60 Living Spain SPRING 2010

A recent survey by cheap flight search engine Skyscanner showed that Spain is the most desirable destination from UK airports in 2010. For the thousands

of people who travel between the two countries, the flight experience is an important part of the overall trip. However, service levels vary between airlines and, in particular, parents flying with young children will find the good, the bad and the just plain ugly. From the booking system adding ‘hidden extras’ to boarding practices that make your blood boil, choosing your airline unwisely can spoil your family’s enjoyment of the flight and waste money.

In trying to identify which airlines operating between English and Spanish airports are the most family-friendly and which add the least hidden charges to the price of a flight, we examined seven popular airlines: Monarch, Ryanair, Flybe, Jet2, Easyjet, Thomsonfly and Aer Lingus. For the purpose of our research, we assumed that we bought a return flight between England and Spain departing on Saturday 20th February 2010, and returning on Saturday 27th February. One adult, one child aged under 16 and one infant aged under two were flying together. Where choice existed, the cheapest flight of the day was selected. Two bags were carried as hold luggage (one by the adult, one by the child), along

with one pushchair and one baby car seat. We did not require travel insurance or seat selection. The flight was bought on a Visa credit card.

Hidden extras minefieldAlthough airlines frequently advertise cut-price seats, which may cost £0.00, £14.99 or similar, the bargains may look less enticing once taxes and fees have been added.

Of the seven airlines, Ryanair added the most hidden charges. The price of our flight for one adult, one child and one infant started as £119.96, based around fares of £14.99 outbound and £19.99 inbound and an infant charge of £20 each way (yes, more than the stated adult fare). By checkout stage, the fare had reached £219.96: a whopping 45.5 per cent increase. As part of this cost, a £20 ‘booking fee’ was added, £10 for web check-in, £60 for our two 15kg bags (ouch!) and £20 for carrying the baby car seat. Jet2 added 33.2 per cent to its original fare, Monarch 23.5 per cent – although it offered the cheapest fare overall – and Easyjet 15.6 per cent. Best of the bunch for price transparency were Flybe adding 12.5 per cent, Thomsonfly 12.4 per cent, and Aer Lingus adding a mere 12 per cent, despite being 24.9 per cent owned by Ryanair.

Of the seven carriers, four (Monarch, Ryanair, Jet2 and Easyjet) add travel insurance to the

booking as a default option: the passenger has to remove it so it doesn’t appear at checkout stage. Manual removal, usually requiring the use of drop-down menus and tick boxes, could potentially confuse some customers. Monarch Airlines says, “It’s good practice for all customers to take out a travel insurance policy – we use the opted-in method to encourage this and make the purchase process as simple as possible”, but Bruce Treloar of Trading Standards points out that Air Services Regulations require the consumer to tick an empty box if they want to buy an add-on service, rather than removing a tick from a filled-in box – a rule not currently enforced.

As for hidden charges, Treloar says, “Where a price is advertised for a flight, it should include the non-optional extra charges such as taxes and fees. Otherwise, it’s breaching the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, which confirm that all pricing must be included. The Office of Fair Trading says some airlines aren’t compliant, and it intends to take action.”

Stephen McNamara, Ryanair’s head of communications, defends the way his airline charges for flights. He says, “Breaking down the cost of a fare to its most basic element – the cost of the seat – allows passengers to ensure that they only pay for what they use. Ryanair passengers

Jo ChipChaSe investigates which low-cost airlines offer family-friendly flights to Spain, and how to avoid hidden charges.

ADVICE Low-cost airlines

SPRING 2010 Living Spain 61

aren’t asked to subsidise those who want to bring hold baggage or who enjoy tasteless airline food.”

However, foil-wrapped catering food aside, this view is unlikely to appease passengers who arrive at Ryanair’s check-in desk minus their boarding card and must pay £40 each for a ‘lost boarding card replacement’.

Baggage limitsWhen flying with any airline, the baggage allowance is an obvious bugbear if your family has packed the kitchen sink along with the sun cream. Most carriers charge between £10 and £15 per ‘sector’ (ie per one way flight) for a hold bag. Monarch is generous with its baggage allowance, charging from £9.99 per sector for 20kg and with a handy 10kg allowance for infants. Thomsonfly charges from £6.50 per sector for 20kg and offers a 10kg infant baggage allowance but the hand baggage allowance is just 5kg. Jet2 charges £11.99 for 22kg but has no infant allowance. Easyjet charges a reasonable £9 per sector for 20kg. The most expensive is Ryanair, who weighs in at £15 per sector for just 15kg. If you exceed the baggage allowance, beware: Ryanair will charge an extra £20 per kilogram for your over-packing, compared to £9 at Monarch and £10 at Jet2.

Boarding Blues andseat selection stressesFor parents travelling with small children, the airline’s boarding and seat allocation practices can dictate whether your family must jostle with the other passengers. Although some carriers board elderly and disabled passengers first while hot-and-bothered Mum with her over-excited infants must wait her turn with the able-bodied adults, some carriers take a more enlightened view. Easyjet and Aer Lingus offer pre-boarding to parents with young children. Samantha Day of Easyjet says, “Families with children under three are able to board before the other passengers but after the Speedy Boarders. Families with older children can purchase the Speedy Boarding product, which enables them to be amongst the first to board and choose where they sit.”

While carriers such as Monarch and Jet2 pre-allocate seats – or you can select a seat online for a small fee – others, such as Easyjet and Ryanair, allow passengers to bag their own seats onboard on a ‘free-for-all’ basis. Leah Roswell of Monarch points out that thanks to pre-allocation, parents can avoid the last minute skirmish.

However, Vicky Bates, a mum of two who travels between Andalucía and East Sussex, says, “The free-for-all system can actually be easier for a solo parent. There’s a better chance of claiming enough space for your baby to wriggle around without spilling other passengers’ drinks into their laps. On an Easyjet flight, when I was juggling my two infants and couldn’t find seats, I was impressed that the stewards went on to the PA system and told the passengers ‘the plane won’t leave the tarmac until someone moves and lets this family sit down’. On other flights where seats were pre-

allocated, I ended up sardined, pregnant, into a small space with my little boy cramped on top of me, until I asked to be moved.”

She adds, “If you’re travelling solo with under-twos, my advice is to ask for the spare row. Almost every flight retains one and a sympathetic steward can often be persuaded to let you occupy it – if only to keep your boisterous infants away from other passengers.”

While most airlines let under-twos sit in their own seat – except for take-off and landing, where they must be strapped to their parent in a safety harness – Ryanair dictates that infants must travel in their parent’s lap at all times. This is worth remembering if you’d rather not spend three hours with baby squirming on top of you. Monarch is helpful about infants occupying their own seat and provides a Travel Cares Harness for those aged one-plus.

BaBy and toddler on BoardAlthough UK Health and Safety laws widely ban airline staff from holding baby, in case they drop her and Mum sues them for damages, the amount of TLC given to young families differs between carriers.

Vicky Bates says, “I was once told off by a stewardess when I was five months pregnant and struggling with my infant and a laptop vital for my work. She said I shouldn’t have brought hand luggage I couldn’t manage and snarled, ‘how pregnant are you anyway’. Fortunately, another stewardess helped me with the laptop. On another occasion, my two little boys fell asleep on an evening flight. I couldn’t physically carry them through to baggage reclaim so we were eventually carted off with the disabled passengers. Sometimes, the Health and Safety rules breach common sense and there’s no proper help if you’re struggling.”

However, some airlines have more helpful policies. Leah Roswell of Monarch says, “Monarch cabin crew will do everything possible to assist parents travelling with young children and would ask that parents speak to the crew if they require any assistance. For example, if a single parent needs to take one of their children to the on-board toilet, a member of cabin crew would sit with the other child.”

Linda Crowe of Aer Lingus says, “Cabin crew members are trained to be proactive in their interaction with children and are ready to provide assistance.” Aer Lingus was recently awarded the ‘Most Recommended Airline for Travelling with

Babies’ at the Holiday Extra’s Customers’ Awards which polled 18,000 UK Holiday Extra customers.

On board, some airlines offer better facilities for children than others. Monarch and Thomsonfly both provide bottle and baby food warming facilities, while Monarch hands out free kids’ colouring packs to occupy young flyers. Easyjet, Jet2, Aer Lingus and Thomsonfly sell small toys and gifts that provide welcome distractions for little hands.

customer service: we Have lift off?Despite the family-focused efforts of some carriers, it seems that the UK airline sector could pull up its socks. The ‘2009 Family Brands Survey’ – commissioned by advertising agency Isobel in association with YouGov – placed the airline sector bottom of all sectors for family-friendliness. And the survey was bad news for Ryanair, which was voted the UK’s least family-friendly brand overall with particular black marks for social responsibility and not caring or listening.

Steve Hastings, planning partner of Isobel, comments, “The airline sector is a superb example of the perils of rising consumer expectations. We want low-cost air travel but find it hard to give up the sensitivity, responsiveness and family-friendly consumer choice that belongs to high-cost travel. We conveniently forget that taxes take over 50 per cent of the cost of many air fares and are disappointed with a no-frills, no-service service.”

To avoid no-frills turning into unwanted spills, passengers should inform themselves of any potential hidden charges before they reach the airport. And it’s best to avoid choosing an airline that targets single budget travellers with minimal luggage requirements if you’ve got toddlers and heavy luggage in tow and need special help.

All prices quoted here were correct on 3rd December 2009, and should not be used as a basis for booking flights.

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Our recommendations…Best for overall price: Monarch, RyanairBest for avoiding hidden extras: Aer Lingus, Thomsonfly, FlybeBest for baggage allowance: Monarch, ThomsonflyBest for helping parents onboard: Monarch, Aer LingusBest for boarding young families: Easyjetworst for hidden charges: Ryanair

62 Living Spain SPRING 2010

ADVICE Low-cost airlines

monarch London £162.66 £212.75 30.8% 23.5% Minimum £9.99- £9 £15per None Yes It’snecessary Flight 10pper No Notpolicy Colouring Gatwick feesof £15.99per sector. toavoid change: minute. butask packs toMalaga £5.49for 20kgbag seatselection £27.50per ifyouhave with creditcards. ifbooked manuallyif sectorif aspecial pencils. £2.49for online,£18 youdon’t booked need. Baby usingPayPal ifbooked wanttopay online, bottle& anddebit viathecall tochoose £40if food cards. centreorat yourseat. bookedvia warming. theairport. thecall Baby Infantshave centre. changing. theirown Name Travel 10kg change: harness allowance. £27.50per forbabies sector. aged1+ intheir ownseat.

ryanair London £119.96 £219.96 83.3% 45.5% An‘admin £15per £20 £20per 1pushchair Yes Online Flight 10pper Priority No Stansted fee’of£5per bagifbooked sector. isfree.£10 check-in£5 change: minute& boarding£4 toMalaga passenger online,£35 perbaby persectorif £27.50per £1per persector persector ifbooked seatorcot booked sectoronline, minute. online,£5 isadded, viathecall ifbooked online,£10 £40ifvia viathecall unlessan centreorat online,£20 ifbookedvia callcentreor centreorat Electroncard airport.15kg ifbookedvia callcentreor atairport. airport. orMasterCard allowance. callcentreor atairport. Name PrePaid atairport. Lostboarding change: isused. card£40. £100/£150

flybe Southampton £391.39 £447.35 14.3% 12.5% Bookingfee £13per £10forthe Approx.£13 Free–you No £10per Flight 10pminute No No Babybottles toMalaga £2perperson sector,20kg first3kg, -£15per areallowed sectorfor change: tocall canbe persector. allowance. £15forthe sector. onecarseat replacement £25ifdone centrebut warmed. Minbooking next4-6kg andone boarding online,£30 but£1per fee£2.49. and£20for pushchair. cardifyou ifviathe minute Creditcard everykg haven’t callcentre. appliesfor fee£2per above6. printedone Name certain personper athome change: enquiries. sector.Min (notalways £30 fee£3.01 enforced). perbooking. Electroncard nocharge.

Jet2 Leeds £230.96 £345.93 49.8% 33.2% Bookingfee £11.99per £10 £15per None Yes Online £27.50per 50pper Flightscanbe Yes, Snacksand Bradfordto 3.5%,min sectorif sector. (pushchairs check-incosts sectorfor minute upgradedto “depending giftsto Alicante chargeof booked notto £3persector. nameor unlessfor Jet2plusfor onlocal entertain £2.99on online,22kg exeed10kg) flightchange. booking £29.99per conditions”. littleones debitcards, allowance. amends. personper areavailable Solo&Visa Noinfant sector.This topurchase. Electronare allowance. includes freetouse. priority Creditcards boarding. havea3.5% Infantseats fee,mincharge arepre- of£4.99,plus allocated. afeeof2.25%.

easyjet London £252.76 £299.48 18.5% 15.6% Debitcards £9persector £10 £12.50per None Yes Itwas £25ifdone 10pper Yes,after Snacks,gifts, Gatwickto £3.50;credit ifbooked sector. necessaryto online, minute. theSpeedy toysetcare Malaga cards£10.72; online,£18 removethe £37.50ifvia Boardersbut availableto VisaElectron persectorif defaultoption callcentreor beforethe purchase. free. bookedat ofmealsfrom airport. other airport,20kg thebooking. passengers. allowance.

thomsonfly Birmingham £281.96 £321.81 14.1% 12.4% Electron From£6.50 £15per None No Flight 10pper Yes,where Ifa Somegifts toAlicante free;Maestro persector,20kg sector. change: £15 minute possible, customer &activity andVisa allowance. Name (whenwe afterany hasa packssold Delta£2.95; Infantshave change: £25 calledthere passengers special onboard. MasterCard a10kg was15min whohave need. Babybottle andVisa2.5%. allowance. queue). booked warming. Handluggage assistance. Baby hasa5kg changing allowance. table.

aer lingus London £293.18 £333.18 13.6% 12% £5‘handling £10per £6 £19per None No Flight 10pper Yes,pre- Yes Children’s Gatwick fee’per sector. sector. change: minute. boardingis toysand toMalaga passenger £30ifdone offeredto gamesare persector online,£40 thoseflying available (exinfants), viacallcentre. withinfants. topurchase. regardlessof Name cardtype. change: £80

Carrier Route tested

price quoted at start of booking system (including seat and taxes)

Final price at checkout*

gain in fare from original price in per cent

proportion of fare that is extra charges added during booking

Fee for paying by credit or debit card

hold baggage cost andallowance per passenger per sector

excess baggage feeper kg

infant fee Cost for carrying baby car seats and buggies

is travel insurance a default option in the booking cart?

any other extras?

Flight and name change fees

Cost of phoning the call centre

priority boarding for parents with infants?

Can baby’s buggy be obtained at the gate upon landing?

onboardfacilities for babies and children

* We are buying a return flight departing on Sat 20th February 2010 and returning on 27th February. Where a choice existed, the cheapest flight of the day was selected. One adult, one child and one infant (aged under two) are travelling together. Two bags were carried as hold luggage (one by the adult, one by the child). One pushchair and one baby car seat to be carried. No travel insur-ance. No seat selection. Flight paid on a Visa credit card. Prices correct on 3rd December, 2009.

aiRLine cOmPARISON tAbLe