British Airways is taking the fight for customers to the no frills carriers by launching a 'value calculator' on ba.com. The new tool will allow customers to check the true cost of Ryanair and EasyJet's added charges versus the value of BA's full service.

Richard Tams, head of UK & Ireland sales at British Airways, said: "With BA, the price you see is the price you pay. It's been well documented that some of the no-frills carriers charge for a range of 'extras' that we consider to be part of our core service, from checking in a bag to food and drinks on board. We're just making these transparent for customers.

"On a round trip customers can be paying up to £375 on Ryanair and £79 on EasyJet for these 'extras' in addition to their fare. We think people will be pleasantly surprised when they see what great value our fares offer. The no frills carriers claim they're always cheaper. Our calculator shows they are not."

The British Airways value calculator can be customised depending on how the customer is planning to travel. The system enables customers to select the various features they want for their flights - such as checking in at the airport or online, selecting a seat 24-hours before they fly, choosing the size of hold luggage they are taking, or opting for food and drink on board. It also compares the prices depending on the type of card used to make the payment and the size of hand luggage allowed on. It will then calculate what Ryanair, EasyJet and BA will charge in total for those options.

With extra charges of £375 possible on some combinations with Ryanair, British Airways are looking to make passengers aware that while the price BA advertises is the price paid by the customer, 'no frills' airlines often charge extra hidden costs.