Flybe: London to Edinburgh

The carrier: Flybe

About

Flybe has emerged as a budget airline to watch. Flybe is now Europe’s largest regional low-cost airline. The UK-based low-cost carrier acquired most of British Airways' BA Connect routes in 2007, and currently operates a dense route map in and out of the UK, with especially good connections to destinations in France.

Most notable about Flybe: its connections to out-of-the-way corners of the British Isles that don't get a lot of low-cost air traffic, like Guernsey, the Isle of Man and Jersey. Flybe operates out of more UK airports than any other airline.

Upside

Recently expanded network has yielded impressive destination list. Lots of new airplanes.

Downside

Booking over the phone is extremely expensive. In general, there are many hidden fees and charges.  Some of these include a booking fee of €5, as well as a credit card supplement (€1.50), and a charge for seating.  All tickets are non-refundable. 

Baggage

* Carry-on: Up to 10 kg of hand luggage.
* Checked: Depending on your class (economy, economy plus), you are allowed between 20-30 kg of stuff. Anything over this is charged €14 per kilo for the first three kilos and then €17 for between 4-6 kilos.  After that the charge is €23. 

* Please visit Flybe’s website for more information on its baggage policy.

Seating

You can pre-book seats up to 24 hours before the flight departs. You may pre-assign your seat for €8 per flight per sector and €22 for bulkhead and exit row seats.  Once seats have pre-booked and paid for the charges are non-refundable.

Check-in and Ticketing

Online check-in is available at most airports from 36 hours to 1 hour before departure. 

Departure: London, United Kingdom - Luton Apt (LTN)

In Brief: London Luton is another of London's budget airline-friendly airports. It serves as a hub for Ryanair, easyJet, WizzAir, Thomsonfly, and Monarch, and also serves Aer Arann and Flybe. It is located just under 50 km (about 30 miles) north of London. Transportation: The airport offers a free shuttle to the Luton Airport Parkway station, where the Thameslink train speeds passengers into King's Cross Station in 35 minutes (£12.10.) EasyBus runs a 90-minute shuttle to a location on Buckingham Palace Road near Victoria Station. Fares technically begin at £2, but we've found fares more commonly to be around £5. There's also a Greenline (Arriva) bus connection, which charges £12 for a 35-minute journey to the City of London.

Arrival: Edinburgh, United Kingdom - Edinburgh International (Turnhouse) (EDI)

Edinburgh Airport, sometimes referred to as "Turnhouse", was the busiest airport in Scotland in 2007 and is a hub for easyJet, flyglobespan and Ryanair. Location: Edinburgh Airport is located 12 km (eight miles) west of Edinburgh. Transport: - Rail: Most train services operate from Edinburgh Haymarket station which is found on the main bus route between the airport and city center. - Bus: Public bus services stop outside the Arrivals Halls. More information on both Lothian Bus services can be found at the flybybus company's Website. Also, the express service operates daily. - Taxi: At Edinburgh Airport there are three taxi ranks available. One of them operates solely based on pre-booked reservations while the other two are for companies that serve the airport. Usually, a journey to and from the city center and airport takes roughly 25 minutes. The 'black cab' rank is available by the coach stations while others are available outside the Arrivals Hall. Service: In the airport there are numerous shops and restaurants. Several internet stations are available. In addition, there are play areas for children, entertainment facilities, and baby changing rooms.