Cash-strapped families turn to cheap term-time holidays

Parents are threatening to rebel against rules that force them to take holidays outside term-time.

Holiday companies and airlines add hundreds of pounds to their prices from the point schools break up for summer.

Virgin Holidays, for example, introduces a peak flight supplement on tickets to Florida the day after term ends this month. That costs a family of four £530 extra.

Similar tactics are employed by major airlines, tour operators and British holiday parks. A poll reveals, however, that 56% of families are prepared to break the rules - and save money - by having a holiday in term-time. The figure rises to 80% for once-in-a-lifetime trips.

The survey by mumsnet, an online parenting network, found that three quarters of parents felt travel firms were exploiting them. More than half said the cost of taking a break during school holidays prevented them going away at all. Of those who had already taken their child out of school during term, some 43% cited cost as the reason for doing so.

One mother told mumsnet that parents could try to escape sanction by saying a holiday during term was for educational reasons. 'It makes sense to allow parents to take their children out of school for two weeks at a time, provided that they can cite a few areas of learning for their child,' she said.

'It's no hardship to show your child where you are going on the map - be it 50 miles of 500 miles, and get them to help plan the route as appropriate to their age.

'Then if you are going on a couple of sightseeing trips, surely you'll hear a bit about the history and/or culture of the place you are visiting, and perhaps even keep a scrapbook of photos and notes, tickets and stuff. Even if you are planning to spend a full two weeks in the pool and on the beach, you can surely justify teaching them to swim and water safety.'

Other parents called for school holidays to be staggered as a way of defeating the price hikes.

Fines of £50 a pupil have been introduced for those who take their children on holiday during term. Some councils have taken families to court.

Justine Roberts of mumsnet said: 'The increased cost of travel during school holidays mean that the majority cannot afford to go at that time, so it's no wonder that many families opt to go away in term instead.'

A spokesman for travel industry body ABTA said: 'We have always said that prices go up when demand rises. Just as rail tickets are more expensive for commuters. The best way to make savings is to book early when many companies offer free child places and other incentives.'