Are budget airlines the new choice for business travellers?

Original source: The Guardian

Which airline do I book a ticket on? If it was a choice between BA’s short-haul business product, ClubEurope, versus budget airline easyJet, and someone else was paying, there’d be no contest. But as business travellers know, just because you’re on business, doesn’t mean you’re in business. The companies that had that sort of generous travel policy are precisely the ones that are now being nationalised.

Travel and expenditure is one of the largest controlling costs of a business, and boy is it being controlled right now. Short-haul business class is really the preserve of travellers who have booked a long-haul segment and are connecting to and from that long-haul segment. The rest of us are in economy.

So, as that’s the case, it’s a contest between BA’s or easyJet’s economy seating? Most of the time, that decision becomes one of destination (the airline has to be flying to where you want to go), frequency (I need to be there early for a meeting and get home the same day) and price. And here, on this crucial last point, the differences aren’t as large as they once were.

Budget airlines have many hidden extras: they charge extra for every bag that’s checked in, for choosing your seat and for fast check-ins.

Source: Inspiring/ Shutterstock

You could spend days comparing prices, but what’s certain is the hidden extras are growing every year. Both airlines charge you a fee simply for booking the flight. EasyJet also charges for every bag you check in – £6 per one-way trip, and if you don’t de-select the option, you’ll also pay £8.99 for one-way travel insurance, something most business travellers will have because of company policies. 

In addition, if you want speedy boarding with easyJet (ie: a dedicated check-in and first in the queue for the aircraft, then add another £9). Remember, this is only worth it if you are not bussed to the aircraft. If you are, you’ll find you’ve paid quite a lot of money to be first on the bus.

What might also influence a decision is whether you have flown a lot with BA and so have a silver and gold card giving you access to the lounges – it’s lovely to get a bite to eat before an early flight, or a drink on the way back.

That said, business travellers tend to fly with both. In the Business Traveller awards – voted for by our readers, easyJet has consistently won Best Low Cost airline with BA winning best short haul airline. So less of an “either/or”, more of a “both”.