Budget Airlines in Europe

Budget airlines in Europe are a curse and a blessing.

On the one hand, you can get pretty much anywhere in Europe for under $100. On the other hand, the hassle and uncertainty may deter many.

Let me just go ahead and be on the record as one who loves budget airlines. I am daily on the lookout for cheap flights. Budget airline travel in Europe is something that is right up my alley.

I love being able to travel to different countries for cheap without having to pay extra fees, if I can avoid them. And that's exactly what I've done in my past three trips to Europe.

Ryanair
I've you've ever travelled to Europe and wanted to get a cheap flight to another country, chances are that you've heard of Ryanair. They are the largest of the budget flight companies over there - based in Dublin, Ireland.

They have flights to every country. And their flights are generally reliable (they leave and arrive when they are supposed to and don't have many cancellations).

And if you book far enough in advance, you can usually get flights anywhere for under 50 euros - sometimes for as little as 20 euros.

Disadvantages
How do budget airlines make money, you might be wondering? It's all about the added things. They give you less legroom to put in more seats. Speaking of the seats, they are not at all comfortable.

There's no in-flight entertainment. There's no free snacks or beverages. You even have to pay for a cup of water. On top of that, the flight attendants go through the isles through the entire flight trying to sell you anything from MP3 players to lottery tickets.

If you want to pick your seat - that's an added 50 or so euros.

It can be a nightmare - especially on flights over two hours long. You can, however, make the most of things.

How to excel 
Learning the system of budget airline travel in Europe (and elsewhere around the country) can take some time. I'll tell you right now everything that I've learned.

1. Book your flight well in advance. The earlier you book your flights, the cheaper the tickets will be.

2. Let the computer assign your seats. This is the cheaper way. Sure, it means you might not sit with your travel companions for a few hours. But, is that really the end of the world? You might make a new friend on the flight - or - most people are reasonable enough and may trade seats with you if you just ask politely. I've also found that most of the time when I book flights with others without assigning seats - we get assigned seats together anyway.

3. Arrive early at the airport. Budget airlines sometimes don't get assigned gates until 40 minutes before takeoff, but get to the gate as quickly as you can. The first people in line get first access to the overhead compartments (and they do run out). This is especially important if you don't want to check any bags.

4. Keep an eye out for empty seats. On at least half a dozen flights I've noticed at least one entire row unoccupied. Simply ask the flight attendants if you can sit there instead. You'll have plenty of legroom.

5. Bring headphones. It doesn't matter if you have a movie, tv show or music to listen to. You'll want to tune out the constant sales pitches.

Just remember, it's only a short flight and you're getting there for likely under 50 euros. Focus on the adventures you're about to have in the incoming country and you'll make the most out of a poor situation.