Ryanair - 6
I often use Ryanair to the UK and Europe. I have never had a problem with them, ok so you dont get free drinks etc. But then not many airlines do give free onboard service. The price I pay on Ryanair is usually cheaper than the competition, however for EG, DUB LGW with BA is often at Short notice so so much cheaper and at weekends. However, the fact is the LCCs use a yield management system that will usually be cheaper the earlier that you book or should I say a Percentage of the seats go at different levels of pricing . EG (not sure of the exact % ) but say 50 % at the lowest fares...10% at the next highest price etc.
This system is much fairer as the people who book first get the lowest fare. Not so fair when you book early and then it becomes cheaper nearere the time. All that said I have often gotten a cheaper deal at short notice.
As for routes that there is only 1 operator ie Ryanair the same system applies. When You mention Liverpool and Manchester these are so often at high prices around weekends.Football etc.
It amazes me on here all the talking down of Ryanair there is . I was in Stansted last Sunday and I can say what FR have achieved there is only spectacular. In a Queue of 8 aircraft to take off 7 were FR 1 was easyjet. The amount of positives that can be attributed to FR success is imense. And b4 I get replies saying name them or prove it I am not going to. Eg Massive growth in Tourism etc. Big decrease in fares. So many people on here would have you believe that they would never fly Ryanair. So much snobbery. In Belfast nearly everyone who flies does so on LCCs and to them thats flying . They fly they dont differentiate. The only Full service(so called) from BFS is Bmi and in my book it proves to me to be just the same as FR except you get to pick you own seat.
EI-BUD