European cheap flight updates

Today's Independent newspaper has an article highlighting how BA no longer restrict the availability of low fares. It is even selling one way flights on its cheapest routes. Before the cheap flight boom ushered in by easyJet, Ryanair etc European airlines would make it very difficult for passengers to get a cheap flight. They would only sell return tickets and insist on a Saturday night away. This ensured that business travellers paid the highest fares. The rational being that the business travellers weren't concerned as the flights were paid for on expenses.
EasyJet though offered no restrictions on to length of stay and only sold single tickets. What's more they were a fraction of the cost. The business community took notice and started sending their employees on EasyJet and the other 'no frills' airlines.

BA saw the writing on the wall and four years ago removed the Saturday night stay stipulation on many of its flights. The latest move is to abandon the absurd charging regime, whereby it is more expensive to buy a single ticket than a return ticket. This has not yet been extended to all routes though but you can now fly many of BA's routes at comparable prices to the low cost carriers with the added bonus of BA's level of passenger service. Other traditional airlines operating into the UK are likely to follow BA. BMI introduced the low cost airline model on most of its routes last year.

BA at present has a sale on its Spain and Portugal routes. The flight I checked was from London Gatwick to Madrid in mid January which was available for £37 each way including all taxes and charges, making them a realistic alternative to easyJet, Monarch and Thomsonfly.

Independent article
BA photo licensed to Eurapart, copyright T Silgrim