Flight costs plummet as wary Britons shun summer hotspots
Fears grow for future of aviation industry after quarantine measures lead many to holiday at home
FLIGHTS to European hotspots are less than half the price of a train to Cornwall as experts said quarantine has killed demand for foreign holidays.
Analysis by The Sunday Telegraph showed that flights to holiday destinations at the height of peak season are far lower than they would normally be in the middle of August.
A travel expert said the quarantine measures had damaged confidence in overseas tourism and that it is inevitable that holiday companies will fail in the winter.
Airlines called on the Government to waive air passenger duty for 12 months to save the future of the industry as it heads into its toughest ever winter season.
Return flights in the middle of August to destinations like Berlin and Barcelona were listed on Friday for just £59 and £43 respectively, while a train from London to Truro and back would cost £107.
A round trip to the Greek island of Mykonos cost an average of £275 in August 2018 and 2019, according to Skyscanner, but on Friday was available for £88 – just under a third of the normal cost.
Paul Charles, of travel consultancy the PC Agency, said: “The market is very quiet. What quarantine has done is completely put people off flying so airlines are having to pump prime the market. I have never seen prices this low in the peak season in all my experience. It’s an indication that the quarantine measures have damaged a very successful sector in this country.”
Flights to Rome, usually £143 for a return in August, were just £65, while a trip to Dubrovnik in Croatia, famous for its medieval old town, cost £78 – less than half the average of £205.
Other European destinations where flights are far cheaper than usual were Amsterdam, Budapest and Malta. A similar trend was found for trips to Nice, in France, which previously cost £165 but were now available for £129.
There were also bargains available on long-haul flights to destinations including Barbados and Jamaica. However, flights to New Zealand and Australia on Friday were more expensive than the usual average cost for peak summer.
There have been fears for the future of the aviation industry as it is already on the hook for refunds to passengers whose trips were cancelled and now faces a summer of low demand.
A spokesman for Airlines UK, the trade body, said demand for air travel remains “well below normal” and that firms are braced for “the toughest winter season ever faced by the industry”.
He added: “Airlines will continue to need relief in the winter. Our major competitors have seen their respective governments stepping in to protect their aviation industries, and that’s why we need ministers here to come forward with a 12-month air passenger duty waiver to help stimulate demand and make travel cheaper.”
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office guidance still recommends against all but essential travel, except to countries on the official exemption list.
Government sources said that quarantine measures were put in place to protect the public and avoid a second peak of the virus, but that the travel corridors gave a lifeline to the industry.
An HM Treasury spokesman said: “The aviation sector is important to the UK economy, and will be able to draw upon the unprecedented package of measures announced by the Chancellor, including paying people’s wages through the furlough scheme.”
Stella Penso, of Skyscanner, said that travellers should check the latest guidelines as the situation is “continuously evolving”.
She said travel insurance is “more important than ever” and added: “Looking out for reductions on flexible ticket options is also a good option for savvy travellers looking for a last-minute bargain.”