Like most people in this country, I’m having sleepless nights over my summer holiday. I swing between delight that I locked in cheap flights by booking in January, and worry my beach break might be cancelled. I’m not alone in my insecurities over summer travel. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has led to global energy shortages and it’s unclear how airlines will manage during the summer months, when there is typically a 25 per cent increase in flights in and out of the UK.
The head of the International Air Transport Association has warned that higher ticket prices were “inevitable” as the price of jet fuel goes up. Meanwhile, some airlines are cutting prices to encourage wary travellers to book tickets.
It looks like those who didn’t book early are betting on the UK instead this year, with hospitality reporting an increase in UK holidays. Both Booking.com and Airbnb told the BBC they are seeing an uptick in interest and reservations for domestic bookings, while Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said we may need to change where we holiday this year.
Shorts
I have found myself reminiscing about the no-fly UK holiday I took with my family last year. No airport queues. No dog care dramas. No wallet-draining data. We enjoyed almost ideal weather, scaled hills and spotted seals, swam off three coasts and ate regional food from bara brith to giant parmos, bags of Pontefract liquorice and platters of Scottish seafood. If it wasn’t for the worry over British weather (which increasingly seems irrational, given the scorching weather we’re having), I’d have done it again in a heartbeat.
