The best European airlines for stopover savings
It is not just the Gulf carriers that offer big savings. Aer Lingus, the Dublin-based carrier, and Helsinki-based Finnair (which, like Qatar Airways, is part of the OneWorld alliance) offer better value than flying from London – but they fly to far fewer destinations than the Gulf carriers. Here’s what you will save starting your journey in Dublin with Aer Lingus and on Finnair, starting from Helsinki, compared with going direct on British Airways from London. The biggest savings are on business-class tickets bought two to three months before departure.
10-17 June, Economy
Finnair, Helsinki-Tokyo, -£686
10-17 June, Business
Aer Lingus, Dublin-New York JFK, -£3,433
Finnair, Helsinki-Singapore, -£1,173
4-11 November, Economy
Finnair, Helsinki-Tokyo, -£103
Aer Lingus, Dublin-New York JFK, -£67
4-11 November, Business
Finnair, Helsinki-Singapore, -£950
Finnair, Helsinki-Hong Kong, -£533
Aer Lingus, Dublin-New York JFK, -£496
Finnair, Helsinki-Tokyo, -£195
Explaining the gulf in fares, Jeremy Pollock, Etihad’s General Manager for the UK and Ireland, said: “The price for any route involves multiple factors, including government taxes and fees, dynamic pricing across various points of sale, consumer demand, and the airline’s strategic focus across key routes.” Translation? Taxes and other fees are higher in Britain than on the Continent and in Ireland. Demand for fancy business-class seats is lower in smaller continental cities than in London, so airlines offer cheaper fares to lure customers.
Emirates also highlighted the higher cost of doing business in Britain. “There is high demand to and from London throughout the year, where supply is limited by airport slots constraints, and where operating costs are higher, as are UK government departure taxes borne by travellers. These all contribute to higher fares from the city,” a spokeswoman said.
Thierry Antinori, chief commercial officer at Qatar Airways, said the airline used “one of the youngest fleets in the industry” and “vast global network “to optimise costs” and offer “competitive fares” from many destinations on the Continent and in Ireland.
A spokeswoman for British Airways pointed out that unlike most long-haul services on Finnair and Aer Lingus from London, “all BA flights from London are direct. Customers do not need to take a positioning flight to start their journey from another destination or connect through a hub. Fares also include taxes and charges which are stipulated by the Government and airports and are often higher for journeys beginning in the UK than other areas of Europe.”
Whatever the reasons for the lower prices outside Britain, canny travellers can save thousands of pounds on long-haul flights – and maybe enjoy a weekend city break in Europe at the start or end of their journey.