Rate the discount airlines...Please

Destination is more vital than the quality of airline with regards to ratings.

Use something like Skyscanner for guidance to routes.

Think of them as a flying bus. They're no different to jetblue, canjet or southwest airlines. They're all equally liable to air traffic delays. They're all anal about you exceeding baggage size/weight allowances.

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<hr>Will You please rate Your top three cheap airlines (ie. EasyJet- RyanAir)<hr></blockquote>

And do remember that airlines like BA, Swiss, Lufthansa ... often cost less than the no-frills brigade.

unless they were spectaculary cheaper than others i wouldnt use them, particulary Ryanair.

#2 - they're nothing liek buses, you can at least move your legs on a bus, on a recent flight to Luca i couldnt manage this simple act. also they pack in more seats so you cant walk around the plane. budget airlines are for students and backpackers

When it comes to Easyjet/ Ryanair, go Ryanair. I hate both, but will never fly Easyjet again. I would walk or swim before going on their crappy airline.

#2, what buses do you use??? The new Dublin buses are now more generous than years ago, but that only allows the blood to flow to your legs enough to stop them going blue.

I suspect this could become very interesting...

I've flown with a few budget airlines recently: Ryanair, Easyjet, Flybe and Jet2 and, in all honesty they are absolutely fine. I've never had any problems with them, however, when things go wrong, boy do they go wrong. I'm sure you will fine a cornucopia of objections and recommendations on the forums.

#4 - LOL, I flew back to back Jet2 and Swiss a couple of weeks ago. The Jet2 legroom was atrocious. The person in front of me reclined his seat leaving me so little room that I couldn't alter the volume on my iPod let alone read my book (I asked if he minded putting it back to the upright position but he just ignored me - on a short-haul flight like that, why do people insist on doing that, but don't get me started... Luckily there was a spare seat next to Mrs H so I could move). Swiss on the other hand were fine, a lot more legroom and comfortable (and a complimentary small bar of genuine Swiss chocolate to boot!).

All the budget airlines I have tried, and I have tried most European ones, were just fine or really good.

Now that the taxes are so high, and airlines like Ryanair charge you more than they advertise and more than they tell you the ticket actually costs just to carry one small to normal sized bag on your trip, there are only really cheap flights any more if you are lucky enough to get them.

As with last night, when booking a trip, I went with Ryanair which on the same route was almost the same price as the non-budget national carrier, around two months in advance, because I saved a few pounds. I don't see much difference between reasonably affordable non-budget and "budget" operators unless you do get a good price these days. It is still very possible, but you just can't seem to count on getting a budget flight anymore with some of the operators. I think it is more often more a nice surprise, so everything has changed.

In some ways the great days of budget flights are over. Though we still are enjoying the good days. If the two governments of the British Isles have the way publicised in the papers regarding raising flight taxes budget flights will be very limited. I don't understand anyway, the taxes are so sky high mostly.

The worst offenders for me were the charter airlines but I don't use them now.
Budget airlines are ok in my experience if you accept their limitations. Ryanair was a lot worse in its early days during the 1980's when it had only a couple of turbo-props. But since it started using proper planes it has improved a lot. Easyjet has been fine anytime I've used it.

Of the ones I've used:

1. Ryanair - most punctual, friendliest staff. So what if they charge more for bags - add it up. It's all on their website. Without them all fares would be higher.
2. SkyEurope - can't remember anything about them so must have been OK
3. Fly Globespan - OK
4. Monarch - two hours late but flight was OK
5. easyjet - cos I hate Luton airport