Travelore Tips: Ryanair Is Making A Major Change To Its Bag Policy

By the end of this summer its ‘personal bag’ size will be larger due to new EU regulations.

Photograph: Shutterstock

Have you ever been caught out by an airline’s bag policy? If not, you’ve definitely seen it happen: an unsuspecting (or very hopeful) passenger arrives ready to scan their boarding pass, only to be asked to put their bag into the size checking device at the gates. To everyone’s horror, it doesn’t fit, and suddenly they’re £80 down.

It’s a depressing, if very familiar, sight, but it could become less common as Ryanair are set to change their bag policy in line with new EU regulations.

Ryanair currently have the smallest ‘personal bag’ – that’s the one you’re allowed for free – size in the UK, alongside Jet2 and British Airways (although both of them also allow a larger cabin bag for free). It only allows bags that are 40x25x20cm, compared to Wizz Air’s 40x30x20 cm or EasyJet’s 45x36x20cm. This will have to change, however, as the EU is set to bring in a new law which will mandate that all airlines operating in the region have a maximum personal bag size which is at least 40x30x15cm.

Ryanair has decided to not only meet this new size, but exceed it, with a spokesperson for the brand saying Ryanair will increase its max ‘personal bag’ dimensions to 40x30x20cm, so that its allowance is bigger than the EU standard. They said: ‘This change will be implemented over the coming weeks, as our airport bag sizers are adjusted.’

This is part of a larger EU push to provide ‘fairer and more transparent travel’, which includes allowing passengers more luggage on planes, free of charge. The new rules on luggage would make it illegal for airlines to charge extra for an extra cabin bag, as many currently do, but the providers themselves have warned that this will just cause a blanket rise in ticket prices. You can learn more about that here.

The law is expected to come into effect sometime next month, so it won’t be long before you’ll be able to have a one-size-fits-all backpack for your travels across Europe, rather than having to whip out the tape measure every time you try a new airline. That should also mean less getting caught at the gate. Wins all around.

by Annie McNamee

Ryanair Calls For Alcoholic Drink Limit At EU Airports Amid Legal Action Against Unruly Passenger

Ryanair is calling on European authorities to limit the sale of alcoholic beverages at airports across the continent, as the Irish airline continues legal action against a passenger who it says caused a costly flight diversion last year.

The budget airline is seeking more than 15,000 euros ($15,324) in damages over the April 2024 incident. Ryanair alleges that this passenger’s “inexcusable behaviour” on a flight from Dublin to Lanzarote in Spain’s Canary Islands was so disruptive that it forced the aircraft to divert to Porto, Portugal for safety — where crew members and over 160 other passengers were later delayed overnight.

After announcing its civil suit against the passenger last week, Ryanair on Monday shared further information detailing the costs it incurred for excess fuel, lodging, legal fees and more as a result of this diversion. And the airline also suggested a drink limit for airports across the European Union.

“It is time that EU authorities take action to limit the sale of alcohol at airports,” Ryanair wrote in a statement. “We fail to understand why passengers at airports are not limited to two alcoholic drinks (using their boarding pass in exactly the same way they limit duty-free sales), as this would result in safer and better passenger behaviour on board aircraft, and a safer travel experience for passengers and crews all over Europe.”

Ryanair noted that it and other airlines already limit alcohol sales in-flight — but said that passengers can still consume excess alcohol at airports before boarding, particularly during flight delays, without similar restrictions.

Aviation agencies have long expressed concern with disruptive, in-flight incidents — particularly those that result in violence against others on board, verbal abuse, harassment or other health hazards like smoking.

Although still rare, reports of unruly passengers seen on planes have recently been on the rise. When reached for comment Monday, a spokesperson for European Union Aviation Safety Agency noted that, while the agency could not provide specifics, “both the number and severity of incidents” have increased in Europe since 2020.

Worldwide, the International Air Transport Association found that there was one disruptive incident for every 480 flights in 2023 — the latest figures from the trade organization, which used data from more 24,500 reports and 50 operators worldwide. That’s up from one every 568 in 2022.

How many of those incidents involved alcohol was not immediately known. But, among efforts aimed at preventing in-flight disruptive behavior overall, the IATA and other aviation groups have previously underlined the importance of serving alcohol responsibly, not allowing travelers who are too intoxicated to board and participating in additional safety initiatives, like “One Too Many” in the U.K.

Meanwhile, in the U.S., the Federal Aviation Administration reported that it received 2,102 reports of unruly passenger incidents last year, resulting in $7.5 million in fines levied. That incident count is up 1% from 2023, but still far below a 2021 peak of 5,973.

https://apnews.com/author/wyatte-grantham-philips

Travelore News: Irish Privacy Regulator Probes Ryanair's Use Of Facial Recognition

Ireland's Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) opened an EU-wide probe on Friday into whether Ryanair's use of facial recognition technology to verify the identity of customers booking through some third party websites violates the bloc's privacy laws.

The regulator said it had received a number of complaints from Ryanair opens new tab customers across the European Union over the airline's practice of requesting additional verification when they booked travel tickets from third party sites or online travel agents (OTAs), as opposed to directly with Ryanair.

The Irish carrier, Europe's largest by passenger numbers, welcomed the inquiry into a process it said was designed to protect customers from OTAs not affiliated with the airline that might provide incorrect customer contact and payment details.

Ryanair says on its website that the additional verification is required for these customers in order to comply with safety and security requirements.

Passengers can avoid verifying through facial recognition by showing up at the airport at least two hours before departure or submitting a form and picture of their passport or national ID card in advance, a process Ryanair said can take seven days to complete.

A similar process is not required when booking on Ryanair's website or mobile phone app, or through an OTA that has signed a commercial agreement with Ryanair that guarantees tickets are booked directly with the airline.

Ryanair has signed 14 such agreements since the start of the year.

Ryanair said in the statement that its biometric and non-biometric processes were both fully compliant with all the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Reporting by Padraic Halpin Editing by Mark Potter, Reuters.

Ryanair Loses Appeal Against Italian Ban On Fees Hitting People Accompanying Children

Ryanair opens new tab has lost its appeal against a ban on airlines charging extra fees for seat reservations when travellers need to sit next to children under 12 or people with disabilities, Italy's Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) said on Monday.

The Irish carrier challenged the ban after ENAC introduced it in 2021. The company lost a first appeal in 2022, in a ruling that has now been upheld by the Council of State, Italy's top administrative court, ENAC said.

Ryanair Italy was not immediately available for comment.

Ryanair normally charges more to people who want to choose their seat on the plane - something that someone might do if they wanted to make certain they were sitting next to another specific passenger.

According to the airline's website, the surcharge for such a seating arrangement on a one-way flight within Italy can vary from 22 euros to 30 euros ($24.58-$33.52).

ENAC said this surcharge should not apply to those accompanying passengers who cannot travel alone, such as young children and people with disabilities.

The Council of State agreed, with ENAC quoting its ruling as saying that "the need for proximity of the seats between minor and accompanying person is clearly connected with the safety obligation" that falls upon airlines and which cannot be linked to extra costs.

At an earlier stage in the proceedings in 2021, Ryanair said the way ENAC had characterised the situation was "misleading".

A spokesperson said at the time the airline had brought in temporary adjustments to "ensure adult passengers accompanying minors or special needs passengers have several options to avail (themselves) of free allocated seating".

($1 = 0.8950 euros)

Reporting by Alberto Chiumento, editing by Alvise Armellini and Andrew Heavens, Reuters

Ryanair, Easyjet And Others Fined For Cabin Luggage Fees

Spanish authorities have slapped fines on budget airlines Ryanair, easyJet, and Volotea totalling 150 million euros ($163 million), consumer groups who lead a six-year campaign against the charges said on Friday.

The fines are a challenge to budget airlines' business models, which hinge on charging rock-bottom fees for tickets and adding supplements for things like larger carry-on bags that were previously provided free by traditional airlines.

Spain's Consumer Rights Ministry fined the carriers for violating customer rights when charging for larger carry-on luggage, picking seats or boarding pass printouts, while not allowing cash payments at check-in desks or to buy items on-board, said consumer rights associations OCU and Facua which have been challenging the practices since 2018.

The ministry opened an investigation in 2023.

OCU said in a statement it expected other European countries to follow suit and also to punish those same "abusive practices."

Spanish airlines industry group ALA, which confirmed the fines, was quick to criticise the government decision as violating the European Union's single market rules and the companies' freedom to set their own prices.

"We defend the consumer's right to pick the best travel option," ALA President Javier Gandara said in a statement, adding that Spain's decision would force as many as 50 million passengers who only travel with a small bag under their seat to pay for services they do not require.

The Consumer Rights Ministry had no immediate comment. Ryanair, Volotea and Vueling declined to comment on the fine since ALA spoke on their behalf.

In 2019, a Spanish court ruled Ryanair's policy of charging a fee for hand luggage was "abusive". However, Ryanair continued with its policy, citing airlines' commercial freedom to determine the size of their cabin baggage.

The success of the budget airlines and the appeal of their low-ticket price policy has forced many legacy airlines to stop offering services such as free food and drinks or entertainment in short- and medium-haul flights.

Reporting by Inti Landauro and Emma Pinedo; Editing by Andrei Khalip and David Holmes, Reuters

Travelore News: Ryanair To Close Base At Germany’s Frankfurt Airport

Budget airline Ryanair said Friday that it plans to stop serving Frankfurt Airport, Germany’s busiest, at the end of March. and close its base there.

Ryanair said it is closing its base in Frankfurt and reallocating its five planes there to other airports that “have responded with lower airport charges to stimulate traffic recovery.”

The airline complained that instead of providing incentives as the aviation industry struggles with the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, Frankfurt Airport “has chosen to increase prices even further, making Frankfurt uncompetitive with European airports.”

The Ireland-based company said that all Frankfurt-based flight crew “can secure alternative positions within the Ryanair network” and that passengers affected by cancellations would receive notifications and refunds “over the coming days.”

Squeezy Jet? Seat Space On Board 14 Major Airlines Compared

According to recent research by air intelligence company OAG, airlines are now fitting between 7% – 8% more seats into their aircraft than they were initially design to carry, potentially leading to a reduction in personal space on board.

To help passengers stay in the know prior to their flight, Airport Parking and Hotels (APH) has put together a guide comparing seat space across 14 major airlines.

The research compares 14 major airlines, including British Airways, Delta Air Lines and Qatar Airways, and highlights seat configuration, seat width and recline, entertainment screen size and all-important legroom space for each airline’s economy and business class cabins.

For travelers looking for privacy and aisle access, most of the airlines researched offer a spacious business class cabin. For example, the Premium Seat cabin on A330 flights with Aer Lingus offers a 1-2-1 seat configuration, and the Upper Class cabin on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner flights with Virgin Atlantic, offers a 1-1-1 seat layout, averting any awkward squeezes to the cabin aisle.

However, some airlines’ economy cabins offer less space, since the economy cabins on board B777-300ER aircraft with Emirates and Boeing 747-400 aircraft with KLM feature a 3-4-3 seat configuration.

With regards to legroom, when flying in an economy seat the distance between the back of a seat and the rear of the seat in front (seat pitch) varies from 73.66cm for standard seats on easyJet flights, to 81.82cm with Singapore Airlines. Travellers should keep in mind that extra legroom space may be provided in the exit row of many aircraft, although there may be certain restrictions for passengers wishing to sit in these seats. For those travelling in business class seats, seat pitch varies from 94cm with First Class seats on board Delta’s 757-200 aircraft, to 200cm with Business Class seats on board Qatar Airways’ A320 aircraft.

In terms of elbow space in economy cabins, the distance between armrests (seat width) only varies slightly across the 14 airlines researched. In fact, there is just 4cm difference between Ryanair’s measurements of 43cm and Singapore Airlines’ measurement of 47cm. However, research shows that seat width varies across the airlines’ business class cabins, from 49.53cm on board Emirates’ Boeing 777-300ER aircraft to 76.2cm on board the same aircraft model with Singapore Airlines.

For travellers aiming to enjoy a snooze during their flight, nine of the airlines researched provide economy cabin passengers with reclining seats, including British Airways and American Airlines, which offer a seat recline of 5.08cm and 15.24cm respectively. Alternatively, for those looking for more of a recline, nine of the airlines researched provide an option for flatbed seats, including Business Class seats with Aer Lingus and Upper Class seats with Virgin Atlantic. Travellers should also note that economy seats on board five of the airlines researched, including Ryanair and WOW air, do not off the option to recline.

In-flight entertainment is becoming something most passenger expect to enjoy on their travels, and 11 of the airlines offer a personal entertainment screen for certain cabins on board selected flight routes. Of these, the size of the screen ranges from a diagonal width of 22.61cm with Economy Seats on board Qatar Airways’ A320 aircraft, to 43.18cm with Business Class seats on board Emirates’ Boeing 777-300ER. Travellers should be aware that three of the airlines researched, easyJet, Ryanair and WOW air, do not currently offer entertainment screens on board any flights and that in-flight entertainment may not be provided during short-haul routes.

Travelore News: Expect Cancellations Due To Air traffic Controller Strike In France

Following Lufthansa in Germany, another EU country is harassing airline passengers with frustration, delays and cancellations. The SNCTA union - France's largest - has called a nationwide air traffic controller strike in France for today, Wednesday and tomorrow Thursday. The reason:A dispute over working conditions.

Hundreds of flights have been cancelled ahead of a planned strike by French air traffic controllers today.

The DGAC civil aviation authority has asked airlines to cut their schedules for flights to and from France on Wednesday by 40%.
Short-haul flights are expected to be worst affected.
"Disruption is expected over the whole country," the DGAC said in a statement.

Travelers have been advised to contact their airline.
Low-cost airline Ryanair says it has had to cancel more than 250 flights, with further cancellations likely.

A particular grievance for the SNCTA is the raising of the retirement age for air traffic controllers by two years to 59.
Further action is planned between 16-18 April and 29 April-2 May.

Ryanair: Berlin To Miami And London To New York For As Little As $15

Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary

Europe's largest budget airline has just been granted approval to develop a transatlantic service between Europe and America.

Ryanair, the Ireland-based budget carrier, plans to run services between key European cities and the US with one-way tickets costing from as little as $15.

The idea is part of an aggressive growth strategy, connecting airports such as London Stansted and Berlin with New York, Boston and Miami.

The airline first mooted the idea of offering transatlantic flights back in 2008 and board approval comes after the airline has invested 18 months in cleaning up its image and improving customer service.

It is believed it could take up to five years to realize the plan, as the airline needs to source appropriate long-haul aircraft for the routes.

Last year, Michael O’Leary, the airline’s chief executive, told the Irish Hotels Federation conference in Meath that Ryanair would offer the $15 flights to Boston and New York.

However, he admitted that passengers would pay extra for everything from meals to baggage.

He said: 'We can make money on 99 cent fares in Europe.

'Not every seat will be ($15) of course; there will also need to be a very high number of business or premium seats.'

In a separate conversation, Mr O'Leary admitted: 'We've had a business plan ready to roll for a transatlantic, low-fares airline.

'The difficulty is, I keep cautioning, is that there's no availability of long-haul aircraft for another four or five years.'

Ryaniar isn't the only airline to consider offering budget transatlantic flights.

Previously, Sir Freddie Laker launched Skytrain in the late Seventies to offer 'no frills' flights to the US, but his carrier Lake Airways failed in 1982.

Zoom Airlines tried a similar concept in 2002 but was forced to file for bankruptcy in 2008.

More recently, Norwegian has launched its own budget flights between London Gatwick, New York, Boston and Los Angeles from as little as £389 ($415) return.

Travelore News: Heathrow Launches World’s first ‘On-Board Picnic’ Service

A sample on-board hamper from Gordon Ramsay's Plane Food restaurant at Heathrow

Passengers can take hampers prepared by Heathrow restaurants on flights, including pizzas and meals by Heston Blumenthal and Gordon Ramsay

Heathrow Airport is offering passengers an “on-board picnic” dining option where they can bring a “bespoke hamper” with them on their flight. The service is available from today at all of Heathrow's 118 restaurants across its five terminals. The 49 brands involved range from chain cafés, such as Pret a Manger and EAT, to restaurants including Heston Blumenthal’s The Perfectionist Café and Gordon Ramsay’s Plane Food, as well as Caviar House and The Gorgeous Kitchen.

^{A sample on-board picnic offering from Caviar House}

The hampers vary in price and size according to venue, but typically cost between £5 and £50 and are around 40 x 20 x 10cm. All are collapsible and designed to be easily stowed away under the seat or in the overhead locker. Some hampers are insulated bags designed to “ensure the food retains maximum taste and freshness at 35,000 feet”, keeping hot food warm and cold food cool, such as the ones from Caviar House which features an ice compartment. Passengers who return their insulated bags to Caviar House are offered a 15 per cent discount on their next on-board picnic purchase.

Hampers can be tailormade to meet any dietary requirements upon request at each of the restaurants and can be ready-to-go or prepared in about 15 minutes, depending on the type of meal selected. The Perfectionists’ Café is said to offer pizzas to go in about a minute.

Travelers can sample the offerings of the on-board picnics available in Terminal 2 at a pop-up “park” which launches at the terminal today to mark the new service

The park space, set up in collaboration with the Royal Parks Foundation, features the “scents of freshly cut grass and plants, the sounds of birds chirping” and sunlight-type lighting as well as a park bench, a lamp post and even street signs to help create a urban park-like feel.

Passenger can access the "park" and the food samples from today between 7am-8am, 12pm-1pm and 7pm-8pm every day until September 24.

^{The "park pod" at Heathrow Terminal 2}

British Airways (BA) said it welcomes the new picnic service, and doesn't envisage it affecting cabin space usage or creating too much extra rubbish to be cleared from passengers who bring a hamper on board.

"If customers wish to bring their own food on board, they are very welcome to," said a spokesperson for BA.

Starting at £5, the new picnics might even be a more affordable in-flight dining option for travellers when compared to budget airline food prices.

Passengers on an easyJet flight can expect to pay around £6.20 for a meal that includes a sandwich, a snack and a soft drink, or £6.90 when ordered with either a hot drink or soup instead.

Ryanair's in-flight food prices range from around £3.57 (€4.50) for a sandwich and between £1.19-£4.76 (€1.50-€6) for snacks, to £1.59-£2.78 (€2-€3.50) for a soft or hot drink.

Last year, airlines were found to charge up to 2,600 per cent more than supermarkets for in-flight food and drink, according to research byTravelsupermarket.com.

Budget carriers such as easyJet and Ryanair were singled out for applying the biggest mark-ups while the biggest price increases were found on hot drinks

Contributed by Soo Kim,www.telegraph.co.uk/

Follow us on Twitter: @TraveloreReport

Low-Budget Ryanair Launches Business-Class

Contributed by Shawn Pogatchnic, AP

European budget carrier Ryanair is offering business-class tickets in an attempt to woo companies and governments during penny-pinching times.

Marketed under the slogan "Your boss will approve," the new ticket reverses some of the airline's more reviled policies for fee-dazzled travelers. The Dublin-based company, long Europe's fastest-growing airline with a sell-it-cheap, stack-'em-high philosophy, says it hopes to capture three-fourths of all business travel between Britain and Ireland, its two biggest markets.

The move reflects not just the airline's desire to leverage its huge presence in Europe, but also a growing interest for low-cost executive travel. Most European governments are still cutting down on debt while many companies remain wary of spending as the eurozone recovery has stalled. Ryanair says more than a quarter of its passengers already are business travelers.

The new ticket will be a low-budget version of traditional business class. It will allow a checked-in bag weighing up to 20 kilograms (44 pounds), which normally costs 25 euros to 75 euros ($33 to $99); preferential boarding and, at some airports, fast-track security lines; and most importantly, free changes to flights including on the day of travel.

The latter policy seeks to solve one of the great headaches of travel that made Ryanair off-limits for many business travelers: the risk of eating tickets and punitive penalties for altering anything.

Allied to the new approach, Ryanair increasingly is cutting deals to open services at Europe's business airports, most notably the European Union hub of Brussels' Zaventum. Currently, Ryanair tends to fly to smaller airports that are often distant from the cities it serves and not practical for time-pressed executives or civil servants.

Ryanair's product looks extremely competitive versus Aer Lingus, British Airways and continental carriers that typically charge more than 150 euros ($200) each way for flexible economy-class tickets. Ryanair says its business tickets will cost as little as 69 euros ($91).

Wednesday's announcement sent Ryanair shares 2.8 percent higher to 7.13 euros ($9.40) on the Irish Stock Exchange.

The airline, to many analysts' surprise, took a cold look in the mirror this year after lackluster 2013 results and decided it could get even more business if, in chief executive Michael O'Leary's typically blunt assessment, its policies stopped irritating people needlessly.

Customers now can buy tickets online using debit cards without fees. They automatically receive seat assignments, ending long waits in line to secure position and making family travel easier. They can take two bags on board, no longer battling to shove airport purchases into an already full bag and avoid costly punishment at the boarding gate.

Ryanair aims to carry 86 million passengers this year, 4.5 million more than last year.

While Ryanair's business-branded ticket is strong on flexibility, other business-class staples remain absent. The airline has no executive lounges, there's no special menu, and no seats recline on its tightly packed aircraft. You'll pay extra to pre-book the least uncomfortable seats.

And long-haul connections remain a nerve-wracking chore because Ryanair does not transfer bags between flights. This leaves Ryanair as Europe's most ubiquitous choice for traveling from A to B, but not C.

___

Online: Ryanair fees, http://bit.ly/1tCo2QN

The 10 Cheapest Airlines For Flying To Europe From North America

Photo11: Michael Sohn, AP)

For a long time, the only specialist low-fare airlines flying the Atlantic were charter affiliates of large tour operators, mostly European carriers hauling vacationing Europeans to the Unites States. Only a few airlines tried low-fare trans-Atlantic flying without package-tour-market backup, including PeopleExpress and World Airways, but none lasted. Now, however, as the giant legacy airlines hike up their cheapest tickets, low-fare start-ups might again have a price "umbrella" under which to thrive, and a few are trying it out.

Currently, most low-fare trans-Atlantic flights are still on European airlines affiliated with tour packagers. Two lines, however, are doing it without a built-in tour-market base. And more will probably follow. Here's a roundup of some of your primary low-fare trans-Atlantic options, with notes on plane types, fares and routes.

Test fares shown are in U.S. dollars, for round-trip travel in July on airlines with less-than-daily frequencies. Keep in mind that on some carriers, flying a few days later or earlier could make a difference of several hundred dollars in your fare. Also, on nonstop routes, competitors may offer lower fares on one-stop-connection itineraries. Except where noted, major OTAs and metasearch engines include flights on these low-fare airlines.

Airberlin

Airberlin is something of an anomaly: Although it started with a low-fare strategy and absorbed longtime low-fare carrier LTU, it is morphing into something more like a traditional airline.

Routes: Chicago, Ft. Myers, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York/JFK to Germany—mainly Berlin and Dusseldorf. It also offers connecting service from dozens of North American cities to dozens of cities in Europe.

Equipment: A330s, with economy in a relatively conventional two-four-two arrangement and at a tight 30-inch pitch, plus business class with flat-bed seats.

Sample fares: Nonstop New York–Berlin starts at $1,079 plus $21 in online baggage fees on the lowest fare. Business class starts at $4,322.

Verdict: Airberlin is a good option. It has the best prices for economy nonstops to Berlin, with a product comparable to legacy airlines.

Air Transat

Canada-based Air Transat is the only independent low-fare airline headquartered in North America. It relies heavily on traffic generated by its package-tour operations, but it sells a lot of air-only tickets.

Routes: Seasonal flights from 15 Canadian cities to Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Glasgow, London/Gatwick, Manchester and Paris (and to warm-weather destinations in the winter). Most routes operate with less-than-daily frequency.

Equipment: A310s and A330-200s, with terribly tight nine-across economy seating but above-average 32–33-inch seat pitch, and one A330-300 with standard eight-across seating at a 31-inch pitch. All models have a few deluxe "club" seats that are comparable to premium economy on legacy airlines.

Sample fares: Vancouver–London/Gatwick starts at $1,239 in economy and $2,726 in club. Air Transat charges extra for seats in pairs, seats with a view, and exit-row seats.

Verdict: Only fly Air Transat if cutting costs by almost $300 justifies 11 hours of misery in those awful nine-across seats.

Condor

Condor, once Lufthansa's charter subsidiary, is now part of the Thomas Cook Group of airlines and tour companies.

Routes: Seasonal flights to Frankfurt from Anchorage, Halifax, Las Vegas, Seattle, Toronto and Vancouver, with winter flights from Florida and Vegas. It offers connections throughout North America and Europe.

Equipment: 767s, with economy in conventional seven-across seating plus options for extra-legroom seating, semi-premium economy, and business (which is really more like premium economy) with six-across seating.

Sample fares: Seattle–Frankfurt starts at $1,517 in economy, $2,061 in semi-premium economy, and $2,548 in business.

Verdict: Condor is probably a good bet when competitor fares are much more expensive.

Corsair

Corsair, a former subsidiary of tour operator Nouvelles Frontieres, now belongs to the TUIfly group.

Routes: Corsair's lone North American route is from Montreal to Paris/Orly.

Equipment: A330s in the undesirable cattle-car three-three-three arrangement in economy, plus a "Grande Large" premium-economy equivalent.

Sample fares: Fares start at $945 in economy and $1,500 in premium economy.

Verdict: When I tested prices, I didn't find that Corsair offered the best deals.

Icelandair

Once renowned as the "backpackers' airline" for its cheap tickets to Luxembourg, Icelandair is now hard put to beat competitors on most routes it flies.

Routes: To Reykjavik from Anchorage, Boston, Denver, Edmonton, Halifax, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York/JFK, Newark, Sanford, Seattle, Toronto, Vancouver and Washington/Dulles, with onward connections to much of Europe. Many North American routes are seasonal.

Equipment: 757s, with economy at an above-average 32-inch pitch, "economy comfort," with the middle seat blocked, and "saga," comparable to legacy-airline premium economy.

Sample fares: New York–Copenhagen starts at $1,169 in economy, $1,519 in comfort, and $2,337 in saga.

Verdict: When testing prices, I found that Icelandair offered the best deals for those who want a no-charge stopover in Reykjavik—a great opportunity if you haven't been.

Meridiana

Also known as Eurofly or Air Italy, Meridiana's main claim to fame is that it offers the only nonstops from the U.S. to Southern Italy.

Routes: New York/JFK to Catania, Naples and Palermo.

Equipment: 767s; I found no information on specifics, but on the basis of the number of seats, the planes have either a very tight pitch or are in a very, very tight eight-across configuration—worse, even, than nine-across in A330s. The airline also advertises a business class (but it's more like premium economy).

Sample fares: New York–Naples starts at $1,363 with extra charges for checked bags and meals. Business class starts at $2,096.

Verdict: Meridiana is probably an OK choice if you're headed to Southern Italy and you want a nonstop schedule.

Norwegian

Norwegian is the airline everybody has under a microscope as it challenges top legacy carriers on the world's most important intercontinental route: New York to London. It also posts fares and schedules for Los Angeles to London. Although its plans are not yet set in stone, the airline will likely start flying this summer.

Routes: To London/Gatwick from Los Angeles and New York/JFK, plus older routes from Fort Lauderdale and New York to Copenhagen, Oslo, and Stockholm; from San Francisco to Copenhagen and Oslo; and from Orlando to Oslo. Flights on all routes are less than daily. Regulatory issues may delay the London routes.

Equipment: Brand-new 787s, unfortunately with the narrow nine-across economy seats, plus what looks to be a good premium-economy option.

Sample fares: Fares start at $1,398 in economy and $1,947 in premium economy.

Verdict: It will be a good deal, as long as the legacy airlines allow Norwegian to retain the price advantage it currently posts.

Rouge

Air Canada calls its new low-fare airline-within-an-airline "Rouge," and it has assigned Rouge to fly several (mainly leisure) routes to Europe and warm-weather beach destinations.

Routes: From Toronto to Dublin and Edinburgh and from Montreal to Athens and Venice.

Equipment: 767s at a 30-inch pitch in economy, plus premium economy at a 37-inch pitch.

Sample fares: Fares start at $872 in economy and $2,205 in premium economy. For comparison, you could fly on Air Transat for $863 or on Aer Lingus, in economy, for $962. Major search engines show Rouge flights as Air Canada.

Verdict: Rouge is probably a better bet than Air Transat.

XL Airways France

Still another tour-operator-based airline, XL Airways France flies to Paris from a handful of U.S. cities.

Routes: To Paris/Charles de Gaulle from Las Vegas, Miami, New York and San Francisco, plus the only nonstops from New York to Marseilles; some routes are seasonal.

Equipment: A330s, with a punishingly tight pitch of nine-across in economy, plus a premium-economy class.

Sample fares: New York–Paris starts at $1,210 in economy. For comparison, fare start at $1,477 on OpenSkies.

Verdict: XL Airways France is only worth it if you're willing to put up with hours of torture to cut your fare by a few bucks.

Ryanair: Waiting in the wings?

Michael O'Leary, Ryanair's CEO, publicly speculates about offering trans-Atlantic flights with base fares starting at $10 each way. Yes, that's what he says, and he assumes that Ryanair will make big bucks off of fees for everything. Even though O'Leary is famous for his off-the-wall remarks—remember pay toilets?—you can't ignore a man who built Europe's largest and most profitable airline. If O'Leary actually does it, Ryanair would upend the market even more than Freddie Laker did four decades ago.

Contributed by Ed Perkins, SmarterTravel.com

12 Travelore Tips For Finding The Best Airfares

No question about it, airfares on some routes are higher than they were four or five years ago, although Airfarewatchdog airfare searchers frequently find hundreds of fares crisscrossing the country for $250 or less round-trip. And even though fares seem higher, let's not forget that, adjusted for inflation, most fares are actually lower than they were 10 or 20 years ago. That said, here is my best advice for making your airfare dollars go further.

1. There's no "magic" day or lead time to buy the best airfare.

A lot of airfare experts think they're clairvoyant, so they know where airfares are headed or how far in advance you should start looking for a fare. The latest myth is to buy exactly 54 days in advance. Others say buy on Tuesday at 3 p.m. or Wednesday at midnight or when the moon is full (just kidding). But airlines are unpredictable, and anyone who claims he or she knows that airfares will be lower or higher in the coming months or the coming days should trade in their crystal ball. No one can accurately predict where airfares are heading, any more than we can predict the stock market. Think about it: if they really knew, they'd put every other airfare search operation out of business, and that hasn't happened. Don't believe me? Here's what an airline revenue manager has to say about this.

2. So search often, over a long lead time, and pounce when there's a deal

Fares fluctuate throughout the day, and the number of seats offered at the lowest fares also changes frequently. Or someone might be holding the only seat at the lowest fare and not book it, so it goes back into inventory--and then it will be yours. So if you don't like the fare at 10 a.m., check at 2 p.m. or the next day or the next week and pounce when the fare is affordable. It's easy to leave open the browser page where you're searching for a fare and keep on hitting the refresh.

3. Airfare alerts by email

This is perhaps the easiest way to track airfares. Many travel web sites offer emailed airfare alerts, letting you know when fares go down, and they all have something to offer. Do a browser search for "airfare alerts" and you'll see what's available. They all work a bit differently so sign up for more than one. One thing to note: these sites use essentially the same airfare data provided by the airlines' computer systems or ITA Software (which is now owned by Google), so they won't include discounted promo code fares, and they don't include Southwest Airlines (airfarewatchdog's fare alerts do, however, include hand-picked fares on Southwest).

4. Sign up for the airlines' email feeds and frequent flyer programs

Speaking of promo codes, the airlines want to develop a relationship with you, so they'll send you special deals, such as 50 percent off promo codes or two-fers, if you sign up for their emails. Here are links to US domestic airline sign up pages and for international airlines. We signed up for Virgin America's frequent flyer program and because we hadn't flown them yet we keep on getting promo code discount offers to give them a try.

5. Use Twitter

Email is great, but some of the most amazing airfare deals last only a short time (even if they're valid for travel over a long period), or you open the email too late. Twitter is more immediate. Our advice? Follow @Airfarewatchdog where we tweet unusual airfare deals every day of the week and alert followers to promo codes and other airfare deals.

6. Be a flexible travel date flyer

If you don't care when you go as long as the fare is low, try a flexible date search. It's getting harder to search airfares based on flexible travel dates now that many sites (Orbitz, Hotwire, Travelocity and Expedia among them) have eliminated their flexible date calendars. But Kayak.com still has a good one (you must register as a user to see it under Flights/more options/flex month). Another good site is Adioso.com and Google has two sites worth exploring: Google Flight Explore and Google Flights.More about flexible travel date search. 

7. Search airline sites individually, but online travel agencies are still useful
Many airlines have "private" sales, reserving their very best fares for their own sites. These are different from promo code sales mentioned above. International airlines such as Aer Lingus, Iberia and Qantas regularly offer lower fares (i.e., $100-$400 less) on their own web sites compared to what you'll find on Kayak or Orbitz. And yet, you shouldn't ignore online travel agencies such as Expedia and Travelocity, because these sites will tell you if it's cheaper flying out on one airline and back on another (United won't tell you it's cheaper to fly out on United and back on American).

8. Use Priceline for last minute trips

If you don't have a 7-, 14-, or 21-day advance purchase window to buy your fare, your best bet is the "name your own price" feature of Priceline.com. True, you won't know the exact flight times or airline you're flying until to pay for your trip, but you can save 50% or more.

9. Use consolidators, but beware of the restrictions

Consolidators specializing in premium cabins will have some great deals, and the airlines themselves will often heavily discount their premium cabins in the summer and just before Christmas, so check the specials on their web sites. Sites like Vayama.com, airfare.com and Asia.com also sometimes sell consolidator fares, but read this to understand how these fares work and what the extra restrictions might be.

10. Consider the extra fees before you buy

If Southwest has a fare of $198 round-trip and United has one for $148, and you are checking three bags, then Southwest actually has the lowest fare because Southwest charges nothing for the first two checked bags, whereas United would charge you an additional $165 each way for three. (See Airline fee chart). 

11. Combine two separate fares rather than buying one fare

If you're flying to a destination in Europe, you might save money by purchasing one fare from the US to, say, Dublin, and another from Dublin onward on Ryanair.com (just beware of Ryanair's onerous fees). Same holds true for some destinations in Asia (fly into Singapore and catch a low cost carrier such as Airasia.com from there) and to some smaller Caribbean destinations via San Juan or the Bahamas. Even domestically, two fares are often less than one, such as the recent scenario where Dallas to Honolulu was selling for $350 round-trip with tax, but Houston/Honolulu was $800. As you're no doubt aware, you can fly Houston-Dallas for a lot less than $450! Just be sure to give yourself plenty of time between connecting flights in case one flight is delayed.

12. Buy tickets on an airline that will refund the difference if a fare goes down

Let's say you've found the lowest fare, and then the day after purchase your non-refundable fare for the same itinerary goes down. If you ask for it you can get a refund for the difference. But some airlines will charge you a costly "administrative" fee of $200 or more, wiping out any savings. Others will give you the entire fare difference in the form of a travel voucher without extracting a fee. All airlines used to do this but no longer. The only ones left are JetBlue, Southwest, and Alaska.