Cheaper Airlines

We do carry-on only, and have had no issues with Easy Jet flights.
There are more factors involved in train vs. air than just the carrier - schedules, costs, timings and so on.

This topic is discussed in many threads, both recent and past. Have you tried using the Search field in the upper right of this page? Search for 'EasyJet fees' or 'RyanAir fees'. If your questions aren't adequately answered by doing that, return and ask with more detail about your own situation or specific concerns.

www.easyJet.com www.ryanair.com Go directly to these sites and run some test routes. Read the fine print carefully and don't make any assumptions about things such as carry-on luggage. These airlines tend to be very strict. They also can be very cheap if you book well in advance. It's worth noting that these flights are sold one leg at a time. A round trip is sold as two separate flights. There are no connections; if you are going to a destination that requires changing planes, you will have to claim your luggage and check in again for the second flight. They also don't connect with other carriers.
On the plus side, you can pick which extras you want to pay for; prices can be laughably low; the flights are short so you can get by without in-flight entertainment or a meal. These companies have also forced tradtional airlines to match the cheap fares on some competitive routes. To see other budget airlines, www.skyscanner.com

When I am deciding my mode of transportation, I consider many things, including time restraints, costs, and comfort. I choose what works best for me for that particular trip, whether it be flight, train, auto, coach, etc. I do like train travel, but I have flown budget European airlines many times and have been satisfied. They have no frills whatsoever and no assigned seats, but on a short flight within Europe this is acceptable for me. Many posters seem to dislike these airlines, including some who have admitted that they have never flown on them. A common complaint against Ryanair is that they use airports that are not in the city center, and in some cases are pretty far away from the city. If you want to arrive in the city center this could be a disadvantage and so you might want to find another method of transportation. Often though, I have wanted to go off in a different direction and so it was the perfect landing spot for my trip. Other times when I did want to arrive in the city center, it was not difficult to get there from the airport, and so all other advantages considered, still worked out fine for me. Another complaint seems to be that they are very strict about carryon luggage. After reading their rules, clearly stated on their website, I have had no problem with following them. Some people say they have lots of added on fees, but there is nothing hidden about it, and I have found that even after everything is added up, flight is still often the most economical choice. My advice is to compare the pros and cons of all your options, being sure to read the rules of the airlines. If you decide on flight, know where you would land and determine ahead of time the next step in how to get where you want to go. One final word. You may have the chance to pay for priority boarding. I wouldn't. In some airports this is a joke, as everyone just rushes on at once anyway.

Kyle I have used Easyjet and Vueling, multiple times . Both are pretty clear and up front , I don't know hwy peole go on about extra fees, they are optional fees which I never get ( like seating assignments or insurance ) and the baggage fees are pretty clear. I usually pay for one checked bag, its cheaper if you pay up front while booking your tickets.
I do not use Ryanair because their cheap prices are offset by the cost and time spent commuting to the airports they use, usually quite a bit farther away from the arrival cities then you might suspect, for instance they use Beavais for Paris and its 1 1/2 hours from Paris and requires a bus and train a pain in the butt really. I use trains too , but for train trips over 5-6 hours I prefer to fly.

Many good comments so far... My basic rule of thumb is if a train would be more than 4 hours, I consider flying (and if train wins, I consider a stop to break up the journey). Less than four hours it is not worth it time wise when you consider travel to the airport, security time, flight, then travel to your destination city. Cost wise, even with a cheap flight, train is also usually cheaper, though some of the high speed options for trains can be pricey nowadays. As for Ryanair, yes fees add on, but the total cost is still less than other options. Most have difficulty with a few items, one: you need to do online checkin and print your own boarding pass, the option to do at the airport is very expensive. Second: We in North America are accustomed to abusing carry on rules, including weight of the carry-on, Size, and number ofitems carried on. Ryanair lists the limits, follows them, checks for compliance, and charges those that do not follow the rules. One item means one item, not a roller bag and a day pack. 10 Kg (22 lbs) means that, they weigh nearly every bag and put it into the size checker. I usually avoid this by just paying to check a bag rather than try to squeak by.

Easyjet are also now moving to requiring people to check in online and print their boarding pass themselves. One advantage of Easyjet over Ryanair now is that Easyjet have assigned seats (extra cost to choose one specifically) while Ryanair still have the scrum for the front seats at boarding.

Kyle, why wouldn't you claim you bag?