BUDGET airline Ryanair has revealed a few little-known secrets that allow it to offer plane tickets for startlingly low prices.
The airline said there are a few methods it uses to save money, including ditching a sky bridge and sticking to one type of plane.
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Ryanair is famous for its wallet-friendly flights and offers cheap trips around Europe and beyond.
Even the airline’s TikTok account pokes fun at it being the cheapest airline on the market.
Now it has shared exactly how it can drive down those ticket prices.
Sky bridge
Something that may not have crossed your mind is whether an airport’s sky bridge will impact travel costs.
While it might seem irrelevant, if an airport has a swanky sky bridge, you might be paying for the experience through your tickets.
Operating one of these retractable bridges between the airport and the aircraft requires trained staff to manoevre it.
Boarding is quicker and more efficient with one of these, but with fewer workers, there will be less for the airport to pay out and therefore less for your ticket to cover.
Gates
A sneaky trick Ryanair uses to save money is using gates that are further away from the departure lounge.
While it may feel like a drag when your gate finally pops up and you have to drag yourself on a 20-minute walk after check-in, it might just be worth it.
Gate numbers further away tend to be cheaper than those closer to the airport.
It might even put a skip in your step realising that the further you walk the more you’ll be saving on your plane ticket.
Using the same plane
If an airline manages to stick to one type of plane it reduces a range of other costs.
Staff are taught extensively how to operate their plane safely, this means if there is only one type there only needs to be one type of training.
Other things that may vary from plane to plane include how much food to take on board, luggage space information, and safety manuals.
Also, any replacement parts can be allocated to any plane if they’re use the same ones.
Charging for luggage
Where Ryanair is known for being a great way to budget, it’s also got a reputation for being strict with baggage rules.
This isn’t just because they’re a stickler for the rules.
Charging for baggage deters passengers from bringing any checked luggage, which reduces baggage handling costs.
Airport choice
Similar to why Ryanair chooses gates that are further away, sometimes they will pick airports that aren’t close to the city centre either.
Landing an hour outside where your holiday destination might seem like a nuisance, but smaller further-out airports are often cheaper.
They might be cheaper in terms of plane parking and general facilities, which will impact ticket prices.
Travelling for an hour after you land is frustrating but maybe not as annoying as spending hundreds on a flight.