More than 1 in 10 parents take their children on vacation during the school year

More and more parents are taking their children out of school during the school holidays as some airlines increase ticket costs by as much as 1,200 percent.

The price increase during the May holidays will affect families in difficulty who will face fines if they travel outside school holidays.

But a survey for the Mail shows that many parents are now taking the risk: 13 percent have booked a trip with their children during the school year.

The poll of 2,000 UK holidaymakers, conducted by Holiday Extras, revealed the increase in the number of parents choosing to travel during the school year due to rising costs.

When the same poll was conducted in January, 10 percent of parents said they booked a vacation during the school year.

An analysis by the Mail of prices for half-term holidays found that the cheapest flights to Heraklion, Crete (pictured) from any airport in London can be purchased from Easyjet for £984.34 per person

It comes as an analysis by the Mail of prices for half term holidays that the cheapest flights to Heraklion, Crete – a popular island for May holidays – from any airport in London are on sale from Easyjet for £984.34 per person, costing a family of four nearly £4,000.

Return flights for the same route are advertised on the airline’s website for just £71.98 at other times of the year, making half-year flights 14 times more expensive.

Noel Josephides, chairman of Sunvil Holidays and director of AITO travel company, said: ‘We have airlines such as BA, Easyjet and Wizz Air that have a monopoly on major airports and there’s not much anyone can do.

“These companies have suffered huge losses during the pandemic and it is an effort to recoup as much as possible.”

Currently, parents can be fined £60 – rising to £120 if they fail to pay within 21 days – if they take their child out of school without permission.

Jo Rhodes, Sheriff’s Deputy Which one? travel editor, said, “There are plenty of ways to avoid paying too much.

“If you’re flexible with dates, avoid peak hours and set price alerts so you can strike if the rate drops. All-inclusive vacations are also a good option because they protect food, drink and activity costs from currency fluctuations.”

A TUI spokesperson said: ‘Our prices fluctuate with demand and we only have a few seats left for flights during the half term.

‘For school holidays and other busy periods, we always advise customers to book in advance where possible.’

A BA spokesperson said: ‘We advise customers to book as far in advance as possible to take advantage of our lowest prices.’