Brit families warned budget holidays may be OVER as airlines cash in on demand

BUDGET family holidays could be a thing of the past thanks to greedy airlines cashing in on “huge demand” post-Covid.

Those looking to get away during school holidays face colossal price hikes – with flights to some European hotspots costing more than £1,000 a pop.

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Airlines known for their cheap summer trips abroad have more than trebled their prices as Brits look to book for June, July and August.

As a result, flying from London Heathrow to Malaga on a direct economy return on May 28 and June 4 – when most schools break up for half term – will set travellers back an astonishing £1,208, or £4,112 for a family of four.

A similar trip to Tenerife over the same dates costs £2,076, while the same holiday to Majorca comes to £1,260.

For Malta, this rises to £1,956, and those hoping to relax in Corfu face forking out £2,360, The Telegraph reports.

Experts have accused airlines of exploiting hard-up families keen for a break over the summer half-term.

Others say it is also a way for the huge corporations to scrape back some of the millions of pounds lost due to coronavirus, cancelled flights and staff shortages.

Short-haul flights with British Airways have shot up dramatically to deter ticket purchases as it battles severe staff shortages, according to The Independent.

It is a major blow for families looking forward to some summer sun after foreign travel being almost off the cards since the pandemic hit in 2020.

And it only adds to the existing Easter Bank Holiday chaos of cancelled flights, security delays, mile-long queues, rail disruptions and chock-a-block motorways.

Gemma Jamieson, from Skyscanner, said: “The biggest driver for flight prices is supply and demand, and people are just realising tat a holiday is viable option for them this year.

“Demand is really ramping up for people who wouldn’t have considered it a few months ago.

“It’s achievable because the rules are much simpler, and confidence is much higher. Demand will be massive.

“People are going back to where they know and love.”

Trade body Airlines UK and consumer watchdog Which? agreed that demand is sky-high and this will have a knock-on effect for prices.