Upstart airlines revolutionize flying

You are now free to move about the planet.

Well, maybe not free, but certainly less expensively than before the European Open-Skies Treaty of 1991 ended the monopolies of national air carriers on flights between cities in the Common Market.

As deregulation did in the United States, the move spawned dozens of upstart airlines offering low-cost service in and around Europe. Although a number have already disappeared, 62 carriers still operate in Europe alone, with new ones popping up overnight.

Peruse the tail insignias of jetliners at hub airports and you'll find names of which most American travelers have never heard. Established alternative carriers such as Ryan Air, EasyJet and Air Berlin operate extensive schedules, but others such as Air Baltic or Snowflake may be the least expensive way to fly between any two city pairs.

The evolution of alternative airlines is spreading to other continents: Asia, Africa, South America and Oceania. All told, at least 117 airlines are serving 871 airports in 125 countries and flying nearly 24,000 routes a day. They have names like Kiwi Jet, Woosh, Smart Wings and Zoom. More and more, you can fly from there to there for considerably less than the established carrier is charging.

There are caveats. Although the safety records of these upstart airlines tend to be quite good, they may not fly as frequently as the local big boys and will charge for amenities such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments. Of course, with the general demise of customer services on major carriers, that's less of an issue. Also, as in the United States, these upstart airlines often use a city's secondary airport, which can have both advantages and drawbacks.

They conduct business entirely online or over the phone, and tickets are not available through travel agents. Their transactions are ticketless; you simply show up at check-in with passport and e-ticket or confirmation number. Rather than requiring round trips, most of these carriers sell one-way journeys, which makes them good for hopscotch touring.

The primary challenge for travelers is to find out about these airline alternatives in the first place.

Because many of these alternatives don't show up in reservation searches through the main travel booking sites (such as Orbitz, Expedia or Travelocity), your best bet is to check out Web sites that specialize in these listings.

The oldest of these sites, www.whichbudget.com, is staffed by low-fare enthusiasts around the world. Its straightforward directory makes it easy to identify airports and the alternative airlines that serve them. Whichbudget.com also sends you directly to the airline involved, making it easy to find a flight/fare, make reservations and pay. It also provides budget options on accommodations, transportation and auto rentals, and it exercises some vigilance in making sure recommended carriers operate generally as advertised and blacklists fly-by-night carriers.

Other Web sites, such as attitudetravel.com and lowcostairlines.org, provide listings and maps of low-cost carriers. A decent collection of low-cost carriers is also growing on Wikipedia.

To test out the low-fare concept, I went looking for reservations for a trip I'll be taking in two weeks from Oslo, Norway, to the town of Tromso in the far north of the country.

The cheapest one-way flight I could find on Oslo's primary carrier was more than $300, but a quick check of whichbudget directed me to the Web site of an upstart carrier, Norwegian Shuttle, where I was quickly able to find a suitable departure on a nonstop flight for about $175. Completing the transaction was a snap, and a confirmation and e-ticket showed up in my inbox within five minutes. I have every reason to expect my flight will be completed with equal efficiency.

When looking for flights and fares on these airlines, be sure to read the rules carefully and don't simply assume arrangements will operate as you have come to expect on domestic airlines.

For example, pricing structures are complex and fares fluctuate according to demand. Special promotions may make for ridiculously low fares, but as at home, taxes, fees and extra charges can add significantly to the final cost. In general the lowest fares are off-season and early in the morning or late in the evening. Try to book at least two weeks in advance.