Guide to Europe's Best Airlines

Europe’s Best Airlines

They can either make your day or ruin your trip so this month we’re going to break down the best and the worst airlines in europe, based on the pros and cons.

1. Aer Lingus

   Pros: Clocking in at the top spot we have Ireland’s national flag carrier. Based in Dublin these guys always offer a great service and when something goes wrong, people actually say sorry and fix it for you. Aer Lingus also connects London and Munich for less than thirty British pounds. Cons: If you’re after cheap, last minute fares, it’s normally more expensive to fly to Ireland than it is to the rest of Europe. Hmm.

2. Easy Jet

   Pros: They weathered the recession pretty well and now they’re expanding their routes. You can also fly to pretty much anywhere on the Easy Jet map from one of London’s many airports. Cons: If you’re going to get financially stung with unexpected bolt‐ons during an online booking session, then it’s going to be on the Easy Jet website. Be wary of speedy boarding fees, travel insurance and hold luggage charges.

3. Ryan Air

   Pros: Even if you’re hopelessly disorganised and leave your travel plans to the last minute, you can still pick up £9.99 flights to most cities in Europe, with this airline. Cons: The colour scheme on the planes combined with the incessant, clichéd Irish jingle that accompanies Ryan Air’s in house Lottery advertisement, is enough to give even the most mild mannered person a violent inkling and a migraine. There’s also been talk of charging passengers for using the toilets on Ryan Air flights. Bad times.

4. Jet2

   Pros: The company comes from Yorkshire in the north of England, which is a great thing if you want to go back and forth to most of the major European cities, from a selection of locations above Luton. Cons: They don’t fly in and out of London which makes transatlantic connections or Antipodean onward journeys, that much harder.

5. Air Berlin

   Pros: If you fly with these guys from Dusseldorf, you can connect to some SUPER cheap onward fares to New York, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Fort Myers. Cons: If holiday days are at a premium for you then be advised that these guys don’t do transatlantic routes at the weekend, unless it’s late on a Sunday ‐ and that’s from the States to Europe.

6. British Airways

   Pros: If you book during the New Year sales that run for most of January, you can fly to pretty much anywhere in the world with BA (and one of it’s many big brand partners) for a bargainous amount. Cons: Outside of sale season you can expect to pay premium prices with BA and some of the planes have really naff, skin sticking ‐ cracked blue leather seats.

7. KLM

   Pros: KLM is the oldest airline in the world operating under its original name and this has earned the airline a reputation of reliability, and a whole lot of customer trust. Add to that some super cheap returns to Amsterdam from London’s easiest airport to access ‐ City, and you’re onto a winner. Cons: KLM has been dogged by rumours of terrible food on long haul flights, but that’s pretty standard with a microwave and several hundred pre packaged meals at 30,000 feet right?

8. Swiss Airlines

   Pros: These superbly efficient fliers also fly in and out of City Airport in East London for fairly decent prices and on top of that, you always get a free Swiss chocolate ‐ just before you land. Cons: The seats are slightly cramped and the inflight entertainment is on the skimpy side but as long as you’re not long haul, you’re fine.

9. Wizz Air

   Pros: This low cost Hungarian airline is a big player in the Polish market and most of Eastern Europe for that matter, so if you’re jetting around the area, you should definitely look them up! Cons: If you’re flying with them, to or from London, expect a pretty hefty layover at some destination, somewhere in London. It is however a worthy trade off ‐ cheap tickets for long layovers, but it’s up to you whether you think it’s worth it.