Cheap Flights - Cheap Tourists?

With Spain's economic woes continuing - they had to pay 5.8% on today's Bond Market to raise 2.5 billion Euros - you might imagine that as tourism forms such a large part of their GDP the country would be happy to see tourists arriving and spending their money in shops, bars and restaurants, as well as staying in hotels or villas.

Every tourist that arrives is new money for the Spanish economy.

But one tourist official made a remark last summer, which he quickly retracted, that low cost airlines bring in low spending tourists.

While the remark was retracted, it is interesting to see that point of view, however briefly, surface from the tourism industry.

One travel blog which specialises in the Spanish weather including the weather in Lanzarote points out a few truths about why the budget airlines are a force of good.

To read what they have to say visit their blog

Budget Airlines - Are They Good For A Local Economy?

Opponents of low cost airlines say that their service is poor, and their customer relations worse.

But if you are going to easyJet's or Ryanair's websites to book a flight, wouldn't you know that you have to add on extras for luggage, getting on the plane first - and if you turn up late for a flight you're not going to be able to get on board?

It always astonishes us here at Tribune the attitude some people have when they arrive late for a flight, blaming traffic conditions, public transport delays, etc. And seeing them rant and rave at the airines staff is never a pretty sight.

Would these same people rant and rave at a dental surgery's receptionist if they turned up late for a dental appointment, and then had to wait until the dentist was free or re-schedule for another day, or would they expect the dentist to wait while their patient was stuck in a traffic jam? We think not.

The answer is quite simple but beyond some. 

If you know you need to be at the check-in desk by a certain time or you miss the flight, work out how long it's going to take you to get there from leaving home - and add an hour to allow for delays. And if you don't want to pay extra for suitcases and other incidentals such as snacks on board - book with an airline that  has these as standard, pay more most of the time for the privilege, and stop moaning about the budget airlines who overall provide a great service and allow many more people to travel abroad on holiday because of their lower fares.

And as a Lanzarote blog points out, if you think people who use budget airlines are those without the money to fly on other airlines - you're wrong. Take a low cost flight out of Stansted to Nice and you'll be joined on board by people who own Monaco property and villas in the South of France.

Or fly to Barcelona and you'll almost certainly be on board the same low cost flight that's carrying passengers on their way to their property in Andorra - another tax haven.

To read how the budget airlines are of benefit to islands like Lanzarote, click through to this Lanzarote blog