These are the European airlines with the most hidden fees

It was reported last week that the UK government is planning a crackdown on airlines that slap a whole load of hidden fees onto the cost of their flights, on everything from seat reservations to extra baggage. 

Though it seems that the days of these nasty surprises are numbered, the European airlines which are the worst for hidden fees have been revealed – so you can still make an informed decision in the meantime. 

NetVoucherCodes, a UK deal and voucher website, has done some research to find out which European airlines are most guilty of drip-pricing (that’s adding extra charges to the price of a trip, on top of the cost that was advertised). 

The company compiled a list of the world’s top airlines, curated a route for each one that departed on the same day for about the same distance, and calculated how many fees were added to the price of the ticket. 

This might not come as a surprise, but Ryanair was the biggest hitter for hidden fees, by quite a significant margin. Opting for a 20kg hold luggage, carry-on bag, fast track, seat selection and insurance meant the flight cost ballooned by 344 percent. 

Wizz Air ranked in second place, according to NetVoucherCodes’ research, with the total flight cost rising to 273 percent of the advertised price, which is almost three times the original amount. easyJet came in third, with a flight-price increase of 170 percent. 

If you’re keen to save money when you’re booking your next flight, it seems like the best way to avoid a hidden fee is by not selecting your seat. 90 percent of airlines all over the world include this as an add-on, but some airlines actually let you choose for free within the 24-hour check-in period before departure. 

Here is the list of the 10 airlines with the most hidden fees. 

1. Ryanair
2. Wizz Air
3. easyJet
4. Air Europa
5. Vueling
6. Jet2.com
7. Finnair
8. Norwegian
9. British Airways
10. Lufthansa

Did you see that these are all the strikes in European airports you need to watch out for right now?

Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out Travel newsletter for all the latest travel news.