Here are some useful tips when using low cost airlines that can save you money:

The low cost airline’s pricing structure will allow only so many seats at the price shown when you make your booking. If there are for instance 4 seats left at a certain price and you enter 6 people then it will tip you into the next price band and all will pay the higher price. When making a reservation for a larger party enter one person initially and note the price. Then enter the total number in the party, if the price is higher then you can go back and start adding people to the reservation one at a time. In the above example you will enter 4 people at one price but as soon as you enter 5 it will go up. You can make a reservation for 4 people at the lower price and a reservation for 2 people at the higher price.

Most low cost airlines charge for checking-in bags and Ryanair even charges for checking-in at the airport. You get at least 10Kg carry on allowance plus 15Kg to 20Kg check in allowance depending on the airline. If you are a larger party and you can fit all you belongings in carry on bags and as fewer check in bags as possible you will save money. You can also get priority boarding if you only have carry on bags, however you cannot mix the 2 so if you only make one reservation then those with only carry on bags will not get priority boarding. You would have to make 2 separate reservations, one for those checking-in bags and one for those with only carry on bags, the advantage is that those who get priority boarding can save seats for the others. Remember, with most of the low cost airlines people traveling with children no longer get priority boarding automatically. Having said that, at Rome Ciampino airport you are normally bussed to the aircraft and if you have priority boarding you get on the bus first, however everybody else gets on the same bus and so it is a mad rush once you get to the aircraft.

Remember you cannot share luggage allowance, you cannot have a 25Kg suitcase between 2, you will pay excess baggage as it will be deemed to belong to only one of you. I still have a few guests who get caught out with the security limitations in what you can carry in your carry on bag. Remember anything that is a liquid or a paste has limitations on the size so check the regulations.