Weary of European airlines... how reliable?
 

Hi. I hope to finally make it to Paris. Two years ago, while studying in Spain, I had booked a flight on Iberia for a weekend trip to Paris from Granada, Spain. I also booked several attractions via the Iberia website. But about an hour after the scheduled departure, we were informed the flight was cancelled. They wouldn't book us on another flight and told us to take the train but it would take the whole weekend to get to Paris. We finally got our money back after about a year but not for the attractions. I really do not want to go through that experience again. We will be traveling from Rome to Paris.

Now after reading reviews on available airlines, I see cancellations happen fluequently. What can you tell me about easyJet and vueling? Also I read they are very strict about luggage and will cancel flights just because one person had luggage exceeding the weight limits. Or can you tell me an airline that's reliable yet economical? Or is that too much to ask for both?

Thank you! :)

We've travelled several times with Easyjet and Ryanair with no problems. Why don't you try Skyscanner to see what flights are available.

If we are writing about them that would be Exhibit A for safety. Vueling, EAsyJet, Ryan and others are like being on a bus in the air. They are cheap and reliable with more rules than a monastery and they strictly enforce the weight and size of luggage.

"<i>they are very strict about luggage and will cancel flights just because one person had luggage exceeding the weight limits</i>"

No -- they wouldn't.

"they are very strict about luggage and will cancel flights just because one person had luggage exceeding the weight limits"

Ummmm...no.

I've flown EasyJet several times, and enjoyed each of my trips. They have a one bag carry-on rule. The rest, however, may be checked for a fee.

n_indian_cyn - A newbie with first post complaining about something that happened 2 years ago.

It's a wonder that Iberia hasn't gone belly-up.

I don't know if you've heard, but airlines can't make money if they don't fly.

Ditto on Vueling and EJ. Haven't flown Ryan yet. No problems with the first two at all.

As with everything in life, you pays your money and you take your chances.

Or as Dylan says "You have to pay to get out of
Going through all these things twice".

The cancelled flight was just bad luck. Such things are rare and can happen everywhere in the world. However, I have to admit that Iberia does not have the best reputation.

Vueling and Easyjet are low-cost carriers and they make their money with extra fees (esp. for luggage). However, I consider them pretty reliable.

Generally speaking, European airlines are even more reliable than American ones. But of course, there is always a slight risk that something goes wrong.

I've just flown several times with Vueling, Air Nostrum (Iberia's regional) and EasyJet. Overall, not worse than US regionals; cancellations happen everywhere. I do advise to purchase seats assignment: the view of 'polite' Europeans rushing for the seat they like is truly amazing. Americans are not qualified to compete. I was literally pushed away by a lady from the seat I was standing by: there were 3 of them and they needed the whole row. That was the first and last time I didn't have a seat assigned.

I will never forget our horrible experience at the Madrid airport in November 2010. We arrived at the airport at about
7:30 am for a "United" flight from Madrid to Washington, DC.
Aer Lingus was, apparently, on contract to actually fly and crew the airplane. To make a long story short, we finally left the Madrid airport at 6 pm for a United provided hotel
for the evening. It was a 9 hour horror show at an outdated
terminal in the old part of the Madrid airport. There were
only 3 chairs-the rest of us had to sit on hard cold steps or
stand. They roped off our terminal area and we were not even allowed, until 1 pm, to use the cafeteria right behind us. It
was roped off and guarded. They finally "cancelled" the flight
after 4:oo pm and it took us until 6:00 pm to get our bags back and stand in a long, long line to reschedule our flight for the next morning. Needless to say, I will never fly Aer Lingus again.

Pat

I was mildly irritated with Ryanair at Málaga because they cancelled my 10 a.m. flight and rescheduled me on an 8:15 flight. I didn't want to get up that early, but ....oh, well...

I made my friend's reservations aboard a United flight operated by Aer Lingus to Madrid. The flight was cancelled, and the new flight added a leg via Brussels Air. What a mess! Brussels Air (or somebody) lost her luggage, and it didn't arrive until three days later.

On my last trip, through Lufthansa, there was an unannounced strike, so the flight was cancelled. Another mess.

Thank you! I was afraid the sites I visited earlier were funnels for people who have had bad experiences. I very much appreciate your responses. Thank you mian for the additional suggestion on the seats. Knowing those little know how's make trips more enjoyable. I hoped I would get good advice since I'm a novice at international travel. I don't want to commit a faux pas anywhere I go... Again, thanks all!

I do not think there is an airline that I have flown that didn't have some delay, cancellation. or crappy food. Just this morning Delta changed the take-off time by 2 hours of a flight in September.

One of the most disturbing things was a flight from Istanbul to NYC on Delta and we were seated in the exit aisle and there was frost on the gaskets of the emergency door. And when we landed it melted on me.

Blah, blah, blah, blah when you find the perfect airline do not forget to write.

They will NOT cancel a flight if one person has too much luggage. But someone with way too much luggage may not be able to get on the plane. They always fly full and often planes are not large - so they are strict about number, size and weight of luggage.

If you can meet the requirements - then go for it. If you have more luggage - then fly a regular airline and pay for the extra luggage.

I flew Easyjet last Fall from Barcelona to Lyon and it was terrific. It was a very nice airline, efficient, just as comfortable as any in terms of seat sizing. I don't even understand the comments about it being like a bus (or what that even means, actually, I take the bus regularly between DC and NYC and the seats are nicer than most airplanes on those buses). It was easy to book online and pay for the luggage service I wanted that way (you get a big discount for doing it online). Their luggage limits weren't particularly onerous at all, just normal to me. I had a small carryon (small meaning it was not a suitcase, although their limits aren't too bad), and paid around 17 euro or something to check my large suitcase which could be around 20 kg or something at the cheapest , no problem. The luggage check fee and ticket together were less than 50 euro, as I recall.

I have no problem with them enforcing their luggage limits, I think they should. As I said, they are perfectly normal limits (and you can pay more for extra weight beyond the 20 kg I bought).