Making Sense of Budget Airlines

by Iva Skoch on

Everyone talks about how great (or terrible, depending on who you ask) the budget airlines are but who has the time to figure out who flies where? Only in Europe there were about 200 budget airlines at one point–EasyJet, RyanAir, SkyEurope, GermanWings…–every country now appears to have a few.

I was just searching for some good deals on flights from Prague to Portugal and my friend suggested I try www.whichbudget.com, a site designed to help you determine which airlines fly to a particular destination. It is not limited to Europe, either. They cover 125 countries. Very helpful, I think.

So, I was able to find that Smartwings.net flies cheaply from Prague to Faro, Portugal but they don’t fly the dates I need to fly. Gotta love budget airlines! It seems they are only worth it if you are completely flexible.

(Although last week, I booked a ticket from Prague to Athens on Skyeurope.com for $40 one-way. So I shouldn’t be complaining too much.)

10 tips for smarter flying


Booking a Flight from New York to San Francisco Online. But Where Online?

by Iva Skoch on

I used to be a big fan of buying tickets on travel websites such as Expedia.com, Travelocity.com, Orbitz.com but lately, I found that it is often cheaper to buy them directly through the airlines’s websites. Have we come a full circle?

I picked a random date–a long weekend Sept.13-17 from New York to San Francisco–to see what rates would come back.

A sample of a few direct flights:

  • United: $303 on Expedia, $298 on United.com
  • Continental: $357 on Expedia, $352 on Continental.com
  • Delta: $303 on Expedia, $358 on Delta.com
  • Alaska: $343 on Expedia, $498 on Alaskaair.com (hello!)

OK, so it’s a mixed bag. I have to say though that I have yet to find a flight that is cheaper on Expedia or Travelocity than it is on Continental.com. Their website is really good, I think. It is comforting to know that airlines are starting to understand how to use the Internet to their–and our–advantage.

I now use kayak.com to see the best rates and then book directly on the airlines’ sites. Plus, I get extra miles for booking online. Expedia, be worried!

What to do When Your Flight is Delayed

by Catherine Bodry on

Flight delays are making headlines these days. If you’re traveling, chances are you’ll arrive at the airport 2 hours ahead of your flight like you’ve been told to do, only to find out you’ve got to wait even longer.

So, what to do if you’re delayed? Me, I head to the bar with People magazine and maybe an Oprah’s Book Club book. Traveling, and that includes flying, is my relaxing time, so I indulge with celebrity magazines and an easy read. Sometimes I walk the airport, trying to fit in some exercise before a long flight, or stretch out somewhere and take a snooze.

But according to a report from msnbc.com, there’s now more to airports than Hudson News, sports bars, and duty-free shops. Listening to live music tops the list of activities, with several airports offering up to four (four!) stages. Other airports are opening galleries (called “artports”) where travelers can peruse fine art away from the crowds. Finally, several airports are touting their proximity to outdoor amenities including hiking and biking trails, while El Paso International Airport recently opened its own golf course.

If air travel continues in this manner, I just might be tempted to throw down my celebrity gossip and arrive 4 hours before my flight to enjoy the finer sides of culture.

New Airline in Iraq Bans Iraqis

by Justin Glow on

There’s a brand new airline in Iraq fittingly called ExPat Airways, and aside from limiting food and alcohol on the flight, they’re also banning citizens of Iraq, among other countries.

According to ABC News, “Expat Airways said it is only accepting U.S. and Western citizens on its flights as it tries to capitalize on the thousands of U.S. contractors traveling in and out of the Iraqi capital each month.” This is the first airline to restrict passengers based on nationality. Also barred from boarding are Indians, Pakistanis, and people from other non-Western countries, according to the Seattle Times.

The only route runs from Amman, Jordan to Baghdad, Iraq, and costs a whopping $450 each way. [via]

Skybus: Planning for the Return Trip

by Jamie Rhein on

It’s Sunday and on Thursday we’re taking Skybus back to Columbus from Seattle. Since we’re still in Philipsburg, Montana, it hasn’t quite sunk in that we have a bit of a trip to get to the airport. After a couple of days of debating whether we should cough up the extra $40 for the four of us (me, husband and two kids) to have priority boarding I pulled out the credit card and now we are all in Group 1. Perhaps, this $40 spent is a waste of money because, perhaps, my husband could get an aisle seat and my son could get the seat next to him without it. My husband is not a small guy, so he needs the space. My son, who is five, is a smaller guy so the two of them together make a seats together combo.

My daughter and I could sit any where, but because I booked us all together, I can’t split us up for this priority boarding deal. I suppose Skybus doesn’t want folks to get clever and have one person priority board and save seats for the rest of the gang. Rats!

Now that we’ve paid the $40, this allows us to head to the airport in Bellingham, Washington, return our rental car, and check in without worrying if we’ll have a hassle getting on the plane. If it were just my husband and me, it would be a different story. Friends of ours are taking the same flight we are but a day later. I told them to not worry about priority boarding and since they are going to be having only carry ons, there won’t be any problems there either.

So, for any of you who are booking a Skybus ticket or thinking about it–priority boarding does offer some peace of mind since the flights leave early and with airport security being enough of a hassle, at least you’ve smoothed out some of the journey. Also, if you’re not sure if you can check-in on line starting 24 hours before the trip, if you’ve paid for priority boarding, you won’t really have to worry much about ending up in Group 3–the last group to board. BUT, make sure you get to the airport early enough to check your bags and check-in. If you’re not checked in 30 minutes before your flight, you’ll lose your spot AND with the way bags are not making it to their destinations this summer, the more time your bag has to make it on your airplane, the better.

I’m looking forward to seeing this view from the plane. Marada took this shot of the plane, I would guess, when it was taking off from Bellingham and then posted it on Flickr.