Question of the day: Why are tickets so cheap?
Flying to Europe has never been cheaper. The major low-cost airlines seem to be competing to find out who can offer the lowest price, so it is increasingly common to come across almost unbelievable offers: flights to London, Paris or Barcelona for 9, 5, 3 or even 1 euro.
At this point, it is legitimate to wonder, if only out of curiosity, how they can afford to offer such low fares and how they make money.
We asked ourselves that question and this is what we found out.
1. Limited Seats
The number of seats available at the discounted price is limited. Airlines generally set a maximum number of seats per flight that will benefit from the discounted price. These are part of a well-established marketing strategy aimed at attracting potential customers through an extremely advantageous offer, combined with the application of the psychological dynamics governing buying impulses.
As soon as we are redirected to the booking landing page, after entering the destination and the dates of departure and return of the flight, even if the fare that had attracted our attention is no longer available, it is very likely that the purchase of the ticket will still be completed if the proposed fare is considered advantageous in any case.
2. Limited duration
Discounted flight offers have a limited duration, generally a few weeks, and take place at certain precise times of the year when the number of passengers is limited and flights are likely to depart with a very low seat occupancy rate, defined as the number of passengers on a flight for the number of available seats.
3. Luggage not included
When preparing to go on holiday, one of the biggest challenges is packing your suitcase. What should I pack and what should I leave at home? Will I need this? What if it is cold? What if it is hot? Of course, a lot depends on our destination and the length of our stay, but if we buy a super-discounted plane ticket all these problems disappear… because suitcases and luggage are not included. If we need to take at least one suitcase with us, we will have to be prepared to pay extra or buy a higher class ticket at a higher price.
4. Airports and Destinations
Have you ever found an attractive offer only to discover that the place you want to go to is not included in the proposed destinations?
Of course it is annoying because we would always like to find the best fare for the trip we have long dreamed of, but we must remember that sometimes promotional campaigns are aimed at boosting some existing routes or launching new ones.
5. Some tips before booking
There are a few simple things you can do to make the most of these offers and pay as little as possible for a ticket:
- Monitor offers by visiting airline websites or searching for the cheapest prices using search engines such as Blimm.
- Be flexible with your dates. Sometimes, if you anticipate your departure or return by a day or two, you can find much cheaper prices.
- Be flexible with destinations. Unless you absolutely have to go somewhere, you may be able to choose a destination from those on offer and discover places you never thought you’d visit.
Now that you know all about flight offers, all you have to do is book your ideal holiday at the best price.