Some no-frills airlines are charging almost half the cost of a ticket for a basic meal aboard their flights.

Published: 24 Dec 2008

Some no-frills airlines are charging almost half the cost of a ticket for a basic meal aboard their flights.

Which? Holiday, which looked at five no-frills airlines and the prices they charge for five food and drink products onboard their aircraft in October 2008 - a meat sandwich, tub of Pringles crisps, bottle of water, cup of coffee and bottle of red wine, said its findings show some discrepancies in the prices that the airlines charge, with Ryanair being the most expensive for every item on the list. The Irish airline charges £2.50 for a bottle of water and £2.50 for a cup of coffee while a small bottle of red wine costs £5.00. Bmibaby, Easyjet, Flybe, Monarch and Ryanair were surveyed for the same.

A sandwich, small tub of crisps and small bottle of red wine can add more than £10 to the price of a single ticket – increasing to over £20 for a return trip. In some instances this can amount to half the price of the actual airline ticket, according to Which? Holiday.

The best value for money was Bmibaby who generally offered the cheapest price on all products, charging just 80p for a bottle of water and £1.80 for a cup of coffee. There was more than £5 difference between all the products on the Ryanair flight compared with Bmibaby.

Which? Holiday editor Lorna Cowan said: "If you do need to buy food at the airport then opt for high street retailers in the departure lounge – or even bring your own. This could save you money especially if you have to feed a family."