Charter versus low-cost

That budget airline deal looks better at first glance. But what does it really compared to a charter flight?

Passenger obligations. Travel operators are not only obliged to get you to your destination, they adhere to guidelines laid down by the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) stating that delayed passengers must be offered "light refreshmentî after three hours, food after six hours and accommodation after 12 hours. Ryanair has said it will provide none of these.

Price. It can be cheaper to take a charter to popular destinations than a so-called low-cost flight. In our table (see left), there was little evidence of very cheap fares on no-frills airlines, bar the fares to Palma, and only charters to the lesscommon destination of Verona were markedly more expensive than the no-frills equivalent.

"Although 'no-frills' fares generally go up nearer departure date, charter flight-only prices can often be cheaper then,î says Avro MD Stephen Rhodes. Charters were even competitive on midweek departures and those booked well in advance.

Flexibility. Charters on popular routes now allow travel on most days of the week, and it's possible to fly into, say, Malaga, and out of Alicante. Says Thomson MD Chris Mottershead: "Singles or returns can be bought, so people aren't restricted to seven or 14 nights.î

Service. Most charters (not MyTravel) still include meals and some have inflight entertainment. Avro sometimes has charters on BA planes, so you get BA service for a charter price; you can see which planes are BA charters when you book. Because travel companies have representatives at airports, there is someone to sort out anything that goes wrong.

Financial protection. Charter companies are obliged to hold an Air Travel Organiser's Licence (Atol), guaranteeing a refund if the company goes bust. If a no-frills airline collapses (although unlikely), you don't get your money back.

Special prices for kids. Under-12s get reduced rates on charters - JMC gives an average £40 reduction - while no-frills airlines charge full price for children older than two.

Payment. You only pay a deposit on charter flights booked more than eight weeks before departure.

Secondary airports. No-frills airlines often use secondary airports - Ryanair flies into Brescia, 40 minutes by train from Verona.