Ryanair: Klagenfurt to Frankfurt

The carrier: Ryanair

Upside
Massive number of destinations. Really cheap fares.

Downside
Numerous extra charges when booking. Customer care isn't a priority (See below). Food prices on board very steep.

About
The big daddy of them all, Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair maintains the most awe-inspiring route map and tends to add new destinations (and cancel unprofitable routes) at blistering, breakneck speed. Founded in 1985, Ryanair was Europe's original low fares airline and is still Europe's largest low fares carrier. At current count, Ryanair operates well over 500 routes, from Inverness to Brindisi; Tampere to Tenerife.

It's easy to have lots of opinions about Ryanair; we certainly do. It's a big monster of an airline. We've been pleased as punch on Ryanair, psyched to take advantage of insanely cheap fares, and we've also been annoyed beyond belief with the airline, distressed by enormous surcharges on too-heavy luggage and staff who appear to be completely clueless.

With Ryanair more than with the other airlines we describe here, it pays to be informed about potential penalties and pitfalls.

Baggage
* Carry-on: One piece of luggage not to exceed 10 kg.
* Checked: Up to 3 bags with a combined weight of 15 kg. If booked on-line using Ryanair, the first bag is €10 and the second and third bags are €20 each. Over 15 kg, €15 per kg at the airport. Check website for details.

Seating
Since Ryanair is a free for all when it comes to landing seats, it can sometimes be worth it to pay the €5 for priority boarding. In advance, book priority boarding status online, if you hold an EU passport.

Note: If you check in at the airport, you will also incur a €5 fee. Note that American passengers can only check in at the airport.


more...

Departure: Klagenfurt, Austria - Klagenfurt (KLU)

The Klagenfurt Airport in Klagenfurt, Austria provides travelers with a fantastic view of the mountains from their "sun-terrace".

Location: Klagenfurt Airport is located in the borough of Annabichl, approximately 3 km (1.9 mi) from the city centre of Klagenfurt.

Transport:

- Rail: Klagenfurt lies on both the South and the Tauern Railway Lines which give easy connections to Bruck/Mur & Vienna and also Villach and Salzburg. The journey time between Klagenfurt main railway station "Hauptbahnhof" and Klagenfurt Annabichl (nearest stop to the airport) is just 5 minutes. There is a train to Annabichl approximately every hour and it is just 5 minutes walk to the airport from the station at Annabichl.

- Bus: The airport is accessible by shuttle bus or city bus from Klagenfurt central station. Also, transferbus.net offers daily transfers from Klagenfurt Airport to the different regions of Carinthia.

- Taxi: Taxi stands can be found directly outside both the arrival and departure halls.

Services: Within the airport there are restaurants, cafes and travel shops. The Airport Information Desk can be found in the main terminal building in the departures area and directly opposite the main entrance.
more...

Arrival: Frankfurt, Germany - Frankfurt Intl (FRA)

In Brief: Germany's busiest airport, Frankfurt International ranks third within Europe in terms of passenger traffic. Unlike some other of Europe's bigger airports, there is not a separate terminal for low-cost airlines. There are, in fact, not a huge number of budget airlines offering flights in and out of Frankfurt, but those that do are distributed across terminals. Air Berlin, Clickair, and Niki fly to Frankfurt International.

Transportation: The best way between the airport and the Frankfurt main train station is by S-Bahn. A one-way journey costs just €3.55 and takes about 10 minutes.
more...