Inquiry call over (school) holiday prices

by **Sazz** on Sun Jan 18, 2004 12:30 pm

Inquiry call over holiday prices

Parents face fines over term-time holidays
A Liberal Democrat spokesman is demanding an inquiry into the price of holidays during official school breaks.
Liberal Democrat spokesman Malcolm Bruce has asked the Office of Fair Trading to investigate what he calls a "feeding frenzy" by holiday firms.

He says parents could be cross-subsidising other holiday-makers by paying top rates for peak-time breaks.

His call came after the government announced parents could face �100 fines for taking children out of school for holidays in term-time.

The UK travel industry insists the country's holiday market is among the cheapest in the world and that prices are fair.

Malcolm Bruce MP, who is the Liberal Democrat's DTI spokesman, says holiday prices can rise by 100% during school holidays.

The full report can be seen here Inquiry over holiday prices

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/3395817.stm

by **HW Techie** on Mon Jan 19, 2004 12:47 am

While they're at it, why not find out why it costs over �10 a red rose for a couple of weeks in Febraury!

Any More?

HW Techie

by **HW Jan.C** on Mon Jan 19, 2004 9:50 am

It is a scadal how much the prices rise in July /August for a family holiday. We Always go in June for a few reasons, but mainly because of the cost to go at school holiday times, and to be honest if the �100 fine was brought in it would still work out cheaper to pay the damn fine and still take your kids away in term time.
( Tony Blair takes his kids out of school for holidays ) :twisted:

by **Pingu** on Mon Jan 19, 2004 3:09 pm

Ridiculous isnt it....same as Xmas with flights. Although Avro did hold back whole planes for late bookings last year and sold loads of seats at �140 return to TFS which isnt bad. Just a toss up between booking in advance tosecure seats and leaving till last min for better prices.

Its a tough one!

Sophie

by **Sazz** on Mon Jan 19, 2004 7:10 pm

What do you all think to taking kids out of school during term time? I am thinking about taking my son who is 6 out of school for 2 weeks in May. Last year we went on hol at half term so he was out of school for just a week.

What would you do?

by **HW Techie** on Mon Jan 19, 2004 8:14 pm

Don't have any littl'uns at the moment, but can say quite happily that I was taken out of school a few times to go on holiday. Including a 1 month stay in Spain, as a 6 year old, where I'm sure it wasn't to the detriment of my education.

Only possibly in their teens, studying for exams, are kids going to miss something critical to their education. I'm sure most parents know what's best for their kids and family as a whole.

Why not let them make informed decisions, rather than this blanket ban?

HW Techie

by **Pingu** on Tue Jan 20, 2004 2:38 pm

I never had that priveledge as a kid, my mother is a teacher and 100% against it!!

Soph

by **HW Jan.C** on Fri Feb 06, 2004 7:05 pm

AAAHHHHH soph, you poor thingy.... Well I got the holiday forms from school and filled them in, now the kids are fighting as neiher of them wants to hand them in.

.... Looks like it will be ME again.
Is this the face of concern ? 8)
Jan

by **Pingu** on Sat Feb 07, 2004 12:14 pm

School or holiday, school or holiday....?! Hmmmm its a tough one!

by **HW Jan.C** on Sat Feb 07, 2004 2:38 pm

NOOOOO its not just book and SMILE alot at parents evening, ( it always worries the staff )