I'm getting very frustrated with the ridiculous taxes for LHR departure flights. Award tickets business class fees are now approaching deeply discount economy tickets. I know the alternative is not to fly from LHR and reposition and fly from somewhere else, CDG, DUB, or any other EU city.

In fact I'm doing that for my upcoming trip, but it's so frustrating because I have to lose an entire day. For example, the only flight I could find was flying from CPK (but it's in the morning). So I have to get a LHR->CPK flight the day before, and I'll prob sleep in the airport, otherwise I'll incur more fees by getting a hotel at CPK. The LHR->CPK ticket is not cheap to at $100. Yes, I am aware of budget airlines, but I am concerned that if they screw up I will miss my flight. I did consider flying out from LON or LGW, but with only so few flights to CPK, I decided to take LHR->CPK as there's like 5+ daily flights on BA, and many other carriers should I need to switch during an emergency.

For those who fly in/out of UK regularly, what's the best and cheapest, aka no extra fees, no extra hotels, no extra time, method of repositioning, if at all possible? I also know a popular approach is to fly using budget airlines from smaller airports - are you not concerned that flights get delayed and you will miss your actual flight, and you have limited/no options from that small airport should trouble arise (yes, even if it is the day before)