In recent years, low-cost airlines, also known as budget airlines, have been growing rapidly like mushrooms after the rain, continuously opening up new routes. This growth has raised a critical question – how can passengers identify reliable operators before booking? What “warning signs” should they pay attention to?
According to a report in the Huffington Post, aviation industry experts suggest that when choosing a low-cost airline, attention should be paid to operational details, not just the fact that their ticket prices are lower than traditional airlines.
George Novak, President and CEO of the National Air Carrier Association and former FAA lawyer, pointed out that most flight delays and cancellations are due to “insufficient aircraft and personnel resources at affected airports”.
Novak said that if an airline only has one plane landing at an airport each day, it would be difficult for the airline to provide alternative flights or quickly transfer passengers to other flights in case of flight cancellations or delays. “Airlines with larger fleets and hubs have greater flexibility in dealing with flight disruptions.”
Low-cost airlines operate point-to-point routes, unlike major airlines with hub networks that can adjust passengers’ itineraries. Novak referred to flight cancellations as the “minimum risk”, but once this risk becomes a reality, passengers may find themselves in a predicament with no alternative options.
Novak explained that crew scheduling exacerbates the problem. Low-cost airlines have smaller crew sizes, making it harder to have crews on standby for redeployment in case other crew members are unable to fly legally due to work hour limitations.
But this is not a safety issue. Aviation authorities enforce the same safety standards on all airlines. The difference lies in the backup options when problems arise.
The situation after flight delays or cancellations also reveals differences between airlines. Evan Oshan, a lawyer with 20 years of experience handling aviation cases in Washington State, recently had two clients whose flights were canceled due to weather on the same day, on the same route.
Oshan disclosed that one of the clients rebooked a flight within 4 hours through an app. Even though it was for the next day, the airline proactively offered a hotel discount code and meal vouchers.
The other customer flying with a low-cost airline was not as fortunate. The passenger waited for over 6 hours, unable to change seats through the app, and was eventually forced to purchase a ticket from another airline at three times the price. The low-cost airline only offered a refund without any assistance.
Oshan pointed out that these differences lie in “infrastructure”, especially in the airline’s app. Check if the app of the airline you are flying with is user-friendly or if you can easily contact customer service.
Oshan mentioned three warning signs to look out for before booking tickets with a low-cost airline:
1. No phone number – Oshan said, “If their website does not list a customer service phone number, only providing email or chat functions, this is a serious warning sign.” Automated systems or AI robots are rarely able to handle complex rebooking situations when flights are canceled.
2. Too many complaints – Oshan suggested checking the frequency of customer complaints for the low-cost airline. If the recent number of complaints received by the Department of Transportation is unusually high relative to the size of the airline, it indicates systematic operational issues with the company.
3. Unusual fee structure – Oshan said to carefully review the ticket’s fee structure. If the base ticket price looks very low but optional services like seat selection or carry-on luggage almost double the price, it means that the airline prioritizes revenue over operations.
To choose a good low-cost airline, wise decisions should be made before purchasing tickets. Novak recommends researching which airlines frequently cancel flights, lose luggage, or leave passengers stranded at airports.
He suggests using official data such as databases from the Department of Transportation or Civil Aviation Authority, rather than solely relying on online reviews, as online reviews tend to be negative.
While low-cost airlines make air travel more convenient, their operations face restrictions that traditional airlines do not have. Understanding these limitations before booking can help avoid frustrating experiences and long delays.
Novak emphasized that this ultimately depends on cost-effectiveness and risk analysis. It is not a flight safety risk, but an operational risk – whether an airline is likely to experience severe delays or cancellations at a specific airport.