long. If you are flying with hand luggage only, check in online.
Those who use the services of low-cost airlines for the first time should remember that the ticket price will fully correspond to the quality of service, so you should not expect too much from the staff.
Outcomes
Flights on low-cost airlines have approximately the same ratio of "pluses" and "minuses".
| Advantages | disadvantages |
|---|---|
| low cost of tickets if you book them in advance; excellent condition of the aircraft fleet. Most often, companies use new aircraft with a service life of up to 3-5 years; the ability to make a purchase online at any time of the day; the aircraft personnel can provide any assistance, since on such flights they are prescribed multifunctionality. | paid snacks and drinks, while their choice will be significantly limited; a large number of passengers on board, which leads to rather uncomfortable seats; Cancellation of a ticket or transfer of departure to another day will always be paid; frequent problems with luggage - cases of its loss are not uncommon. |
