British families with school-age children are paying up to DOUBLE for a holiday this summer
On average, a family of four pay £905 extra to holiday in early August compared to term time in July
AS THE father who refused to pay a £60 fine for taking his daughter to Disney World in term-time lost a landmark legal battle today, a new report revealed how families are being forced to pay almost double to go on vacation in school holidays.
New research reveals that families are being forced to cough up thousands of pounds extra for package summer holidays outside of term time.
The revelation comes as the Supreme Court sided with education chiefs in a move that Jon Platt, 46, said will “criminalise millions of parents” who want to take breaks outside the school holidays.
To coincide with the ruling, currency exchange website FairFX has analysed the cost of 104 holidays departing during the peak summer holiday period, compared with travelling during term time -just weeks earlier.
They found that, on average, a holiday for a family of four goes up by £905 for the convenience of travelling on the weekend of 5th August compared to four weeks earlier during term time – an increase of 32 per cent.
In many cases, the jump in price can be much steeper, for example, the average price of a family holiday for a week at an all-inclusive family resort in Rhodes jumps by £2,965 – or 86 per cent during this period.
The cost of the holiday at Holiday Village Rhodes departing from Birmingham Airport with First Choice costs £6,417 on 5th August, but four weeks earlier the holiday costs £4,256.
Alternatively, a week in the Costa Brava from London Gatwick costs more than double to travel during the school holidays.
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A holiday at the 4* Golden Taurus Park Resort with Thomson costs £1,512 in June for a family of four and £1,927 in July, but in August, the price rockets to £3,415.
Further afield, a trip to Disney World Florida rises by £1,455 if you travel in the school holidays.
Two weeks’ room only at the 3* Disney Art of Animation Resort from Manchester Airport costs £8,091 in June, but eight weeks later in August, the price rises to £9,546.
Ian Strafford-Taylor, CEO of FairFX, said: “Despite national outcry and a legal battle reaching the Supreme Court, the industry has ignored the plight families are facing up and down the country who are worried about the escalating cost of their holiday.
“Families accept they’re likely to pay more to travel within peak holiday times but some of the price hikes we’re seeing are outrageous and brings the industry into disrepute.”