To begin, I've never flown on a low-cost European airline.

Mrs. Spinmeister and I need to fly Budapest-Berlin in early June. Malev has a flight at 18:45 that costs around $220 per person (but it could be much higher). I looked at Easy Jet and they have a flight a few hours earlier for around $90.

Has anyone flown this route on Easy Jet, and if so can you please comment on reliability, etc.

Thanks.

Can't comment on that route specifically, but easyJet aren't awful (as low cost airlines go!). They're more like Southwest in the US than say Ryanair would be. They're a big player now, with a lot of history - not a start up, or fly by night operation

Fleet is generally comfortable, crew is quite ok. For a flight of that lenght, it seems like a no brainer to pick easyJet over Malev

+1

However, you need to check the prices for additional services you may need (checked luggage, preferred boarding, check-in at the counter) if you haven't included them in the $90.

Your route is well stocked with discount carriers.

You may want to try Air Baltic, Wizz Air or Blue Wings. Turkish Air also does nice deals on this route as well.

I've done EasyJet a bunch of times and while the flights and aircraft have all been ok, there has always been something a miss with my trips when it comes to EasyJet. I've had hidden charges snuck into the fee's, been forced to pay extra at check in for "internet issues" and I've also had my tix switched from one airport to another which has happened three times in London.

Going off of my personal experiences, I think you might be better suited for another airline.

Pass auf, Blue Wings went down the tubes a few weeks ago, as far as I know. I would have thought Turkish would involve a lengthy detour via Istanbul.

I am no lover of easyJet or low-cost carriers, believe me. However, they have mostly been pretty dependable for me, with good timekeeping. You do have to watch out for the unnecessary extra charges that sneak in during the booking process, and unclick what you don't need as you go along. For example, I've never wasted money on Speedy Boarding...

For me, the big difference between the European LCCs and the US airlines (which all seem to be more or less LCC now) is that you have to pay for drinks here. What I really appreciate in the US is what always seems to be a generous soft drinks and water service on all flights I have taken. On easyJet and Ryanair, you can get water for free... but I'm not sure where it comes from. I've taken it (against my travel mantra), and never been ill!!

I fly easyJet regularly and they are fine as long as you fully understand (and accept) their operating model. Although the base price may be cheaper, you need to be aware of all the extra potential costs (e.g. checked-in luggage, cost of food/drink on board etc). They can also be very strict about hand luggage size which may ending costing you extra if they force you to put it in the hold.

Boarding can be challenging if you’ve never been on a flight with “free seating”. Basically they board in three groups: (1) Speedy Boarders (i.e. those who have a an easyJet card or have paid specifically to board first on the flight in question), (2) those with small families/requiring special assistance, (3) everybody else. Obviously speedy boarders tend to nab the front row and emergency exit seats and in the normal seats the leg room is not over-generous so that needs to be considered.

Overall they tend to be efficient and on time but you need to know what you are getting for the apparently low price.

EasyJet is fine. You don't have to jump through the hoops that RyanAir makes you go through (just show your passport at check-in) and they always seem to be friendly and on-time. Malev is also fine, but for that difference in price, I would just take EasyJet.

Err... did you misunderstand the route? This is BUD-BER we are talking about. BT doesn't fly to Hungary at all, nor are there any BUD-RIX/VNO flights that would allow a connection.

The only German airport served by Wizz from BUD is NRN which is on the other side of the country, not very convenient (although one could always catch FR to SXF from there).

I'm very doubtful TK would offer a decent one-way fare for BUD-IST-TXL (or -SXF), that's quite a detour.

As already mentioned, go with easyJet unless you have a very large amount of luggage to check - weight regulations will be more lenient on MA and overweight charges might be a bit lower, or are very desperate for Oneworld mileage.

Just bear in mind that they fly to different airports, MA to TXL which still is the main Berlin airport and Ezy to SXF which is on the other side of the city and much further away (but with very good public transport connections).

No point paying over hundred dollars premium for a stale sandwich and some drinks.

Thaks for all your replies.

Seems like a no brainer. EasyJet it will be.