Sterling slide hits holidaymakers

HOLIDAYMAKERS travelling to Europe are now getting as little as 86 cents to the pound at airports.

On the currency markets the pound is hovering around 1.08 euros but fliers face even worse rates. At Southampton airport yesterday Moneycorp offered just 0.867 euros for a pound – laying out £1,000 yielded just 867 euros.

At Gatwick, Moneycorp offered 0.944 euros to the pound, at Stansted 0.916 and Bristol 0.930. The average euro rate across 16 big airports is higher at 0.95 to the pound, according to travel money firm FairFX. Sterling is doing little better against the dollar, with the average rate at airports being $1.12 to the pound.

The pound has fallen following stronger than expected growth in the eurozone and concerns over Brexit. Currency firms say their staff, rent and other costs are higher at airports than online.