Ryanair vs EasyJet vs Eurowings
Hello again!
I live in Berlin, a city of youngsters, energy and low-cost airlines. Indeed, you cannot name Berlin a hub for any major carrier. Even Lufthansa will take you first to Munich or Frankfurt before flying to your final destination. But with lowcosters you can get to most of destinations in Europe with a single hop. And they are also a waaaaaaay cheaper for those who travel light (like me :)).
Today I’m going to share my experience of flying with those carriers, namely: Ryanair, EasyJet and Eurowings. I didn’t pay any extra, so I can tell neither about baggage handling nor how to select a seat.
If you’re wondering if it’s safe to fly with any of them, I’d say it is. Safety and security standards are the same for all airlines in Europe. And even if you bought a 5€ ticket during a flashsale, that only means you’re lucky and you got a nice cheap ticket. But you’re still safe, as safe as with 150€ ticket from Lufthansa.
But you will pay for such a low price. You will pay with your in-flight comfort. Why? Seats are usually cramped with typical pitch ~73–76cm. For small people it may be enough, but I’m 188cm tall and I really feel it.
All right, fasten your seatbelts, we’re about to begin with my favourite…
Ryanair
Yes, it is, my favourite. Why? Because Ryanair is the only airline that can get you out of Berlin somewhere for just 5–10€. Of course, popular destinations during high season will be expensive as Hell, but there is still a good chance to fly cheap to Brussels for a weekend beer-trip :). And if you like occasional weekend travels, you will find yourself a good reason to visit that cheap destination.
Is there a risk to pay extra? Apart of optionals like registered baggage or seat selection, you may get fined for printing a boarding pass at check-in counter. You can easily avoid that by using Ryanair mobile app, but for some cases you cannot use electronic boarding pass. For instance, when you fly outside of Schengen Area (e.g. to Romania) and you need to stamp your ticket at passport control.
If you have a preference for aircrafts, then Ryanair flies only Boeings 737–800.
Oh! Also Ryanair has the best cabin bag policy: 10kg bag + second small bag (like purse or laptop bag) for free. Other carriers let you take single bag up to 8kg, but, frankly speaking, I never saw that they check the weight.
Eurowings
If Ryanair does not fly there or there is no price difference then I’d definitely go with Eurowings. Why? Why? Why is it better? Their seats are the same cramped. And to make it worse, seats may recline. C’mon Eurowings, you have already taken much space from me, why to let that guy before me steal the rest?
But still there are some benefits.
First, there is on-board WiFi. Even if it’s a short trip, WiFi is there, streaming flight map for free. I like that false feeling of control that you get staring at flight map (yes, I’m little bit aerophobic). There are movies also, but for them you have to pay :).
Second, I like the seats because I can attach my tablet and make myself a very nice IFE display. Take it as a lifehack :)
And the last, Eurowings has Frequent Flyer Program (so called Boomerang club) with possibility to earn miles with Eurowings credit card. I am a mere mortal so I usually buy food, clothes and other stuff. And it’s cool when it gets me a free flight at the end.
EasyJet
EasyJet flies Airbus A319 aircrafts, so it feels more or less the same as Eurowings. I would go with them if they are cheaper than any other option or offer a better departure time.
Seat pitch is even smaller (~73cm, 1 inch less than Ryanair or Eurowings), but I personally did not notice any difference. Still the same cramped, but at least they do not recline.
Apart of that, I have nothing else to say. If flies, it gets your from point A to point B, but that’s it.
Conclusions
First, let me repeat again: with lowcosters you get the same safety standards as with full-service airlines. They are more or less the same in terms of comfort, so just pick the cheapest ticket. But if you ask me what I would personally prefer, then:
- Ryanair, when they offer the cheapest option or you’re afraid that EasyJet will charge you for your 10kg cabin bag. Ryanair allows 10kg while EasyJet only 8.
- Eurowings, because of IFE over on-board WiFi and a Frequent Flyer Program.
- EasyJet.
That’s it for today! And keep flying, it’s amazing! :)
