Cost of cheap flights soars for summer

If you're hoping to book a last-minute summer break, you might find that it's going to cost much more than you expect.

According to a report in The Observer, the extras on 'cheap flights' are now more costly than ever. Research by aviation consultancy IdeaWorksCompany reveals that worldwide, airlines made £17.3bn in extra charges and fees last year, which is almost 20 per cent higher than in 2011.

These extra fees include checked-in baggage charges, with Ryanair now charging £45 to check in a 20kg bag on some flights, and EasyJet charging up to £19.

In addition, Ryanair now charges £30 each way to take a child under two on your lap, with Monarch charging £20 each way.

There are also booking fees to take into consideration: EasyJet has increased its flat booking fee to £10, plus an additional 2.5 per cent if you pay by credit card.

The Telegraph reports that the airlines that earn the most through sources other than ticket sales are the US airlines United, Delta, American and Southwest - but Ryanair and EasyJet both made the top 10.

According to the research, Ryanair collected an extra £890m in extras, and EasyJet around £740m.

Jay Sorenson, president of IdeaWorksCompany said: "Statistics help tell the ancillary revenue story, and every year key numbers are getting larger. The most aggressive airlines easily have more than 20 per cent of their revenue produced by a la carte fees."

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