Budget Airlines of Europe

With new laws in the European Union, a large number of budget, or low cost carriers have come about.  Most of the carriers are "no-frills" and some make primary use secondary airports such as the Irish discount carrier Ryanair. EasyJet, based out of London-Luton, is another large player and is highlighted in the television documentary "Airline" (UK) but uses more traditional airports.

Typically, you will not find budget carriers on your major internet booking sites or through a travel agent's computer system.  These airlines handle the majority of their bookings directly, typically via their website. 

If you plan to travel on one of these carriers, it is typically cheapest to book your tickets directly via their website.  A booking via reservations call-centre will typically cost a service fee. As low cost carriers have strict check-in deadlines it is suggested you obtain travel insurance in the event you arrive late to the airport and miss a flight.  While the budget airlines may be able to save you some money for travel within Europe, it is important you know their policies from check-in deadlines to your luggage allowance before purchasing a ticket.

Last but not least, when looking for that low airfare, shop around.  The budget carriers in Europe have brought a significant amount of competition to the market and traditional carriers such as British Airways or KLM may have competitive fares.  If you are flying out of a secondary airport such as London-Standsted or London-Luton, you should also account for transportation costs to/from the airport. 
 
European Low Cost Carriers

Air Berlin operates a fleet of Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 aircraft and provides service to most major European cities in addition to popular holiday destinations on the Mediterranean, Canary Islands, and North Africa.

Reservations: +49 (30) 410 21 59 03
Internet: Air Berlin

bmibaby is a UK based low cost carrier which provides service from the United Kingdom to 17 destinations in 7 European countries.

Reservations: + 44 870 126 6726
Internet: bmibaby

EasyJet, based out of London-Luton, operates 222 routes to 67 key European airports.  EasyJet operates with 30 minute turn-around times and provides service across the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, Czech Republic, Greece, Germany, and Portugal.

Reservations: +44 870 6 000 000
Internet: EasyJet

Flybe is a United Kingdom based low cost airline with a route network which encompasses 40 airports in 7 countries with a focus on UK domestic flights. 

Reservations: +44 1392 268520
Internet: Flybe

Germanwings is based out of Cologne and provides service to over 35 destinations in Europe and Turkey.

Reservations: +44 (0) 870 252 12 50
Internet: Germanwings

Hapag-Lloyd Express (HLX), based out of Hanover, provides service to over 36 destinations in nine European countries.

Internet: Hapag-Lloyd Express (HLX)

Norwegian Air Shuttle, based out of Oslo, is a low-fare, point-to-point airline.  Norwegian provides service on 55 routes, nine domestic and 46 international routes across Europe from Norway. 

Reservations: +47 21 49 00 15
Internet: Norwegian Air Shuttle

Ryanair is the largest of the European low cost carriers and operates 288 low fare routes across 21 European countries.  Ryanair primarily uses secondary airports such as Paris-Beauvais, Brussels-Charleroi, and Frankfurt-Hahn. When booking tickets, it is important to know what airport you are flying into, the location of the airport, and ground transportation options.  One should also note the checked baggage allowance is 15kg per person with excess fees of £5.50/€8 per kilo as of this writing. 

Reservations: +353 1 249 7791
Internet: Ryanair

Snowflake Airlines is a Scandinavian budget carrier owned by SAS.  Snowflake operates out of Stockholm's Arlanda airport and Copenhagen's Kastrup airport to a variety of European cities from Aberdeen to Zürich.

Reservations: +46-8-797 4000
Internet: Snowflake Airlines

Virgin Express is based out of Brussels’s and with a fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft provides service to over 20 European destinations. 

Reservations: +32 70 35 36 37
Internet: Virgin Express

Volareweb.com is an Italian low cost carrier based out of Milan's Linate airport and provides services to Bari, Brindisi, Catania, Naples, Palermo, and Paris (Orly Airport).

Reservations: +39 070 4603397
Internet: Volareweb.com