chartley

Easyjet have just started booking their summer flights from some airports, but the ones from London are not yet available. I don't think there is any need to book as soon as the flights are announced, but certainly the earlier you book the cheaper the price.

Easyjet are a budget airline, not a full service one. Their market is mainly Europeans going on short trips for business or pleasure, so baggage allowances are limited, and you have to be at the airport on time. Their planes are new and clean, and their staff are helpful. You pay for refreshments, but the prices are reasonable.

For us, the only downside is the scramble for seats, since these are not allocated in advance.

Heimdall

Beargirl, if expense is your primary concern, suggest you wait until easyJet publishes its summer timetable. I can't tell you what prices will be in May 2008, but a quick look at easyJet fares from London to Amsterdam in Mar 2008 showed one-way for around £23. If you can beat that for a flight from Heathrow, go for it. Heathrow is easier to reach from central London, but transfer costs to the other airports aren't significantly higher.

beargirl

Thank you all for your replies. I have decided on British Midland, it wasnt all that more price wise, and I can get the train from Hammersmith to Heathrow. Your advice was appreciated.

Melissa5

I'm not the original poster, but this thread is interesting.

I'm thinking of using easyJet for London to Prague, and Krakow to London. I didn't think about the scramble for seats... That aspect makes me nervous as I'm afraid of flying, but I fly anyway. I love to travel. So putting up with flying is worth it. But it is so comforting to me to have assigned seats... I guess we could just check in early... I notice they offer early boarding if you pay extra...but I wonder if that really works well? (It would NOT be good to pay extra and then really NOT get early boarding...)

Heimdall

Melissa, the scramble for seats is the only thing I dislike about easyJet. Their boarding policies can be found at: http://www.easyjet.com/EN/Flying/boarding.html. Purchasing 'Speedy Boarding' may be the answer, but I have no idea whether or not they limit the number of SB passes they sell. It wouldn't do much good if <i>everyone</i> had Speedy Boarding. ;-)

annhig

Hi, Melissa,

just replied on your other thread re easyjet.

ref speedy boarding - if they bus you to the aircraft, which they often do, any advantage is lost. Don't bother. if you are really worried, get there early.

the flights are so short, so what if you can't sit next to your spouse, friend, etc. If you are travelling with small children, they board you first anyway.

their in-flight food is over priced, so I'd buy anything you want before you go. You can still take food through security on hand-luggage, just not liquids. So sandwiches, pasties!, pies, fruit should be ok. but no yoghurt.

as I said on your other post, the summer schedules are now published.

regards, ann

Heimdall

Melissa, annhig is correct, but once through security you can buy bottled water or other drink to take on board.

EasyJet is an excellent budget airline, and I have used it several times for the 4 hr flights between London and Athens. In my experience check-in is efficient and easyJet flight crew are helpful and friendly. All in all a very good experience.

GregY2

Beargirl, this is just to reinforce the comment made by an earlier poster about luggage allowances. If you are coming from Australia you will probably travel with a 20Kg allowance but the budget airline you choose may only allow 15Kgs - if you have to pay excess rates it gets very expensive.

beargirl

Thanks GregY2 I will have to look at the luggage allowance to British Midland. Coming from Australia I will have pretty close to 20kg for mytravel of 9 weeks.