‘Divide and conquer’: How to beat airlines’ outrageous extra baggage charges – ‘adds up’
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Once loved for incredible discount tickets and hand luggage solutions, once cheap and cheerful airlines have become a source of woe for travellers. While a ticket might be advertised at low prices, put upon holidaymakers find they are charged through the nose for taking luggage on a budget flight or are forced to pay to sit next to family members. Ellie is the money mastermind behind This Girl Talks Money. She is a money saving expert, a financial writer, speaker and educator and host of Money Unfiltered.
She recently told Express.co.uk readers how they can beat the extra costs added to flights by budget airlines.
Ellie put her mind to some solutions aimed at taking the sting out of these additional fees.
She told readers: “Look out for those added extras you now regularly have to pay for at checkout.
“Lots of airlines charge for baggage, so rather than every guest paying for their own suitcases, divide and conquer the weekend packing and spread the cost of a case between a group of you.”
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She also had a clever tip to save on toiletries. She said: “Each person can take responsibility for specific items too and you’ll avoid spending unnecessary extra cash on miniature toiletries at the airport.
“It all adds up and especially if you’re heading to several stags or hens this year. Small steps can make all the difference to your bank balance.”
Ellie had a number of other suggestions for travellers, including booking in good time, booking in bulk and taking advantage of rewards schemes.
She said: “If you’re travelling abroad by train or plane, book in advance.
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“More often than not, cheaper travel is available with time to spare, especially when you have no flexibility about dates and destinations.
“For UK trips, if you’re driving to a destination then team up with other guests and split the costs of petrol and parking between you – a quarter of the cost is better than paying in full.”
Stag and hen does abroad and in the UK have evolved from a night at the pub into overnight stays, perhaps for days.
This leaves the average guest paying through the nose for the privilege to celebrate with the bride and groom.
Ellie said: “We know that even things like hen and stag do costs have rocketed over the past 10 years, in fact, Hotels.com found that costs have jumped 61 percent in the past decade, with the average celebration costing a huge £242.
“To try and make some savings when booking in bulk like this, make the most of reward schemes.
“On Hotels.com you get a stamp for every night stayed at the property, collect 10 stamps and you get a reward night, which will equate to the average value of the previous 10 stamps. An easy way to make savings.”
Airlines add charges for things like baggage allowance, baggage check-in, excess baggage, in-flight food, booking fees, check-in fees.
They also charge for seat selection, more for a seat with extra legroom.
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How to book cheap flights
- Be flexible with dates and times
- Be flexible with destinations and airports
- Fly to different airlines and airports on the outbound and return journey
- Book six to eight weeks before your flight or three months early if you are going during peak season
- Search for flights in incognito or private browsing mode
- Join a cheap flights mailing list
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