The year 2008 witnessed an increase in airfares especially in the third quarter. The average cost of air travel rose by 10% in the second quarter only to be superseded by the airfare prices in the third quarter which recorded an all time high, because of an increase in fuel prices. The fourth quarter of 2008 witnessed a fall in the cost of airfare by 3.7 percent. However, despite a fall in the prices of flight tickets, there was a 12 percent drop in the sales of air tickets. This trend, which continued into the first quarter of 2009, resulted in airlines reducing fares for travel in February, by as much as 63% as compared to the previous summer. The drop in airfares, for more than 80 percent of the routes, for travel within the US, is an effort to boost air travel during the recession. Airlines, in the face of reduced demand, have chopped the price for domestic travel on 136 routes. This may be the best time to purchase tickets for summer travel. Unlike domestic travel, the cost of traveling to Europe has increased during the same period since airlines have eliminated cheap tickets for travel between Europe and US. Tentatively, this trend is likely to continue till the 17th of August.
Low-cost Airlines
Low-cost airlines, in the US, have managed to retain their popularity by ensuring that people travel at an affordable price without having to compromise on safety and punctuality. In fact, Southwest, a low-cost carrier, has the best on-time arrival ranking with a punctuality score of 80.5. Low-cost airlines are usually no-frills airlines that aim to reduce operating expenses by eliminating amenities which are not mandatory for a reasonably comfortable trip. The modus operandi of low-cost airlines, includes maintaining the same model of airplanes, in order to reduce servicing costs. Airbus 320 and Boeing 737 are the commonly used airplanes. Fast turn around time, flying simple routes and encouraging the use of direct flights, are also common practices. Since these carriers are no-frills airlines, people are expected to pay for refreshments. Many low-cost airlines, in the US, have started charging extra for baggage. People are encouraged to travel light and check-in only limited baggage. Some airlines have even started reducing the size of cutlery and are carrying limited cutlery in order to make air fares competitive! Taking a cue from the US airlines, some European airlines have decided to go the extra mile in order to reduce fares. The third largest airline in Europe, in terms of passenger numbers, has decided to adopt measures that would make air travel cheaper than before. These measures include plans to make passengers haul their own luggage, charge for online check-in and for using the restroom on the flight! Some of these measures may be adopted by other low-cost airlines in Europe and the US, thus, making air travel cheap but uncomfortable. This brings us to the question of how a person can fly cheap without loss of comfort.
How to Fly Cheap While Ensuring Comfort
Off Season and Middle of the Week Travel: A person can travel during off-seasons and avail huge discounts. Traveling off-season confers the ability to fly cheap without having to necessarily fly with a low-cost carrier. It has been noticed, that Wednesday being the middle of the week, is the best day for cheap travel. Again, one can fly with a relatively expensive airlines without having to worry about the cost of travel.
Flying First-Class at Coach Prices: Many times, airlines offer steep discounts on first-class fares. This is done in order to fill up the vacant first-class seats. The discounted first-class fare is comparable to the full fare coach price.
Buying a Package Deal: Airlines offer last minute deals that include a rental car and hotel accommodation. Since the price of the flight ticket is heavily discounted, one can consider a package deal even if one doesn't need it.
Looking for airfare coupons, making use of frequent flier miles and traveling to popular destinations during off-seasons, are some ways of reducing the cost of flying while ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable trip.
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