High Street travel agents attacked over high prices

The National Association of Headteachers on the rising cost of holidays has attacked High Street travel agents who include First Choice and Thomas Cook. As in2town as reported, travel agents such as First Choice have increased their prices during the school holiday period making it more harder for families to have a holiday but now the National Association of Headteachers is asking how much profit do companies like First Choice really have to make.

Struggling families have seen prices of family holidays increase this year even though we are still going through the hassle of the credit crunch and those prices increase further when it comes to the school holidays. With the prices increasing, some families are looking at taking their children out of school during school term time to save money on holidays, while other families face another year without a family holiday.

A lot of families are now turning to the internet in their bid to make their own package holidays by booking cheap flights online and cheap hotels, missing out the travel agents and at the same time saving them money, allowing them to go on a family holiday at a more affordable rate.

In2town have looked at holidays from 2011 and we compared them to holidays for 2012 for a normal family of four, and we have found that some holidays have increased by around £1,500 where as the Daily Mail have looked at holidays and have seen travel agents have penalised parents who do not take their children out of school during term time, by around £2,300. This leaves the question, should you ignore the school wishes and face a fine and ruin your children’s education to save yourself this huge amount or should the government step in and shake the travel industry on its head and make holidays more affordable to the average family.

A spokesperson for the National Association of Headteachers commented:
 
“We know holiday companies are out to make a profit, but you have to ask how much.”
 
This is a question that families who are struggling to take their children on holiday are asking who take the risk of a fine or even jail if they take their children out of school during term time.